Dec 20, 2015

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Sunday EDITION

oxfordcitizen.com

Volume 2 | Issue 70

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Inside 4 News

OUT late-night bus route funded

7 Lifestyle

Saying goodbye to the Tad Pad

JOHN DAVIS | OXFORD CITIZEN

Oxford-based FNC Inc. is being purchased by CoreLogic for $485 million.

13 Sports

FNC Inc. being sold OXFORD CITIZEN REPORTS

CoreLogic, which describes itself as “a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled services provider,” announced this week that it has entered into a definitive agreement to ac-

quire Oxford-based FNC, Inc., as part of CoreLogic’s Valuations Solutions Group (VSG).

FNC’s products automate property appraisal ordering, tracking, documentation and review for lender compliance with government regulations.

FNC is a homegrown Oxford

company launched in the mid-1990s by University of Mississippi professors Bill Rayburn, Dennis Tosh, Bob Dorsey and John D. Johnson along with Ph.D. student Duncan Chen. It spe Building on that foundation, Rayburn and Tosh col-

laborated with fellow professors Bob Dorsey and John D. Johnson as well as Ph.D. student Duncan Chen to develop the real estate collateral management software that would eventually become today’s TURN TO FNC PAGE 8

Rebels overcome adversity to top Tigers

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 2

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2015

COMMENTARY

A trip on the ‘Polar Express’ is perfect for family fun

A

BATESVILLE

chance to visit the North Pole has become a reality for a number of Mississippi children this holiday season. The Grenada Polar Express has been running up and down the freight lines of Panola County since before Thanksgiving, bringing joy to a number of families.

The children’s book, that was made into a popular movie over a decade ago, is timeless. So is a ride on a train. In an era where everything is so instant, a slow moving train ride through the darkness on a cold night can be just as impactful to children as time spent on an I-Pad. It’s the perfect marriage for children, who rarely get to experience such an event much anymore.

Christmas has always revolved around spending

John Davis Sports Editor time with family, and the Polar Express excursion in Batesville allows the magic of Santa Claus to come alive. Each car is filled with children and parents or grandparents looking to see the bearded, jolly man and his army of elves. A silver bell was just one of the memories taken away from the trip. Pictures were made with the conductor, and the hobo who were there to help promote the fun. And don’t forget the dancing chefs who brought out the thick, dark hot chocolate and homemade cookies when it was time for a snack.

Twice a night for the past month, the Grenada Polar Express has brought joy to the area. It’s an event that is

JOHN DAVIS | OXFORD CITIZEN

Train cars were filled with people ready to take a trip aboard the Grenada Polar Express this past Wednesday. expected to continue in 2016. There is still time to get in on the fun before Christmas. The next three days, and nights, the train will be pulling out of the depot, headed for the

North Pole. The train is also running on Friday and Saturday as well.

Tickets range from Diamond Class to Standard Class. Any spot on the train is worth the thrill. Brush up on your Christmas carols.

There are a number of those to be sung. Make sure your pajamas are presentable. That goes for the adults as well. And make sure the kids know what they want for Christmas because Santa is keeping a list. What else would you expect?

For more information on the train ride and ticket prices, visit www.grenadapolarexpressride.com.

John Davis is the Oxford Citizen sports editor. He can be reached at john.davis@journalinc.com.

Follow him on Twitter at @oxfordcitizenjd.

Santa Claus made an appearance aboard the Grenada Polar Express.

He gave out a silver bell to each of the children on the trip.

Caroline Davis enjoys a moment with the Polar Express hobo who joined the group for the trip to the North Pole.

Santa's elves entertain train riders during the trip back from the North Pole.

OXFORD CITIZEN

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2015

PAGE 3

Lafayette, Oxford schools show strong results in state test scores DAILY JOURNAL

Lafayette County School District and Oxford School District are among the top scoring school districts in Mississippi on a number of state tests, according to the latest data released by the Mississippi Department of Education.

The MDE released the results Thursday of state tests taken by third- to eighth-grade students in math and language last school year.

The test, developed by the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), was the first test that students took on the new, more rigorous Mississippi College and Career Ready Standards.

Fewer than 30 percent of test takers in Mississippi scored level four or five on nine of the 12 tests.

The tests are scored from level one to five, with students scoring at least a level four being considered proficient.

The drop in scores was anticipated because the PARCC tests were much more challenging than the Mississippi Curriculum Test, second edition, which was the previous state test.

“

My goal is not to be above the state average, I want to be the best. I want to be the highest scoring district in this state, and I know that’s a lofty goal, but with hard work we can achieve it.

