Texas A&M-CC @ Mississippi preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 29, 2009 ) Texas A&M CC 58, Mississippi 73

Ole Miss hopes to interject some urgency to its game when Texas A&M-Corpus Christi pays a visit on Tuesday. The Rebels have lost four of the past five games, three of them in overtime.

Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy is looking to light a fire under his team coming off a loss to Illinois State in which the Rebels gave up 101 points and allowed 17 offensive rebounds to the Redbirds. With just two more games left before conference play begins, Kennedy wants his players to find some consistency and pride in their game. Through the first 10 games of the season, the Rebels have used six different starting lineups. "I have put so much blood, sweat and tears into this program. To have to coach effort, it is ridiculous. I am coaching it every single day and it is the reason we are sitting here 5-5,'' Kennedy told reporters. "It is December ... and I can’t imagine the amount of things we have tried to do to light a fire. We just have not been successful.''

TV: 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network

ABOUT TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI (3-6): Senior guard Joseph Kilgore tops the Islanders in most categories, scoring 16.7 points per game while leading in rebounds (53), assists (22) and steals (15). Kilgore has reached double-digits in scoring in all nine games this season and led the team in scoring in eight of the nine. Sophomore guard Kareem South leads the Islanders with 11 makes from 3-point range and is second in scoring (10.7).

ABOUT OLE MISS (5-5): The Rebels are struggling on defense, allowing 79.7 points per game, which ranks tied for 306th nationally. Ole Miss is allowing 43.5 percent shooting from the field overall and 36.9 from 3-point range. "What is defense? Effort and angles,'' Kennedy told the media. "That’s where it starts. Your effort has to be off the charts. I don’t think it’s as good as it needs to be. Our angles, our communication, we obviously hit some adversity early and it has fragmented us as opposed to bringing us closer together.''

TIP-INS

1. Ole Miss F Marcanvis Hymon needs two blocked shots to move into 10th place on the school's all-time list.

2. Rebels F Bruce Stevens is averaging 16.7 points in his last three games (all starts), including a season-high 27 last time out, after managing 6.6 points per game coming off the bench in the first seven games.

3. Ole Miss G Terence Davis has reached double digits in scoring in 23 of his past 25 games, dating back to last season.

PREDICTION: Ole Miss 80, Texas A&M CC 74