Memphis basketball vs. Ole Miss: Score prediction, scouting report on Moussa Cisse

Can Memphis basketball pick itself up off the deck and avoid back-to-back losses?

The Tigers (5-1) have a chance to do so at Ole Miss (6-0) Saturday (1 p.m., ESPN2). Following a weeklong layoff after a 16-point loss to No. 15 Villanova, Penny Hardaway's team will make the trip to Oxford, where first-year Ole Miss coach Chris Beard and newly eligible Moussa Cisse — an AAC Freshman of the Year at Memphis, once upon a time — await.

The Rebels are coming off their best win of the season, a 72-52 blowout over NC State. Before that, Ole Miss' résumé highlight was a three-point victory over Sam Houston State.

Here are three things to keep an eye on ahead of Saturday's game.

Moussa Cisse is back

Perhaps it's a cruel twist that the 7-foot rim protector and two-time transfer is ruled eligible by the NCAA just in time to face his former coach, who may still be reeling a bit from an ugly loss at the Battle 4 Atlantis and is still relatively fresh off a three-game NCAA-mandated suspension.

But that's where things apparently stand. Beard told reporters Tuesday night that Cisse (who transferred to Ole Miss after two seasons at Oklahoma State) had his waiver request approved just minutes before tip-off versus NC State. Cisse did not play against the Wolfpack.

If he plays Saturday, Ole Miss' rebounding (which hasn't been very good: 233rd in the nation in rebounding differential) instantly improves. There also shouldn't be much drop-off in the Rebels' rim protection with Cisse on the floor, even though having him likely means fewer minutes for 7-5 elite shot blocker Jamarion Sharp.

Ole Miss' scoring from the 5 spot might improve a bit, although Cisse averaged just 6.8 points a game as a junior at Oklahoma State last season.

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Memphis must attack at the perimeter

Because of the boost the Rebels stand to get down low, it makes sense that the Tigers' most reasonable path to success is farther away from the basket.

Ole Miss has been somewhat vulnerable at the 3-point line. Its opponents are scoring 34.1% of their points beyond the arc versus the Rebels this season. The amount of scoring Memphis has done from deep this season: 34.2%.

Also, Beard's squad is allowing teams to connect on 30.6% of their 3-point attempts (109th nationally). Memphis is hitting 37.2% of its 3-pointers. Ashton Hardaway is shooting 46.7%, and David Jones (the Tigers' leading scorer and rebounder) is hitting 44.4% of his 36 tries from 3.

Ole Miss scouting report

Auburn transfer Allen Flanigan leads the Rebels in scoring (19.3 points per game), while former Whitehaven star Matthew Murrell is averaging 14.0 per game.

Ole Miss has outscored its opponents by an average of 7.7 points this season; three of its wins (Temple, Detroit Mercy and Sam Houston State) have been decided by three points or less.

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The Rebels have taken care of the ball relatively well, averaging 9.5 turnovers per game.

Memphis vs. Ole Miss score prediction

Memphis 82, Ole Miss 77: In overtime.

Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or follow him @munzly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis basketball vs. Ole Miss: Score prediction, scouting report