“

BY EMMA CRAWFORD KENT

Adam Pugh, Lafayette superintendent on the test scores

This year, Mississippi students will not take PARCC. Instead, they will take the Mississippi Assessment Program (MAP).

“The PARCC assessments were far more demanding than previous state tests.” state superintendent of education Carey Wright said. “…These results mark a new starting point for our students. With continued instruction and support, we expect to see test scores increase over time.”

Lafayette County Schools ranked in the top 25 districts on

four of twelve of the state tests.

Of those four, two ranked in the top 10.

Most notably, 52 percent of Lafayette County fifth graders scored at least a level four on the math assessment, making them the second best district in the state on that particular test.

On the fourth grade language assessment, Lafayette County’s scores were the third best in the state with 54.4 percent of test takers scoring at level four or five.

Adam Pugh, superintendent

of Lafayette County Schools, said he was very pleased with the district’s upper elementary school scores. However, he said middle school scores showed a little more room for improvement, particularly in eighth grade language arts.

The district had 69.7 percent of eighth graders score below proficient on the eighth grade language test.

However, Pugh said with new leadership at the middle school this year and more focus, he hopes to see scores in grades 6-8 increase in coming years.

“Maybe the last couple of years there we’ve lost our way there, but we’ve got our focus back at the middle school at where it needs to be and that’s on students learning,” Pugh said. “…I am looking forward to some much better scores there in the future.”

“My goal is not to be above the state average, I want to be the best” Pugh said. “I want to be the highest scoring district in this state, and I know that’s a lofty goal, but with hard work we can achieve it.”

The Oxford School District holds the top spot in eighth

grade language and math and is tied with Enterprise School District for top scoring district in the state on the seventh grade language assessment.

On the eighth grade language test, 64.4 percent of test takers scored proficient. The percentage of test takers scoring proficient for the seventh grade language test is slightly lower at 57.7 percent.

“We were very proud of our middle school scores and the progress they’ve made in English and language arts,” said Brian Harvey, superintendent of Oxford Schools.

The Oxford School District’s scores rank in the top 25 statewide on all but four of the twelve tests and in the top 10 on half of them.

Moving forward, Harvey said he hopes to improve scores in grades three through six.

“We’re looking at what we’re doing. We’ve got to get focused on the standards,” Harvey said.

“If we take care of the standards, we don’t have to worry about the assessment.” emma.crawford@journalinc.com Twitter: @emcrawfordkent

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 4

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2015

OBITUARIES MARTHA LAVERNE MCADAMS WILLINGHAM Martha Laverne McAdams Willingham, 98, passed away Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015 at Yalobusha General Nursing Home in Water Valley. Visitation was held on Saturday, Dec. 19 at Seven Oaks Funeral Home in Water Valley. Funeral services will followed in the Henry Chapel of Seven Oaks. Burial was in the Sylva Rena Cemetery in Yalobusha County.

DALTON HYDE BRUCE – Dalton Hyde, 94, passed away Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015, at Bruce Community Living Center. Services were Saturday, Dec. 19, at Parker Memorial Funeral Home in Bruce. Burial followed at Memory Memorial Gardens.

VELVA POWELL WATERFORD – Velva Powell, 52, passed away Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015, at Methodist Health Care in Olive Branch.

Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by Serenity-Autry Funeral Home in Holly Springs.

MAE GRAY NEW ALBANY – Mae Gray, 63, passed away Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015, at Germantown Methodist Le Bonheur Hospital.

Services will be Monday, Dec. 21, at Pine Bluff Myrtle Baptist Church at 1 p.m. Serenity-Simmons Funeral Home of New Albany is in charge of arrangements.

Visitation will Sunday, Dec. 20, from 2 to 6 p.m. at the funeral home.

JOHN TURNER

John William Turner, 74, passed away Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015, at the Mississippi State Veterans Home in Oxford.

Services were Saturday, Dec. 19, at Meadow Brook Baptist Church. Burial was in Byhalia Cemetery. Holly Springs Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

BARBARA HALL ECRU – Barbara Gail Hall, 79, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015, at NMMC-Hospice in Tupelo. Services were held Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015, at Tutor Memorial Funeral Home in Pontotoc. Bro. Warren D. Hunt officiated. Burial followed in Cairo Cemetery. Tutor Memorial Funeral Home of Pontotoc is in charge of arrangements.

COURTESY

OUT late-night bus route funded

BY ERROL CASTENS OXFORD CITIZEN

The late-night OxfordUniversity Transit route that will replace several on-again, off-again efforts to provide safe rides to campus for late-night revelers was funded Tuesday by the Oxford Board of Aldermen.

