This year's Big 12 - SEC Challenge sends Kansas State to face 10-10 Mississippi in Oxford. The Wildcats last faced the Rebels in 2016 as part of the Challenge and won 69-64 in Manhattan.

Kermit Davis is in his fourth season at Ole Miss after a long stretch at Middle Tennessee that included three NCAA tournament appearances in his final six seasons. He only has one appearance in his first three seasons at Mississippi.

The Rebels rank No. 120 in KenPom and No. 125 in the NET, but they have a few nice wins this year, such as against Mississippi State (No. 40) and Florida (No. 45), plus they took Tennessee (No. 12) to overtime and lost by only six to Marquette (No. 30).

They also have some bad losses. They fell to Western Kentucky (No. 143) by 23, by 25 to Missouri (No. 155) and by two to Samford (No. 213).

Ole Miss is strongest on defense. They rank No. 73 in KenPom's adjusted efficiency at 0.98 points per possession allowed.

The Rebels are best at forcing turnovers, with a TO rate of 20.8 percent (No. 73), and are solid on the defensive glass, as their OR% (offensive rebounding rate allowed) of 26.3 percent (No. 90) would indicate.

They do allow a free throw rate of 26.9 percent (No. 99).

Ole Miss allows an eFG% (effective field goal percentage) of 49.4 percent (No. 159). That includes an awful two-point percentage defense of 52.6 percent (No. 294), but they defend the three-point line well to the tune of just 29.2 percent shooting (No. 25).

Offensively they are below average. The Rebels score 1.02 points per possession and rank No. 200.

They aren't inside the top 175 in any category and their best aspect is a turnover rate of 18.7 percent (No. 179). They rebound 27.1 percent of their misses (No. 219) and have a free throw rate of 27.5 percent (No. 254).

Mississippi makes 49.0 percent of their two-pointers (No. 202) and 32.2 percent of their three-pointers (No. 235) for an eFG% of 48.8 percent (No. 223).

The K-State defense has the advantage nearly across the board, but they must not let a poor shooting Ole Miss team to get going against what has been a great eFG% defense, especially from three-point range.

Kansas State has been hurt inside some, including Baylor making over 70 percent of their twos, but the Rebels aren't great in the paint. The Wildcats have been killed on the defensive glass the last couple of games, but Ole Miss isn't great on the offensive glass, either.

Offensively, K-State has been a good shooting team, but Mississippi's strength has been against the teams at the three-point line.

It is also an opportunity for Kansas State to finish around the rim against a very poor interior defense. The Wildcats have been poor on the offensive glass and at getting to the free throw line, which are two things Ole Miss has been decent at on the defensive end of floor.

The Rebels don't have a dominant player, especially without their best scorer Jarkel Joiner. He was leading the team at 13.6 points per game before a back injury sidelined him in early January. He's expected to miss another few weeks.

Guard Daeshun Ruffin is the current leading scorer at 11.8 points per game, along with dishing out 3.5 assists per game. Ruffin struggles to shoot it. He's hitting only 19.6 percent from distance on 3.8 attempts per game and has an offensive rating of just 0.91.

Matthew Murrell is the best shooting threat for Ole Miss. He makes 40.7 percent from three-point range on 4.3 attempts per game. Murrell averages 10.6 points per game and 2.9 rebounds, with one of the better efficiencies on the team of 1.09.

Seven-footer Nysier Brooks scores 9.6 points per game, and that is paired with an impressive 7.9 rebounds per game and has the best offensive rating at 1.10.

Forward Jaemyn Brakefield scores 8.6 points and grabs 4.2 boards per game, plus he will step out to shoot it. Brakefield makes 37.5 percent from deep on 3.4 attempts per game.

Luis Rodriguez is the fifth starter, averages 6.4 points per game, 4.9 rebounds per game and hits 29.9 percent from the three-point line. Tye Fagan is the best option off the bench and scores 7.2 points per game, which includes making 35.7 percent from beyond the arc.

HOW TO WATCH: ESPNU

TIP TIME: 3:00 P.M. CST

FAN: It is a game that Kansas State must win after a poor performance against Baylor, plus they are facing a mediocre SEC team that they are better than and should defeat. If K-State plays with the effort they have for the majority of Big 12 play, they'll have no problem. If they perform as they did the prior three halves of basketball to finish against Kansas and then against the Bears in Waco, it will be tough. The Wildcats respond well and return to Big 12 play with some confidence after a 68-60 victory over the Rebels.

DY: Kansas State is a one-point favorite on the road for a reason. Ole Miss isn't all that good, despite rising up on occasion. I don't think today will be one of those. Even without Selton Miguel, I like how the Wildcats match up with them. The Rebels are a nice defensive squad, but he doesn't provide much assistance on that end of the floor, anyways. And Ole Miss struggles to score it. Enough forced turnovers will be the trick for K-State, today. They knock off the Rebels, 67-59.

FLANDO: Ole Miss is without their best player and are relying on freshmen and sophomore guards (Ruffin & Murrell) to do a majority of the damage. That should work out in the Wildcats' favor. On the flip side, Miami (FL) transfer Nysier Brooks is a seven-foot graduate student that will likely cause some issues for Kansas State. Selton Miguel is not available and that will hurt the Wildcats on the defensive end, but the offense may receive a boost with veteran Mike McGuirl inserted into the starting lineup. Both these teams are flailing in their respective conferences, but I feel better about the bottom of the Big 12 than I do the bottom of the SEC. K-State wins 67-63.

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