In the late 1990s, Michael White was an Ole Miss point guard in shoes similar to the young men he coaches now.
Twice in his career, White led the Rebels to a win in their first SEC tournament game for the right to face Kentucky. The second time, in fact, Ole Miss beat South Carolina in the Georgia Dome in the first round to play the Wildcats in the second round of the tournament -- the same scenario as this week. The double-digit losses aside, White, now an Ole Miss assistant coach, was asked what he remembered from playing the Wildcats in the tournament.
"Just the bright lights, the excitement," he said. "The fact that it's so unique that a conference tournament has such a home-court advantage."
After dispatching the Gamecocks on Thursday afternoon, the Rebels had less than 24 hours for an appointment with the tournament's wildest ride -- a date with Big Blue Nation.
"It'll be an amazing environment," White said.
Following the game, Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy did not sound like someone who was going to play down the circumstances to his players. Kennedy played and coached at UAB and coached at Cincinnati, giving him local knowledge of the passion for Alabama and Ohio State football.
To Kennedy, "we know there's nothing like Big Blue Nation."
Preparation for Kentucky began before the tournament, as one assistant had begun to break down the Wildcats, led by their two first-team All-SEC freshmen, guard Brandon Knight and forward Terrence Jones. Kennedy planned to review the Wildcats with his team Thursday night and again Friday before the 3:30 p.m. start. There would be more video work for the coaches and likely a walk-through in a banquet room at the team hotel, with athletic tape marking off a court.
"I think it's huge for our guys to get some rest," White said.
Getting off to a good start to keep the multitudes of Kentucky fans in their seats, along with slowing the Wildcats' breakneck pace, will be vital for Ole Miss. The Rebels likely need to win the tournament to gain an NCAA tournament bid.
After arriving Wednesday evening, Kentucky practiced that night at the Georgia Dome and Thursday at Georgia State. Ranked No. 15 in the country with five wins in their past six games, the Wildcats appear to be cresting.
"I think it's amazing that Coach [John] Calipari has not gotten more credit," Kennedy said.
The Rebels do have a couple of advantages. They beat Kentucky 71-69 in Oxford on Feb. 1, when guard Chris Warren banged home a 25-foot 3-pointer over two defenders with 2.9 seconds left, Ole Miss' first win over a top-10 team since 2002. Further, Kennedy thought that having played a game in the dome and gotten used to the environment can play to his team's favor.
But perhaps nothing can prep Ole Miss, which is 0-14 against Kentucky in tournament history, for the sea of blue that awaits Friday.
"But, you know, again, I think it's going to be a great opportunity for our kids and a great experience," Kennedy said. "So as crazy as it sounds, I'm looking forward to it."
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