Dubbed the Safe Route, the continuous loop will cost the city some $22,125 for the spring semester and the first few weeks of the fall semester. Once the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1, the route will likely be included in the federal grant that pays half of the OUT system’s operating expenses.

It is intended for operation only during major academic sessions at the university.

“We’re anticipating starting this route on the 28th (of January), the first full weekend (of the spring se-

mester),” said transit consultant and former City Planner Tim Akers.

The route is intended to answer a need for a safe and inexpensive way for late-night revelers to get back to their student residences on campus, giving an alternative choice to driving while intoxicated; taxi services and the complaints that go with some of them; or walking back to campus through residential neighborhoods, which has created problems from litter, vandalism and noise to alcohol-related pedestrian injuries. Some have criticized the endeavor as an encouragement of alcohol abuse while others, looking at inebriation as an inevitable part of being a college town, say it is a public safety issue.

At a transit meeting earlier this fall, Ole Miss Director of Transportation and Parking said, “You have the

one side of folks who say you’re providing a safe way back for students who may have indulged too much.

The other side is, you’re giving them a way back, so you don’t have to worry about having any responsibility.

They can do whatever they want, because they know they’ve got a ride back. I’ve talked to parents on both sides of this: ‘Why are you doing this? You’re letting them drink, and now you’re giving them a ride back,’ and, ‘If we don’t do that, they may drive and impair somebody’s safety.’ I’ve always been on side of safety.”

Mayor George “Pat” Patterson falls on the public safety side of the argument.

“We need to do this, folks. We’ve punted this back and forth long enough,” he said.

While Ward 3 Alderman Janice Antonow didn’t

voice any personal objection to the plan, she related a constituent’s concerns.

“I promised one individual I would pass on her reservations,” Antonow said. “She said this is not something that the taxpayers of Oxford should have to pay for. The students and faculty who are using this route should raise funds for it. She reminded me that the citizens are paying for it three times – city, state and federal taxes.”

University students will contribute $10,000 per year – a sum that had previously been designated for a student-led “Safe Ride” initiative. One of Safe Ride’s predecessors was Rebel Ride, a fleet of conventional and trolley-like buses that was shut down because of USDOT violations.

Patterson, who has often opposed loosening of alcohol regulations in the past,

said, “I don’t know anything that city government’s done that’s been much more successful than OUT. We need this for our students.”

The new Safe Route is not anticipated as a way of getting students from campus to downtown – merely a return trip back to on-campus housing. It will board in front of the Federal Building on Jackson Avenue and take riders to any of several stops on the Ole Miss campus – Sorority Row at Northgate, Crosby Hall, Minor Hall and Paris Yates Chapel. It is planned to operate on Thursday and Friday nights from about 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., when bars close at 1 a.m., and Saturday nights from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., when closing time is an hour earlier. errol.castens@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenec

OXFORD CITIZEN

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2015

PAGE 5

BRIEFING The Shelter to host YAC solstice benefit

day by the MEC Blueprint Mississippi Transportation InfraLee Bowie, owner of Cups in structure Task Force.

Oxford and The Shelter on Van MEC also announced the forBuren, is hosting the annual mation of “Excelerate MissisWinter Solstice Celebration sippi,” a program designed to today from 4-9 p.m., with prosupport the initiatives outlined ceeds to support the Yoknapby the Blueprint Task Force. atawpha Arts Council.

“As I drive across our state, The event features live music, today, I see first-hand that we holiday readings and special are on the verge of losing our guests who share stories about competitive edge. The massive the holiday season. Oxford’s ob- investment that was made in our servance of the shortest day and state’s transportation system as longest night of the year was a result of the 1987 AHEAD procreated as a community celegram will be lost,” said Joe F. bration which gave everyone a Sanderson, Chairman and CEO chance to share their favorite of Sanderson Farms, and chair part of the season from Christof the Blueprint Task Force. “This mas stories, ballads and tradiis why it is so important that we tional songs that date back to work together to preserve this solstice celebrations. asset that so many leaders The celebration offers a fought so hard to build. chance for the community to “Roads across our state are come together, share, and cele- beginning to crumble. Bridges brate. The event is free with aren’t safe. This is happening on complimentary coffee and beer our state-owned system – as provided by The Shelter and well as with our local roads and Yalobusha Brewery. The event bridges.” will be a soft opening for the The Blueprint Study deternew restaurant located under mined 80 percent of the new Neilson’s Department Store on revenue, $300 million, should be Van Buren. dedicated to state-owned bridge and road needs. Counties and MEC Blueprint calls for municipalities should receive the remaining 20 percent to be split transportation funds An investment of an additional between them, both receiving $375 million annually is needed $37.5 million.

