Ole Miss guards against letdown

Backcourt tough to contain

Mississippi guard Jarvis Summers (32) dribbles against Austin Peay guard Jeremy Purvis (12) during an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015, in Oxford, Miss. (AP Photo/Oxford Eagle, Bruce Newman)

FAYETTEVILLE -- The last time Ole Miss played an SEC road game, Jarvis Summers and Stefan Moody combined for 48 points in the Rebels' 89-86 overtime loss to No. 1 Kentucky in Rupp Arena, helping to quiet the announced crowd of 24,275.

Arkansas will try to do a better job of containing the Rebels' starting guards and keep the fans engaged when Ole Miss (10-6, 1-2) plays the 19th-ranked Razorbacks (13-3, 2-1) at 8:30 tonight in Walton Arena.

Summers, a 6-3 senior, is a four-year starter at point guard and the SEC's active career leader in points (1,448), assists (425) and minutes (3,358). His season-high scoring performance is 23 points against Kentucky and Creighton, and he scored 20 against Dayton and South Carolina.

Moody, a 5-10 junior transfer from Kilgore (Texas) College, scored a season-high 26 points against Cincinnati, 25 at Kentucky, 22 at Oregon and 16 against South Carolina.

"Moody's just a freakish athlete," South Carolina Coach Frank Martin said. "I told our guys going into the game he's an NFL defensive back with tremendous shooting ability.

"He plays with so much athleticism and strength and is a dynamic scorer."

Moody, from Kissimmee, Fla., began his college career at Florida Atlantic, where he averaged 15.7 points and was named Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year. He then transferred to Kilgore -- for academic reasons according to the Sun-Sentinel newspaper -- and averaged 17.7 points last season.

At Ole Miss, Moody is averaging a team-high 14.9 points and has replaced Marshall Henderson, the Rebels' leading scorer the past two seasons who is now playing professionally in Qatar.

Rebels Coach Andy Kennedy said Moody is doing what was expected of him when he signed with Ole Miss.

"We knew there was going to be a void at his position, and we needed him to come in and be as productive as he's been to this point," Kennedy said. "I think he's gotten better and better as he's become more comfortable with the setting, his teammates and the expectations that have been placed on him."

Moody is shooting 40 percent on three-point attempts (34 of 85) after some early struggles. He was 3 of 17 on three-point attempts the first two games against Charleston Southern and Troy, but since then has shot 45.6 percent (31 of 68).

"He's really settled in and made shots," Kennedy said. "He's been the explosive athlete we needed him to be, jumped into that void and given us another offensive spark."

Moody is strong going to the basket and has shown the ability to finish at the rim -- even against Kentucky's big men -- and draw fouls. He's shooting 90.3 percent (56 of 62) on free throws.

"He's fast with the basketball and can really elevate," Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson said. "We've got to do a good job of finding him, whether it be in transition, whether it be from rotating and fixing things on defense."

Summers is averaging 14.3 points and 3.7 assists.

"He's probably the least heralded player in our conference that's real good," Martin said. "He's not flashy, he's not spectacular, but he's highly efficient."

Anderson said the Razorbacks have to be aware of Summers' ability to penetrate and draw the defense to him.

"Summers can get in the lane and really cause havoc," Anderson said.

LSU Coach Johnny Jones said Summers is a player Ole Miss can count on every game.

"I think he plays with a sense of urgency, a sense of toughness," Jones said. 'He's just so stable out there on the floor. Night in and night out, you know exactly what you're getting from him."

Kennedy said Summers' consistency made him -- not Marshall -- the Rebels' best player last season.

A high ankle sprain sidelined Summers for two weeks in preseason practice, Kennedy said, and back spasms caused him to miss the Southeast Missouri State game and at times have limited him in practice.

Those injuries likely are contributing factors to why his shooting has dropped to 37.2 percent this season after he shot 48.6 percent last year.

"His shooting has not been as consistent to this point in the season, but his floor game, his approach, is always going to be the same," Kennedy said. "Very workmanlike, very much under control. He's a game manager.

"That's why he and Moody are really great complements to one another, because Jarvis plays at the pace he wants to play and then Moody jumps off the page at you from an explosiveness standpoint."

Sports on 01/17/2015