Chattanooga vs. Ole Miss Odds
| Chattanooga Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+12.5 -110 | 139.5 -115o / -105u | +610 |
| Ole Miss Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-12.5 -110 | 139.5 -115o / -105u | -950 |
I'll be the first to let you know I was probably as low as anyone on the Rebels coming into the season. They performed well in the second half against Alcorn State, but I still doubted them.
They proved me wrong once again against FAU on Friday night, taking the down the Owls, 80-67. Maybe the Rebels are for real. It wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong, and it won't be the last.
Their next challenge comes on Tuesday night against Chattanooga.
The Mocs had what I thought was a concerning loss to Charleston in their first game of the season. As it turns out, Charleston is just that good, as it showed when it kept it tight against the No. 1 North Carolina nearly the whole game.
Can Ole Miss keep its win streak alive against the Mocs?
Chattanooga Mocs
The Mocs lost their season opener for the first time since 2019, but now that we've seen what Charleston did against UNC, this loss was more about how good Charleston is.
Chattanooga struggled to keep up with Charleston, allowing the Cougars to score pretty much at will. The 42 points they put up in the first half were the most the Mocs have allowed since February 2021.
And while Charleston is good, it was also the first game of the season for a team that lost its top four scorers from last year.
It will take some time before Chattanooga molds into a well-rounded team, but there were some promising signs from the team despite the loss. The Mocs brought in a big group of transfers in the offseason, and after one game, things look promising for the group.
Jamal Johnson, a transfer from UAB, went off for 20 points in his debut. Meanwhile, VMI transfer Jake Stephens also scored 20 and brought down 11 rebounds to record a double-double in his debut.
JUCO transfer Demetrius Davis had a big first game as well, putting up a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds.
Chattanooga shouldn't have a problem scoring this year, and its presence around the basket — which is already significant — will only get better as the season progresses. But if this team wants to be competitive, someone is going to have to establish themselves as a perimeter threat.
The team also has some serious work to do on the defensive end as a whole.
Ole Miss Rebels
I don't know what impressed me more about Ole Miss on Friday night — its shooting or its defense. The Rebels hit 50% from the floor and 40% from beyond the arc. They also won on the glass, which led to 21 points on second-chance opportunities.
The bench was once again a major factor, scoring more than 30 points just as it did in its first game.
The Rebels defense was all over FAU — the biggest difference from their first game being that they didn't give up a single point on a fast break.
There was a stretch in the second half where Ole Miss let a 17-point lead fall to just six with four minutes left in the game, but Ole Miss finished the game on a 12-5 run after a quick timeout.
Ole Miss came out of the gate aggressively, a night and day difference from its first game against Alcorn State. That strong start is something it'll need moving forward, especially against an offense-focused Mocs team.
Chattanooga vs. Ole Miss Betting Pick
The Mocs will be a change of pace compared to what the Rebels have seen so far to start the season — literally. Both FAU and Alcorn State sat outside the top 200 in adjusted tempo, while Chattanooga comes in at 131st.
Chattanooga will also be Ole Miss' toughest challenge yet around the basket, though the Rebels do still hold an advantage when it comes to height and rebounding. It just won't be a pronounced as it was in their first two games.
With the uptick in pace and the challenges at the rim, I think this will be Ole Miss' highest-scoring game of the season so far.
The Mocs are a good shooting team and can find success against a solid Rebels defense. However, Chattanooga's defense likely struggles against the Rebels, specifically on the perimeter.
I'd feel comfortable backing the over at any number 140 or better here.
Pick: Over 140 or better
