Sports - Colleges - Ole Miss

Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

Kennedy likes Ole Miss’ potential

Ole Miss coach men’s basketball coach Andy Kennedy thinks he’s got something special.

“I’ve never been more excited about a team than I am this one,” Kennedy said.

Of course, Kennedy felt like this last year, too, and then things went terribly awry. It was like a jinx had been put on the Rebels.

How else to explain why three key players, including Ole Miss’ top two, blew ligaments in their knees? Their left knees.

Then Kennedy was arrested after an argument with a cab driver in Cincinnati.

And, finally, starters David Huertas and Malcolm White left the team after the 16-15 season, taking some pop out of the Rebels’ roster.

Yet Kennedy thinks the group that returns has the potential to exceed the promise of last year’s team and reach the NCAA tournament. Others agree. Ole Miss has been picked to finished second in the SEC West and features one of the league’s fastest and most athletic lineups.

“With everybody back from injuries, word is getting around that Ole Miss is going to be good this year,” said guard Terrico White, the SEC freshman of the year. “There are people starting to take notice, and we are really going to surprise some people this year.”

Yes, it’s much easier to look forward than back. Plenty of good is expected in the coming year. The school plans to open a new $13 million practice facility this winter, for one thing.

And point guard Chris Warren, swingman Eniel Polynice and key reserve Trevor Gaskins all appear to have had successful rehabilitations after surgery to repair their torn ligaments.

And those worrisome departures simply opened up more playing time for young star Terrico White and highly anticipated freshman Reginald Buckner.

And with special teams, the questions that swirl around are the good kind coach’s like to answer. For instance, who’s going to take the bulk of minutes at point guard?

Do you go with Warren, who led the team with 19.6 points and 4.0 assists per game before injuring himself in the 11th game last season?

Or do you stick with Terrico White, who averaged 18.4 points per game in league play and was named SEC freshman of the year as Warren’s replacement?

The options don’t stop there, either.