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This past week brought a bit of a lull to the Ole Miss sports calendar. There’s a dead period in football recruiting on the heels of the second National Signing Day. The basketball team had the weekend off and baseball is in the final week of preparation for its season-opening series at Hawaii next weekend.
So, we’ll give this a whirl and see what happens.
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1. According to Joe Lunardi, Ole Miss enters this week as one of the last four teams in the NCAA Tournament.
The Rebels, who had the weekend off, head to Kentucky Tuesday and then head home to meet Missouri on Saturday. The Rebels' schedule after that: At Mississippi State, vs. South Carolina, vs. Alabama, at Missouri, at Georgia, home vs. Texas A&M.
Ole Miss likely needs to win five of those games to head to Nashville for the Southeastern Conference Tournament feeling good about its place in the NCAA Tournament.
Ole Miss is 18-5 overall and 5-5 in the SEC after consecutive losses to Auburn and at South Carolina. They will arrive in Lexington to face a Kentucky team that has lost three straight home games and is just one game ahead of the Rebels in the SEC standings.
Lunardi had nine SEC teams in his most recent bracket. The overall strength of the league should put some wind at the Rebels' tournament sails as the season nears its completion.
The Rebels just have to win some games.
2. Up next: Kentucky.
Here’s a story about the slumping Wildcats from my colleague at Rivals, CatsIllustrated.com managing editor Jeff Drummond:
For the first time since Rupp Arena opened in 1976, Kentucky has suffered a three-game losing streak at what was once the most difficult venue for a visiting team to win in college basketball.
Gonzaga made it an unprecedented skid on Saturday, beating No. 17 Kentucky 89-85 before a stunned crowd of 20,186.
The Bulldogs followed Florida and Tennessee in winning on Kentucky's legendary home floor in the last 11 days. They did so by following the blueprint that many have used against the young Wildcats this season: playing physically, dominating the glass, and taking advantage of UK's nearly non-existent halfcourt defense.
Gonzaga (18-6) shot 47% from the field, owned a 43-31 rebounding advantage, and scored 50 of its 89 points in the paint.
“It’s one of our strengths," Gonzaga head coach Mark Few said. "So, at this point in the season, you just have to play to your strengths. You’re hoping you can do that, obviously. We take a lot of pride in our rebounding, and it’s been decent this year, at times, but, it was exceptional at times."
Five different Bulldogs pulled down five or more rebounds on the day. They finished with 18 on the offensive glass leading to 15 second-chance points.
"It is just disappointing we got beat to so many balls," Kentucky head coach John Calipari said. "Just disappointing. I think we are better than that."
Junior forward Graham Ike scored a game-high 23 points to lead Gonzaga, which also got 17 points apiece from grad senior forward Anton Watson and junior guard Nolan Hickman, a one-time UK commitment.
Kentucky (16-7) trailed by as many as 13 points. The Cats dug out of a 10-point hole at halftime and eventually took a six-point lead with 12:30 remaining in the game, but could not come up with the key stops down the stretch against the Bulldogs.
Gonzaga scored on an eye-popping 15 of its last 17 possessions.
"You know, you are going against a veteran team that really executes what they are trying to do at the four-minute mark," Calipari said. "We weren't able to withstand some of the stuff they were doing. Most of it were breakdowns."
The Cats got 21 points from freshman guard Reed Sheppard, 17 from senior guard Antonio Reeves, and 15 from sophomore forward Adou Thiero.
Freshman guard Rob Dillingham, who had scored 55 points in the previous two games, played just 18 minutes and scored six points on 2-of-6 shooting from the field.
Kentucky played yet another game without its full roster, although freshman point guard DJ Wagner returned from a three-game absence with an ankle injury. Grad senior center/forward Tre Mitchell missed a second straight game with back soreness.
Eight UK players have missed a combined 48 games of action this season due to illness or injury. The Cats have yet to play a game with the full roster available.
The staff at CatsIllustrated has a rapid reaction feature after every UK game. The comments Saturday were interesting, especially as Ole Miss prepares to invade Rupp Tuesday night at 8.