A $375 million annual investto address the most vital road and bridge needs in Mississippi ment would: Enable the replacement of at the state and local level, according to a report released Fri- 138 state posted bridges –

those that are no longer able to carry the weight and traffic they were designed to carry.

Provide that all timber bridges would also be replaced.

Replace another 424 deficient state bridges during the 10-year timeframe.

Ramp up the Mississippi Department of Transportation’s pavement maintenance across the state.

Enable local leaders to address the roads and bridges that are in the worst conditions.

Blake Wilson, MEC President and CEO, said the value of implementing the Blueprint Task Force recommendation of investing $375 million annually, would not only address Mississippi’s deteriorating roads and bridges, but it would also provide a direct return on investment to those using the transportation system.

“For Mississippians to make this investment in assuring safer roads and bridges – it would take just 37 cents a day, per registered vehicle,” Wilson said.

“And as the improvements are made over time, this investment would produce a return of $1.45 a day in reduced drive-time, maintenance and wear and tear, according to economic models.”

For a list of deficient state and local bridges by county, as well as state pavement conditions by county, go to www.exceleratems.com.

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Brandon Hudspeth, board member of the Young Professionals of Oxford, presents a check for the Boys and Girls Club of Oxford. Money was raised through the fall fundraiser, Our Team, Our Town. “We thank Brandon Hudspeth and his great YPO team for their support. This event raised more than $15,000 for our Boys & Girls Club, which serves 150 local children every day. We could not operate without such gifts." Stephen Monroe, President of the BGC Board.

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OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 6

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2015

County officials interview planning firms

BY ERROL CASTENS OXFORD CITIZEN

Lafayette County moved another step toward the revision of its comprehensive plan Wednesday when two supervisors, two supervisors-elect and other county officials heard presentations by three planning groups vying to lead the update.

State law requires counties and municipalities to have a comprehensive plan that includes Goals and Objectives, a Land Use Plan, a Transportation Plan and a Community Facilities plan.

One of the groups is a local firm, another is a Jackson-based quasi-public planning and development district, and the other is a Mid-South firm with local offices partnered with a North Carolina consulting firm with a national reach.

Mike Slaughter, principal of Oxford-based Slaughter & Associates, said his firm’s information gathering would start with visit with county department heads and other officials to ask their views about the county’s overall needs and their departments’ specific needs.

The process would include also public forums early in the process to collect information and priorities from residents across Lafayette County.

“These are not public hearings as required by law before your plan is adopted; these are part of the planning process,” he said. “Our job is to make sure it meets the planning legislation (but also) to make it easy to understand, easy to implement. We want to make it

the community’s plan.”

Slaughter’s presentation leaned heavily toward explaining how the land use plan would be created and used.

“In my opinion, Lafayette County needs zoning.

Whether I prepare a zoning plan is up to the Board of Supervisors,” he said. “We have a future land use plan.

That element of the plan is there as the basis for zoning. … A plan is just a plan; it has no teeth.”

Slaughter echoed a frequently heard opinion that most of the county’s area would be zoned agricultural and suggested that different levels of ag zoning could be useful.

“In the future land use plan … I like to put that together so that if the property does develop, how should it develop?” he said. “What they taught us in planning school was that every piece of land has one highest and best use. In that land use map we want to identify that highest and best use.”

The Oxford Board of Aldermen voted last week to contract with Slaughter & Associates to lead its annexation study over the next several months. Asked about whether that would present a conflict of interest, Slaughter said he did not foresee a problem unless the county had reason to oppose any of Oxford’s annexation petitions.

“If you’re going to oppose Oxford’s annexation, you don’t need to hire me. I’d be called as their expert,” he said.

District 1 Supervisor-Elect Kevin Frye said he would find it troubling to have the

same advocate for both the city and the county in any issue where their interests may diverge.

“I have some concern that the Slaughter firm, as the city’s annexation expert, may have a conflict down the road,” he said. Frye added that while he doesn’t anticipate opposing Oxford’s annexation petitions, “I think it’s important to leave the county’s options wide open. I think the county would potentially be getting into something that we could later regret if we chose him to lead our comprehensive plan process.”

O’Donnell questioned whether Slaughter’s twoperson professional staff could complete Lafayette County’s update within the nine-month timeline the firm had proposed.

“I put a time schedule in there that I feel very comfortable with,” Slaughter said, adding that implementation of zoning, if the Board of Supervisors chose that option, would add another three to six months.

