Murrell’s growth on and off the court at Ole Miss now includes All-SEC honors

Matthew Murrell played his last home game as an Ole Miss Rebel last Saturday.

He said as much himself. But the senior Ole Miss guard, and former four-star recruit in 2020 and McDonald’s All-American, still has some basketball left to play. The Rebels (20-11) are the 10-seed this week in the SEC Tournament. They’ll take on 7-seed Texas A&M Thursday at 6 p.m. CT.

Ole Miss is off the NCAA Tournament bubble and inching towards the 2023-24 finish line, with or without an accepted bid to the NIT. That is, if the Rebels aren’t able to make a run to an automatic NCAA Tournament bid in Nashville.

But regardless of what happens from here, Murrell, this season, has solidified his place as an all-time program great.

He’ll have never played in the NCAA Tournament if the Rebels miss out come Selection Sunday (March 17). Still, he spent four years at one school in an era in college athletics dominated by the NCAA Transfer Portal.

And he set records while doing so.

This season Murrell became just the 42nd Rebel ever to score 1,000 points in their career. He’s 16th overall with 1,430 points. Included is 215 made threes, the fifth-most in school history.

Murrell was one of the most efficient and skilled scorers in the SEC this season, finishing the regular season tied for ninth in the conference in points per game (16.3). He was 10th in field goal percentage (46.5), and Murrell tied for fifth in made threes per game (2.4). He led Ole Miss in scoring for the second year in a row.

“I’ve grown on and off the court,” Murrell said recently of his time at Ole Miss. “I’ve been faced with difference experiences (and) had to learn to adapt. I’m blessed to be able to be here.”

Chris Beard, Matthew Murrell and Al Flanigan

The latest honor for Murrell was handed down on Monday.

Murrell was named second-team All-SEC.

Murrell has more steals (50) than any other Rebel. He’s tied for seventh in the SEC (1.61 per game). Murrell had 10 in a December win over Troy — the most in a single game at Ole Miss and tied for the all-time SEC record.

2023-24 SEC Men’s Basketball Awards

FIRST TEAM

Mark Sears, Alabama
Johni Broome, Auburn
Zyon Pullin, Florida
Antonio Reeves, Kentucky
Tolu Smith III, Mississippi State
Dalton Knecht, Tennessee
Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee
Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M

SECOND TEAM

Jaylin Williams, Auburn
Walter Clayton Jr., Florida
Rob Dillingham, Kentucky
Reed Sheppard, Kentucky
Matthew Murrell, Ole Miss
Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State
Ta’Lon Cooper, South Carolina
Meechie Johnson, South Carolina
Jonas Aidoo, Tennessee

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM

Johni Broome, Auburn
Cameron Matthews, Mississippi State
Jonas Aidoo, Tennessee
Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee
Andersson Garcia, Texas A&M

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

Aden Holloway, Auburn
Alex Condon, Florida
Silas Demary Jr., Georgia
Rob Dillingham, Kentucky
Reed Sheppard, Kentucky
D.J. Wagner, Kentucky
Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State
Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina

Coach of the Year: Lamont Paris, South Carolina
Player of the Year: Dalton Knecht, Tennessee
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Sean East II, Missouri
Freshman of the Year: Reed Sheppard, Kentucky
Sixth-Man of the Year: Rob Dillingham, Kentucky
Defensive Player of the Year: Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee

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