JEFF DRUMMOND:
There was a time when it felt like huge-font, national headline news if Kentucky ever lost a game at Rupp Arena. As I type this today, the Cats are riding an unprecedented three-game home losing streak, something I thought I'd never see in my lifetime. The scary part after this latest setback is how many difficult games UK still has remaining with a 16-7 overall record. This team is in serious danger of playing its way onto the NCAA Tournament bubble over the next two or three weeks. Every team they face from here on out knows it can bully the younger, weaker, and physically ailing Cats. The staff has to come up with some solutions in a hurry, or a once-promising season is spiraling down the drain.
TRAVIS GRAF:
The wheels have officially fallen off of a season that started off as a very promising one. Mark Few and Gonzaga did whatever they wanted on offense without resistance or counters from Kentucky. After being one of the top teams in the country at one point, the Cats now fall in line as a borderline bubble team more than anything at the moment. Kentucky digs themselves big holes every game, so it may be time to change the starting lineup. The fan base isn’t happy with losses in general, and they for sure won’t tolerate three straight home losses.
DAVID SISK:
For several weeks I felt like I was on an island. I kept hearing from many who know basketball, and are in the basketball media that Kentucky’s offense was good enough to overcome any defensive deficiencies. Just outscore the opponent. They were playing so well through the first half of the season that I was honestly second-guessing my philosophy that defense wins championships. I even called coaching friends to see if I was a dinosaur. We are seeing now that you can’t win if you can’t get stops. Kentucky shot 60%, and 43% from three in the second half, and still lost. I thought this team could be like the Washington Huskies football squad this year. The defense only had to be good enough because of a prolific offense. Instead, they look more like USC. One turnover, one drive without a touchdown, and they are cooked, because the defense simply can’t get off the field until the other team is handing the ball to the official in their end zone.
3. Here’s my weekly ranking of the SEC, complete with NET ratings in parentheses:
Note: Let’s be clear, right off the bat; this is pretty much impossible in spots. Right now, the league is pretty unpredictable.
Alabama (5) — When the Tide defends at a high level, it’s dominant.
Tennessee (6) — The Vols got blown out at Texas A&M. It just looked weird.
Auburn (7) — Hungover after a blowout win over Alabama, the Tigers got cooked in Gainesville.
South Carolina (44) — The Gamecocks just keep winning.
Florida (31) — The Gators had a week to think about choking down the stretch at Texas A&M. They responded with a dominant effort in a win over Auburn.
Texas A&M (38) — The Aggies are putting it together.
Mississippi State (35) — The Bulldogs had an easy time at Missouri. All of their analytics are solid. They just have to stack wins.
Kentucky (25) — The Wildcats are approaching trouble, but the numbers are still in their favor.
Ole Miss (58) — The Rebels can make noise this week. They just have to control the boards better.
LSU (93) — The Tigers still have a pulse. They gave Alabama a run for a bit Saturday.
Georgia (94) — The Bulldogs had a shot in Fayetteville but couldn’t close it out. That’s been the story of their season.
Arkansas (129) — Despite all of the drama and rumors, the Razorbacks got a win on Saturday. Another tough week awaits, however.
Vanderbilt (237) — There’s really nothing to say.
Missouri (153) — Ditto.
4. We’re starting to get close to the home stretch in the conference season. Here are some games to watch in the SEC this week:
Tuesday:
Ole Miss at Kentucky — The Wildcats are in trouble and Ole Miss, an older team coming off a week of rest, should present problems.
Wednesday:
South Carolina at Auburn — It’s a free shot for the Gamecocks against an Auburn team that is elite at home.
Saturday:
Texas A&M at Alabama — Can the Aggies take their recent home-court momentum on the road? It would be a signature win for Buzz Williams and Co.
Kentucky at Auburn — At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this feels like a make-or-break week for the Wildcats.