“A good zoning text doesn’t have to be written from scratch,” he said. “The same thing in subdivision regulations – look at some other areas and learn from them.”

Asked about rural opposition to the whole idea of zoning, Slaughter said he would emphasize the property value protections it offers.

“Zoning isn’t about telling you what you can and cannot do with your property; it’s about telling your neighbor what he can and cannot do with his property,” he said.

One group was a partner-

ship between two firms, A2H PLLC and Clarion. A2H is a Memphis-based engineering, architecture and planning firm with a 90-person staff manning offices in Oxford and several other North Mississippi and West Tennessee cities.

Clarion is based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and identifies itself as “a national land use consulting firm” with expertise in planning and zoning, market analysis and development economics.

A2H is currently overseeing the design and construction of the new Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi and Woodlawn Park, among other Oxfordprojects.

Andy area Reynolds, a registered landscape architect, would likely be the project manager if A2H/Clarion is chosen.

While all three presentations addressed the four state-mandated elements, Board of Supervisors Attorney David O’Donnell noted A2H/Clarion’s additional focus on transportation alternatives and collaboration with other government entities.

“They said they would expand the transportation section to address things like bike paths, greenways, freight rail transportation,” he said. “They would also emphasize things like interjurisdictional cooperation, especially with the city and the university.” Such cooperation would also reach into ways that Lafayette County could form partnerships with adjoining counties that would improve services and cut costs for residents in each.

A2H/Clarion representatives said they would offer user-friendly handouts to familiarize the public with the comprehensive plan process and its benefits.

Under their proposal, they would also create a website to keep county residents updated about scheduled meetings, findings to date and other details.

One feature of A2H/Clarion’s proposal was a summary of a comprehensive plan Clarion prepared for Franklin County, Virginia, which was chosen because of its similar size, fast growth and preservation/property rights issues.

Jackson-based Central Mississippi Planning and Development District prepared Lafayette County’s 2008 comprehensive plan update.

Chief Planner William Peacock said one-third of the proposed 12- to 18month plan revision process would be used inventorying every property parcel in Lafayette County and identifying its current use.

“We ride each road in a team – one person driving and one marking land uses on a laptop computer using digital parcel maps,” he said. “We have parcel maps keyed to aerial maps for more accurate mapping than we used to have.”

Demographics, employment patterns, and population projections would be used to formulate land use and transportation recommendations, he noted.

“We would also need to know if you have plans for new roads, for widening existing roads to plug that into the plan,” Peacock said.

The CMPDD proposal included preparation of a zoning plan but said the county could opt not to have it prepared. If zoning is desired, he added, not having to rework an existing code will be an advantage.

“Sometimes it’s a little easier to build from scratch,” he said. “If you’re building on something that’s already there, you have to review the entire ordinance first.”

Frye said he was impressed by both the A2H/Clarion and the Slaughter & Associates presentations.

“It’s important to me that the planning process be to the best interests of all of us in the county, and that means that we need a planner whose number one priority is Lafayette County,” he said. “The expertise provided by the firms is important. We have significant traffic problems in and around Oxford and other areas – Highway 7, Highway 6 and Highway 30 – that we need to be mindful of. We have significant facilities issues related to the jail and the Sheriff’s Department, the Justice Court, the county schools. We need to make sure that the team we hire

has the expertise to help us address those issues just as much as the planning for future land use.”

Frye noted that it would be false economy to choose a planning firm for the proposed revision of the comprehensive plan largely on price.

“While it is certainly important to be mindful of taxpayer dollars, the number one consideration should not be the cost of the proposal,” he said. “If done right, it can us a lot of money in the future. Cost is not the number-one concern.”

Frye also was impressed with A2H’s proposal to make information available online throughout the process.

“Transparency is really important,” he said.

District 4 Supervisor Chad McLarty said all three firms made credible cases for their abilities.

“Granted, I thought A2H/Clarion’s presentation was brought in a little better.

On the other hand, Slaughter & Associates had the best price. Right now it boils down to what we’re willing to pay for it.

We’re going to have some negotiations with them; it’s a professional services issue, not a bid, so we’ll see how it pans out.”

McLarty, the water superintendent for the City of Oxford, said his greatest concern is bricks and mortar, asphalt and steel.

“I eat, sleep and breathe infrastructure, so the transportation element is huge,” he said.

Board of Supervisors President Jeff Busby said the local connections of both A2H and Slaughter & Associates are an advantage.

“They would be at an advantage to know the needs and the direction the county is growing. It certainly gives them an inside edge,” he said.

Busby said he considered all elements of the plan equally vital.

