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ATLANTA — Michigan State is a part of Chris Beard’s daily practice schedule at Ole Miss, as strange as that seems.
“We have a drill that we've done every day since 1999 at Fort Scott (Community College): Michigan State rebounding,” said Beard, who is in his second season as head coach of the Ole Miss men's basketball team. “The college basketball game is better because of Coach (Tom) Izzo's time in the sport. I look up to him.”
The Rebels, who are making their first Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2001, will face the second-seeded Spartans in the South Regional on Friday. Under Izzo, the Spartans have made the tournament 27 years in a row.
“I have got nothing but respect for Coach Izzo and Michigan State, Hall of Fame coach, have followed his teams my whole career,” Beard said Thursday.
Beard has clearly taken a page out of Izzo’s book, leading his team through a SEC gauntlet. Fourteen SEC teams made the tournament, seven of which advanced to the Sweet 16.
“We had been through a lot of adversity early, and the coaching staff did a great job of creating those environments for us,” senior forward Jaemyn Brakefield said. “Them putting us in those opportunities to be us and be the best version of ourselves, they've done a great job of that.”
The Rebels have found success this March due largely to their phenomenal 3-point shooting and ability to space the floor. Ole Miss shot 48.7% from behind the arc in victories over North Carolina and Iowa State.
“This is my fifth year, so having a lot of experience and knowing what I want to get done at the end of the year,” Brakefield said. “Five years of college basketball is a lot and a lot of knowledge I've been able to not only gain myself, but to impart to others.”
Andy Mathis is a student in the University of Georgia's Sports Media Certificate program.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ole Miss basketball's Chris Beard on Tom Izzo, Michigan State impact
Continue reading...
“We have a drill that we've done every day since 1999 at Fort Scott (Community College): Michigan State rebounding,” said Beard, who is in his second season as head coach of the Ole Miss men's basketball team. “The college basketball game is better because of Coach (Tom) Izzo's time in the sport. I look up to him.”
The Rebels, who are making their first Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2001, will face the second-seeded Spartans in the South Regional on Friday. Under Izzo, the Spartans have made the tournament 27 years in a row.
“I have got nothing but respect for Coach Izzo and Michigan State, Hall of Fame coach, have followed his teams my whole career,” Beard said Thursday.
Beard has clearly taken a page out of Izzo’s book, leading his team through a SEC gauntlet. Fourteen SEC teams made the tournament, seven of which advanced to the Sweet 16.
“We had been through a lot of adversity early, and the coaching staff did a great job of creating those environments for us,” senior forward Jaemyn Brakefield said. “Them putting us in those opportunities to be us and be the best version of ourselves, they've done a great job of that.”
The Rebels have found success this March due largely to their phenomenal 3-point shooting and ability to space the floor. Ole Miss shot 48.7% from behind the arc in victories over North Carolina and Iowa State.
“This is my fifth year, so having a lot of experience and knowing what I want to get done at the end of the year,” Brakefield said. “Five years of college basketball is a lot and a lot of knowledge I've been able to not only gain myself, but to impart to others.”
Andy Mathis is a student in the University of Georgia's Sports Media Certificate program.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ole Miss basketball's Chris Beard on Tom Izzo, Michigan State impact
Continue reading...