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5. As mentioned at the beginning, Ole Miss begins its baseball season Friday night at 10:35 CST at Hawaii. The Rebels plays the Warriors for four games before heading home to face Arkansas State on Feb. 21 in their home opener.
Last season, I predicted Ole Miss would win 16 league games and get to Omaha. I say that to say this: I’m far from a college baseball expert, and the following prediction could and probably will go wildly wrong. I do try to follow more closely than I used to for podcast purposes, but at this time of year, what with college basketball heading down the stretch and spring football/recruiting ramping up in the spring, it’s usually down my list of priorities.
Regardless, here’s my swing at how Ole Miss will do this fall:
I’ve got the Rebels going 19-7 in the non-league and 13-17 in the SEC for a total record of 32-24 heading to Hoover in late May for the SEC Tournament. In other words, I’ve got Ole Miss all over the bubble.
I’ll predict Ole Miss gets into the NCAA Tournament as a 3-seed, likely one capable of giving a regional host quite the scare.
6. Of course, my college baseball knowledge is pretty limited. So I asked Chase Parham, who covers the Rebels’ program better than anyone, for some insight as Opening Night nears.
Here’s Chase:
We’ve talked for months about how starting pitchers in the SEC are obviously paramount, but they aren’t expected to last as many innings compared to even a few years ago. Depth and matchups have become increasingly important because of the advanced offenses around the league.
Ole Miss believes it has better depth than last year, even without Hunter Elliott and Xavier Rivas. There are a lot of arms the Rebels will throw out there in the early weeks to see what roles get occupied.
Where Ole Miss is also better is the variety. Curve balls and legitimate changeups are more part of players’ arsenals than past years, and the Rebels picked up more left-handers. Typically, with Rivas and Elliott — both lefties — out, it would be a group of right-handers handling the load.
Ole Miss has historically had frontline lefties with Drew Pomeranz, Ryan Rolison, Dough Nikhazy and others, but that’s not where the depth has made up the roster.
“We need to recruit more left-handed pitchers, and let’s be careful about how we filter that,” Mike Bianco said. “We’ve talked about it as the staff, and sometimes it’s how it falls. To be fair, it was probably a couple years ago because they are here now… Let’s make sure we have enough, and that helps us. Part of that is by numbers and part of that is by emphasis.”
Meridian Community College transfer lefty Gunnar Dennis will start on Saturday against Hawaii, and Wes Mendes has been the best freshman since arriving on campus.
Coastal Carolina transfer Liam Doyle should factor in significantly, and other junior college lefties, Ryne Rodriguez and Corey Braun, could have noticeable roles.
Variance has never been more critical, and even with the injuries, on paper the Rebels have more it than most seasons.
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7. Sheryl Swoopes was a great basketball player.
No one can take that away from her or wants to take that away from her. However, her behavior regarding Iowa star Caitlyn Clark is wrong, and her prowess as a basketball star doesn't make her immune from criticism -- no matter how hard she plays the race card.
Clark, Swoopes said, is 25 years old playing against 20-year-olds.
Clark is just 22. Because she takes 40 shots a game, Swoopes said, and because she used a fifth COViD year to break the record, Swoopes said, Clark's record deserves an asterisk. Of course, Clark entered play Sunday averaging 22.3 shots per game this season and 19.7 for her career. And oh, this is Clark's fourth season, not her fifth.
As Outkick's Bobby Burack wrote late last week, "Her rant reeked of racial hostility, uttering her dismissals while wearing a 'Female, Fearless, and Black' T-shirt on Gilbert Arenas’ podcast, where inflammatory rhetoric toward white basketball players is commonplace. Arenas recently complained that white Euro players were coming for 'our league,' as in the black people's league."
Swoopes, of course, was corrected. As Burack noted, "she responded to critics with demeaning memes of white women. She called those questioning her 'them' and 'ignorant.' She sarcastically dismissed references to statistical proof as 'piling on.'"
Female sports influencer Arielle Chambers garnered a strong response for a thread in which she argues that correcting Swoopes' false statements is a "direct reflection of how black women aren't afforded the freedom to deliver their opinions."