“Transportation and new roads, facilities, land use regulations or zoning – when you’re the fastest growing out of 82 counties, there’s probably not one area that’s more important than the others,” he said. errol.castens@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenec

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2015

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 7

SAYING GOODBYE TO THE TAD PAD

PETRE THOMAS | OXFORD CITIZEN

Fans of the Ole Miss men's basketball team only have one more trip to make to the Tad Smith Coliseum to watch the Rebels. This past Tuesday night's game against Louisiana Tech was one of the last played there for the Rebels.

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 8

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2015

FNC FROM PAGE 1

Collateral Management System® (CMS®). The nation’s major lenders now use CMS to help ensure regulatory compliance and mitigate risk.

FNC is headquartered in Oxford. Its website lists satellite offices in Costa Mesa, California; Dallas, Texas; Detroit, Michigan; New York, New York; and Sao Paulo, Brazil. The company’s growth has compelled it to break ground for a new headquarters campus on Highway 7, just south of Belk Boulevard in Oxford.

The sale of the company will apparently not change FNC’s position as a major Oxford employer nor its plans for the new campus.

“FNC is very excited about the opportunity that we’ve been presented with,” Marketing Director Jon Fisher told the Oxford Eagle by email. “CoreLogic is investing in FNC because they believe in our strong industry position and our potential for growth and is committed to helping us

PETRE THOMAS | OXFORD CITIZEN

Members of the local government joined Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, middle, a year ago during FNC's groundbreaking ceremony. grow and succeed right here in Oxford. FNC will continue to operate as we have and we look forward to continuing our involvement in the community.”

According to a press release from CoreLogic, “FNC delivers deep expertise in appraisal compliance, workflow best practices, and process efficiency to mortgage lenders and ser-

vicers, appraisal management companies, secondary and capital markets firms as well as property and casualty insurance companies. In addition, its platforms are integrated into the workflow systems of 18 of the 20 largest U.S. banks. FNC platforms provide broad connectivity to approximately 80,000 appraisal, title and inspection

vendors. Its solutions allow industry participants to automate the collateral valuation and diligence process, monitor and optimize vendor performance and facilitate compliance with regulatory and internal risk management policies.”

Anand Nallathambi, President and Chief Executive Officer of CoreLogic,

said the acquisition would strengthen its domestic market.

“We are very pleased to add the FNC management and staff to the CoreLogic family. FNC is a pioneer in developing unique collateral information and technology platforms for the U.S. lending ecosystem. Its business has been built around recurring, highmargin revenue streams,” he said. “The acquisition of FNC is an important step in our development of a world-class property valuation solutions capability.

“FNC’s platforms, together with our existing valuation-related assets and our recent acquisition of LandSafe Appraisal Services, allow us to gain operational scale and expand the value proposition of our VSG. We expect property valuation to be an area of significant future domestic and international growth.”

“CoreLogic’s VSG will be the conduit through which we will seamlessly deploy our broad suite of property valuation capabilities. The VSG will offer best-in-class content, analytics and

workflow platforms which employ our Gen2 technology and mobility capabilities,” added CoreLogic Chief Operating and Financial Officer Frank Martell. “Improving the quality and economics of property valuation is a major imperative for the real estate industry.

Through the VSG, CoreLogic will be well positioned to bring comprehensive and compelling solutions to the marketplace.”

The transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of 2016 and is subject to customary closing conditions including regulatory clearance. The purchase price of $475 million is expected to be funded using cash on hand and debt.

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OXFORD CITIZEN

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PAGE 11

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PAGE 13

AND THE

AROUND SQUARE BEYOND JOHN DAVIS OXFORD CITIZEN

Little is latest reason 2016 OM class is making headlines

T

om Westerberg, the head coach of the Allen (Texas) Eagles, doesn’t fudge on his heights and weights. If a player is 5-foot-10, he’s 5-10. If he weighs 195 pounds. He was 195 at the time the official weigh in was conducted.

Since the start of the 2010 season, Westerberg has won 82 of 87 games. The Eagles have won four state titles since 2008 under Westerberg, who has coached a number of standout players that have gone on to play at schools such as Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M and Arkansas, just to name a few. The Eagles’ home stadium cost $60 million to build. It seats 18,000 fans. In a lot of ways, Allen is the centerpiece of high school football in a football-crazy state.

So when Greg Little, the nation’s top offensive tackle, verbally committed to Ole Miss on Wednesday, it was beyond a footnote. It was major, major news on a national level. Little was wanted by everyone, not just everyone in the state of Texas. Ole Miss out recruited Alabama for Little.

That’s really all that needs to be said.

