Rebel Skirmish

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball hits the road for its final game before the holiday break as the Islanders return to SEC country to face the Ole Miss Rebels on Tuesday evening.
 
The Islanders (3-6) and Rebels (5-5) will tip at 6 p.m. in a nationally-televised contest on the SEC Network.
 
Corpus Christi has already faced one SEC foe this season, dropping a 68-65 thriller at Georgia on November 19. The Islanders used a 20-6 run to erase a 19-point first half deficit and narrowly miss out on the upset. The Islanders get a second chance at the SEC on Tuesday in the final non-conference tilt of the year.
 
WHAT TO KNOW
 
Who: Islanders at Ole Miss
Where: Oxford, Miss. | The Pavilion at Ole Miss
When: Tuesday, Dec. 19 | 6 p.m.
Watch: SEC Network (DirecTV 611 | DISH 404 or 408 | TWC 384 | U-Verse 1607 | Grande 877)
Listen: Islanders Digital Network presented by AEP Texas
 
SERIES HISTORY
 
Corpus Christi and Ole Miss have met only once before, a 73-58 win for the Rebels in 2009. Tuesday night will be the first time the Islanders have ever played in the newly opened The Pavilion at Ole Miss.
 
WHOSE STYLE?
 
>> Tuesday will bring a clash of styles as the Islanders' 84th ranked scoring defense and Ole Miss' 51st ranked scoring offense.
>> On the opposite end, Ole Miss ranks 301st in scoring defense while the Islanders are 329th in scoring offense.
>> Corpus Christi also excels in forcing turnovers, ranking 16th with 18.22 per game. Ole Miss, however, ranks 38th in the nation in fewest turnovers, averaging just 11 per contest. 
 
ISLANDER INSIGHT
 
>> Joseph Kilgore continues to be the Islanders' leader on the floor, scoring in double figures in every game this season.
>> Perry Francois is looking to build off a career performance after scoring 11 in the win on Friday.
>> In all three wins this season, the Blue and Green have held opponents to 35 percent or worse shooting.
>> 12 Islanders scored in the victory on Friday night, the most in any single game this season.
 
SCOUTING OLE MISS
 
• Ole Miss sits at 5-5 on the season after suffering an overtime loss at the hands of Illinois State on Saturday.
• Terrence Davis leads the Rebels with 15.7 ppg and grabs 6.3 rpg to sit second on the team.
• Deandre Burnett adds another 15.0 ppg and Markel Crawford goes for 10.5 to give Ole Miss three averaging double digits.
• Marcanvis Hyman leads the Rebels with 7.3 boards per contest.
• Ole Miss ranks 51st in the country in scoring averaging 82.3 ppg.
 
UP NEXT
 
The Islanders open Southland Conference play at Central Arkansas on December 28 before returning home to Corpus Christi Athletic Club Court at the American Bank Center on December 30 to host Lamar.