That, of course, is crap. Really, it's total crap.
As World-Herald columnist Tom Shatel wrote on Sunday, hours before Iowa played at Nebraska with Clark needing 39 points to break Kelsey Plum’s Division I scoring record of 3,527 (she got 31 in a losing effort against the Cornhuskers), Clark is redefining women’s college basketball. She’s changing what we’re looking at. She’s altering how we view it.
"Men have been talking trash and stomping on opponents’ hearts forever," Shatel wrote. "Larry Bird and Michael Jordan are on the Trash Talk Mount Rushmore. There are dozens who played before and after them.
"Remember Christian "I Hate" Laettner? Well, Clark reminds me of the trash talking, opponent-stomping, ref-baiting, game-winning shot making legend who inspired a generation of vitriol back in the day.
"If the men can do it, and are revered and held up as the symbols of greatness, why wouldn’t the ladies be allowed to, as well?
"Laettner was good for the game. Love him or hate him, a generation of kids wanted to be like Laettner.
"Today, young ladies are paying attention. And this is at a time when, in many areas of the country, girls basketball is losing players to volleyball."
That's the point. Clark is and should be a role model. It shouldn't be about her race (Clark is white), her sexuality (she's straight), her religious beliefs (she's Catholic) or any of that. Clark has game. People line up to see her play. They were lined up in Lincoln, Neb., Sunday at 4 a.m., eight hours before tipoff.
She might actually revitalize the WNBA, a dead league being propped up by the NBA and a sports media industry that does its best to prop it up. She should be embraced in the same way Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were when they basically saved the NBA in 1980.
As Burack wrote, "Clark is particularly vulnerable to racial hostility, having been cast as the villainous white girl last March in a feud with LSU forward Angel Reese.
"Reese, a black woman, waved 'You can’t see me' in Clark’s face after LSU defeated Iowa in the women’s national championship game. Some fans called the move classless. It was.
"But the media turned the response into proof of a 'double standard' because Clark used the gesture previously.
"The difference was, of course, that Reese made the gesture in Clark’s face and to a far more egregious degree. Nonetheless, journalists push the following statements:
"'LSU’s Angel Reese, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and the double standards of race in sports," said the ESPN-owned Andscape.
"'But we’re not really talking about talking trash, are we? We’re talking about double standards: Black players are vilified for doing the same things white players are praised for doing," said Andscape writer William C. Rhoden.
"'Chickens were merely coming home to roost for Clark," another ESPN article claimed.
"'Reaction to Angel Reese taunting Caitlin Clark shows the double standard for Black athletes," added USA Today.
"'If you praised Caitlin Clark as competitive, fiery, and passionate for doing the ‘You can’t See me’ celebration and are criticizing Angel Reese for the same we already know!!' posted Ryan Clark, insulating white privilege.
"'When Caitlin Clark did it, it was swag, but when Angel Reese does it, it’s classless. It's very clear: this is not about anything else but race," said Shannon Sharpe at the time.
"The easiest, and laziest, way to cover athletes in 2024 is by bucketing them into categories based on their race, and thus defining them by their skin color and what that skin color has historically represented.
"See the coverage of Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, for notable examples. Like Allen, the media portrayed Clark as the lead villain in her respective sports.
"It's all a ploy to divide us and keep the media relevant. Unfortunately, it's effective."
I know some will criticize this entry and question my motives for writing it. I have none. I just think Clark should be celebrated with no caveats. That's not the case. And I think that's a shame.
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8. Is it ever to early for college football win total over/unders?
No, I thought not.
FanDuel released their very early SEC win total over/unders for 2024 late last week. If you're reading this on a laptop, you likely see them in the Twitter/X post from my friend, Michael Bratton. If you're viewing on your phone, you might not see that post.
My early guesses:
Alabama 9.5 -- Call it a gut feeling. I'll go under. Good line placement, however.
Arkansas 5.5 -- I'm going under. Again, very good line placement. I think the Hogs get to five wins.