And to make the Little story even more impactful is the fact that he is the second Eagle to pick the Rebels. Yep, safety Jaylon Jones picked the Rebels before the season, way back in the spring to be exact.

So not only are the Rebels getting the nation’s best offensive tackle in Little, they’re also getting a very solid safety. From a program that is used to winning, just like our own South Panola. The Rebels are on a roll in regards to recruiting. Rivals.com has the 2016 class ranked No. 1 in the nation right now. Scout.com has Ole Miss No. 3. This class is shaping up to be as good as the 2013 class. Maybe even better. Could you imagine what Noxubee County’s Jeffrey Simmons would do alongside the players Ole Miss already has pledged? Or Starkville’s AJ Brown? He and DK Metcalf, TURN TO SQUARE PAGE 18

ANGIE LEDBETTER

Ole Miss' Sebastian Saiz (11) and Martavious Newby block out Memphis' Shaq Goodwin during Friday night's game at the FedEx Forum. Ole Miss won 85-79.

Rebels overcome adversity to top Memphis Tigers 85-79

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

MEMPHIS – Adverse conditions brought out the best in the Ole Miss Rebels. That was the way Ole Miss men’s basketball coach Andy Kennedy saw things following Friday night’s 85-79 win over the Memphis Tigers.

An hour delay due to a power outage in downtown was just the first thing the Rebels (9-2 overall) had to overcome. They also had to deal with Sebastian Saiz going out of the game with an injury to his eye and a Stefan Moody not being able to hit his shots in the second half. Foul trouble also eliminated Anthony Perez and Marcanvis Hymon from the mix. Still, the Rebels found a way to win their sixth straight

game, and earn their most impressive win on the year.

“Marcanvis Hymon, in his home city, really looked out of place from the jump. He fouled out in 15 minutes,” Kennedy said. “Anthony Perez fouls out. We’re playing (Martavious) Newby against Dedric Lawson and he had a little bit of a size disadvantage there. Then they threw the kitchen sink at us defensively at the end. Then they put two people on Moody.

And our guys were still trying to go to Moody.”

Moody was hot early, scoring 15 of his team-high 21 points in the first half. He was just 1-for-8 from the floor in the final 20 minutes.

“We’re so dependent on Moody and we were still trying to throw it to him. They were basically saying we’ll

play you three on four and put two on him and we needed to go make plays,” Kennedy said. “We made enough to earn a quality road win.”

Ole Miss jumped out to an early lead, breaking a 5-5 tie with a 10-0 run. The Rebels led by as much as 17 points in the first half. They were up 43-31 at the half. Kennedy liked the way his team guarded in the first half, but he wasn’t as pleased with how his team shot the ball, and played, throughout the entire game.

“There has been a lot of talk about this series. Should we play, should we not play.

I’ve been pretty open with my feelings on it and logistically, it makes a lot of sense,” Kennedy said. “These are two quality programs that

are always going to have respectable RPIs. It may swing year in and year out. Anytime you can draw 14,529 for a December game, in bowl season, that’s good for college basketball. I think both teams tested each other. We haven’t been in an environment with this many people and we’re going to see it many times in league play.

Memphis a quality team.”

Kennedy said he expected Shaq Goodwin, who had 15 rebounds, to have an impact for Memphis (7-3). He also thought Ricky Tarrant Jr., who finished with a gamehigh 29 points, to also be tough to guard.

“I was very nervous when he made his first 3. He’s been struggling but he made one TURN TO REBELS PAGE 18

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 14

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2015

Former Charger ready to be a NWCC Ranger

can do everything that I need to in order to get out and go somewhere bigger and better,” said McGhee, who made 25 tackles for the UNA Lions this year. “I’m not going to talk down about North Al. I went over there for a semester and I feel like I did what I had to do. I don’t feel like I fit the scheme. I felt like I should transfer down and ball out like I know how.”

McGhee said he was part of a rotation at linebacker that included three players. McGhee said he normally played the second series each game.

“We kept rotating like that. It really wasn’t the playing time that made me finalize everything. It was more about a better opportunity really,” McGhee said.

Former Oxford cornerback KT McCollin played for the Rangers this past season, and McGhee will rejoin him on the field in 2016.

“I feel like Coach (Benji) Parker ADAM ROBISON | BUY AT PHOTOS.DJOURNAL.COM is going to criticize me on the litFormer Oxford High linebacker Mike McGhee will be a Northwest Mississippi Community College Ranger next sea- tle things and get me right for the next level,” McGhee said. son. He played this past fall at North Alabama.

