Being the nation’s best two-loss team isn’t exactly a coveted crown. Coaches, players and fans would prefer to own the “undefeated” tag for as long as possible.
Yet, the Ole Miss Rebels, ranked No. 18 in the latest AP poll with a 5-2 record, should be proud to be the nation’s top two-loss team. (Even if the No. 10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish believe the title should belong to them.)
They also might be poised to the disrupt the SEC. While the No. 3 South Carolina Gamecocks, No. 4 Texas Longhorns and No. 5 LSU Tigers have Final Four visions and the new-look No. 14 Kentucky Wildcats and Tennessee Lady Vols appear increasingly frisky, the overlooked team from Oxford could not only obstruct opponents’ aspirations, but also could vault themselves atop the conference.
Rebels with a (defensive) cause
The Rebels opened the season in Paris, expected to be the collateral for the then-No. 3 ranked USC Trojans’ early-season coronation. It was an international stage for sophomore superstar JuJu Watkins, surrounded by a reloaded supporting cast. Ole Miss, of course, had other plans, requiring USC to battle to the buzzer for a hard-fought, ugly 68-66 victory. The Rebels had 15 steals and forced the Trojans into 25 turnovers, including nine by Watkins.
It was the kind of…