Auburn 7.5 -- I'm going under. I think Vegas is gambling on the "recruiting momentum" to create false expectations among the betting public.
Florida 5.5 -- This one's tricky, but I'll go under. I think the Gators are a mess.
Georgia 10.5 -- Call me crazy, but I'm going over. Experienced quarterback, renewed hunger, loaded roster, etc.
Kentucky 6.5 -- I'm going over, but I'm not super confident. That said, the Wildcats have been pretty consistent the last few years.
LSU 9.5 -- I'm going under. The Tigers will be good, but they've got to replace an elite quarterback and a special receiving corps.
Mississippi State 4.5 -- This won't be popular, but I'm going over. I could see the Bulldogs getting five wins.
Missouri 9.5 -- I'm sure I'll get ridiculed here, but I'm going over. The schedule is favorable, it's a talented roster, etc.
Oklahoma 7.5 -- I'm going under. I think the welcome-to-the-SEC phenomenon hits the Sooners.
Ole Miss 9.5 -- Again, I realize I'm setting myself up for ridicule from the outside media who desperately want to label me a fan, but I think the Rebels are headed to 10-2. In fact, if you told me I was off a game, I'd go 11-1 before I'd go 9-3. I think Ole Miss loses at home to Georgia. After that, the only "scary" game is at LSU.
South Carolina 5.5 -- I'm going under. Spencer Rattler saved the Gamecocks last season.
Tennessee 8.5 -- That line is perfectly placed. I'll go under, but Nico Iamaleava could make me eat those words.
Texas 10.5 -- I'll go under, but the 'Horns are going to be salty. I think Texas is likely a 10-2 team.
Texas A&M 8.5 -- Under. I'm done being tricked by the Aggies' talent. If they roll past this number and laugh at the skeptics, so be it.
Vanderbilt 2.5 -- I mean, if the Commodores win three of Virginia Tech, Alcorn State, Ball State and Georgia State, they cover. I'll go over.
9. It’s time to eat. Here’s our resident Parisian chef, Burton Webb, with Taste of the Place, Lesson 222 — Chocolate Cake with Ganache for V-Day
Indulge in a simple cake that you adjust for your preferences to have a dessert that you don’t have to make just for Valentine’s Day. It is perfect for any chocolate lover's cravings!
Tidbit #1: You will need a stand mixer or electric hand mixer to assist with mixing the egg whites and sugar. If not, your forearms are going to get a good workout. Tidbit #2: The addition of powdered hazelnuts adds a delightful nuttiness to the cake, complementing the deep cocoa flavor. This is wonderful, to be honest. To add more depth, you can add some alcohol to the ganache to have more of an umpf flavor. I like an orange, raspberry, or cherry liquor. Just a few drops.
Tidbit #3: After you pour the ganache over the top of the cooled cake. Place the cake in the fridge for 20 minutes. Use a serrated knife that has been dipped in hot water, and scrape the top of the ganache with the knife to form a cool pattern on top. It makes it look fancy. Things you'll need:
2 People (x2 servings)
Preparation time: 15 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Rest time: 1 hour
Cognac
Utensils needed: Work surface and mixing bowls
Digital scale Whisk
Cake pan and parchment paper
Oven and fridge
Saucepan
Ingredients needed:
6 egg yolks
4 egg whites
140 grams sugar
60 grams flour
35 grams cocoa powder
50 grams powdered hazelnuts
60 grams butter
Ganache -
110 grams of dark chocolate
10 cl heavy cream
20 grams honey
Mise en Place:
Step 1: Combine the egg yolks with 100 grams of sugar in a mixing bowl. Whisk until pale and creamy.
Whip the egg whites with 40 grams of sugar in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mixture.
Step 1.2: Sift in the flour and cocoa powder, and fold gently until combined. Fold in the powdered hazelnuts and melted butter until evenly distributed.
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a cake pan with the parchment paper. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 3: In a saucepan, heat the heavy cream and honey until just simmering. Place the dark chocolate in a mixing bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute. Gently whisk the chocolate and cream together until smooth and shiny.
Final:
Step 4: Once the cake has cooled, pour the ganache over the top, allowing it to drip down the sides.
Use a spatula to spread the ganache evenly over the cake. Let the ganache set for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
*Of course, spruce it up with a few cherries if you would like and don’t forget about those few drops of flavored liquor in the ganache.
From the Mississippian in Paris, Bon Appétit!
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9b. Since it’s Valentine’s Day and the week of my wife, Laura’s, birthday, I’ve been researching a bit on my end for a perfect celebratory meal. So here’s your bonus from me — Steak Frites with Black Garlic Butter
From Food&Wine:
Charolais is a breed of cattle from Burgundy prized for its tender, flavorful and marbled (not fatty) meat. Substitute a grass-fed or finished hanger steak to channel the juicy, nutty qualities of the French beef.
Ingredients
1 head black garlic (see Note), peeled
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon brandy
2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more for sprinkling
2 pounds russet potatoes, spiralized into 1/4-inch-thick strands
1 tablespoon peanut or grapeseed oil, plus more for frying
1 1/2 pounds trimmed Charolais hanger steaks or other grass-fed hanger steaks (2 to 3 steaks)
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish (optional)
Directions
Place black garlic in a small bowl, and mash with a fork to a smooth paste.
Add butter, brandy, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; mash until thoroughly combined.
Spoon garlic mixture onto a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap, and roll into a 3-inch-long log.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
Mound spiralized potatoes on a large microwavable plate or in a glass pie plate; cover with wet paper towels. Microwave on high until tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
Spread in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and let cool 10 minutes.
Pour peanut oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches in a large, deep Dutch oven; heat over medium to 375°F. (The hot oil will rise when potatoes are added.)
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Pat steaks dry with paper towels; sprinkle with pepper and remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Add steaks to skillet, and cook, turning every 3 minutes to evenly brown all sides, to desired degree of doneness, about 12 minutes for medium-rare.
Transfer steaks to a carving board, and let rest 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, fry potatoes in hot oil in 2 to 3 batches, stirring often with a spider or slotted spoon, until frites are golden and crisp, 4 to 6 minutes. (Adjust heat between batches as needed to maintain oil temperature of 375°F.)
Transfer frites to a butcher paper–lined plate. Sprinkle with salt.
Cut steaks against the grain into slices; divide among 4 plates.
Cut black garlic butter into 1/2-inch-thick rounds.
Top steak with black garlic butter, and, if desired, parsley. Serve immediately with frites.
Make Ahead
Black garlic butter may be stored in refrigerator up to 3 days or frozen up to 1 month.
Notes
Roasted garlic may be substituted for black garlic.
Suggested Pairing
Complex, structured red Burgundy.
10. We’ll have coverage of Ole Miss basketball, baseball and whatever else might pop up this week at RebelGrove.com. Until then, here are some links of interest to me — and hopefully, to you — for your reading pleasure:
Tennessee Deploys Heupel to Enjoin NCAA NIL Restrictions
Six days on the bubble with America's most eclectic team
Why Justin Rascati became ‘greatest fit of all time’ for new Bengals coaching role - The Athletic
Welcome to the 'Doink Cam': How CBS' Super Bowl TV innovation came to life
Inside the Clippers’ strangely quiet NBA trade deadline: Rotations, P.J. Tucker and the status quo
NBA buyout market tiers: 34 players to watch now that trade deadline has passed
Klay Thompson's not done yet, but he and the Warriors need a pivot
Bitter Sheryl Swoopes Can't Handle Accountability For Lies About
Do the Cubs have enough to beat their underwhelming projections? There’s still time to add
A round-up of pressing questions for all 30 MLB teams heading into spring training
MLB 2024 farm system rankings: Keith Law ranks all 30 teams, Orioles are new No. 1
Cody Bellinger, Camp Counsell and more: Cubs' biggest spring training questions
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