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

Being close to home wasn’t the main reason former Oxford High standout Michael McGhee decided he wanted to be a Northwest Mississippi Community College Ranger.

The middle linebacker was looking for a new home after playing this past fall at North Alabama. And while his mother was very happy to have him just 30 minutes from home, McGhee was looking to be coached, and improved, in order to continue his college career.

“It was the scheme that the run and the coaching and just the atmosphere there,” McGhee said about why he picked NWCC over offers from a bevy of other junior colleges. “I felt like I can go there and go ahead and ball out like I need to.”

The Rangers finished the 2015 season with a win in the Mississippi Bowl, and ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA ranks. It was the third time that the Rangers had won a national title in their history.

McGhee said as soon as he every JUCO in the state sent him to visit Northwest on Monday, thing he needed to. opened his recruitment back up, a text or made a call. He decided and he ended up seeing every“I like the town and I feel like I

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PAGE 15

PETRE THOMAS | OXFORD CITIZEN

Ole Miss junior tight end Evan Engram has decided to return to Oxford for his senior season.

TE Engram decides he wants to be a Rebel in 2016

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

The NFL can wait for another year. That was Evan Engram’s message to Rebel Nation Thursday night as he talked about his decision to play for the Rebels in 2016. Instead of getting ready for the 2016 NFL Draft, Engram will be working out in the weight room, and improving his craft in Oxford. He is also up for an increased leadership role in the future.

“After much consideration and getting a lot of information from coaches and other sources and talking with my family, I de-

cided it’s best to return for my senior year,” Engram said. “I’ve had too much fun here. We have a goal of bringing an SEC championship here to Oxford. I wouldn’t be able to rest easy without leaving with one, without giving it another shot. I’m going to return next year. We’re focused on this bowl game, but I’m really excited about playing here for my senior year.”

Ole Miss is currently preparing to meet Oklahoma State in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Engram had put in to get an evaluation from the NFL scouts on where he might be selected

if he came out. He decided that information really didn’t matter after thinking things out.

“A lot of teams said another year would benefit me a lot more. They know I can catch and be explosive down the field. They just want to see me put a little bit more weight on and show that I can be a consistent SEC player,” Engram said. “Other than my freshman year, I’ve been really healthy, I’ve been really durable. They just want to see a more proven player. I think this offseason, really just working on getting stronger, getting bigger and being able to still keep my

speed will help me. There were concerns about consistency. They know I’ll mix it up. They know I have the motor, too. It was just the consistency. That’s one thing that’s going to be in my tank this offseason after this bowl game is to get bigger and stronger.”

Engram played the 2015 season at 228 pounds. He was hoping to get up to 245, and then drop weight if needed.

“I always lose weight once camp hits. Next season to play around 245 would probably be ideal for me to still be able to move around like I can,” he said.

“Just talking to some of the

coaches, move around a little bit more, maybe in the slot or one-on-one with corners or a safety out wide. Just move me around and show my versatility, I think that’s going to be the big plus side of me coming back.”

Most of the tight ends that are currently playing in the NFL were selected to play after their senior seasons, Engram said adding that 55 of the last 70 tight ends drafted fit into that category.

“It’s a real rare position to get drafted high as I wanted to as a junior. It was just hard facts that were basically reality,” Engram said.

“Knowing my ability and my work ethic and knowing the things teams want to see from me, I can accomplish that in the offseason. Being a senior, that allows scouts to come to practice and watch me one-on-one. They peak around a little bit at juniors, but I’lll be more on their radar next year coming back as a senior. They’ll be able to lock in on my film and watch me do stuff. It’s a lot more opportunity for me to maximize my potential in next year’s draft with me returning.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 16

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2015

Oxford-Lafayette split crosstown hoops

BY DAVIS MCCOOL SPECIAL TO THE OXFORD CITIZEN

Oxford and Lafayette squared off on the basketball court Friday night for the annual crosstown matchup between the two rivals. The two schools split the series, 1-1, with the boys ceding to Oxford, and the girls to Lafayette.

GIRLS Turnovers and bad shot selection plagued the Lady Charger offense, while the Lady Commodores took advantage of the offensive mistakes by Oxford.

Lafayette head coach Shane Linzy applauded his defense in the win, citing their ability to force turnovers to create the victory.

“We feel we won the game through defense,” Linzy said. “Because Oxford has such good scorers, to keep them in check is a huge win for us. Defensively, we played outstanding.”

Both Shaniyah and Shelbi Buford for Lafayette contributed to the scoring on the other side of the ball, leading to a 55-40 victory.

The cousins had a combined total of 25 points.

“They were huge,” Linzy said. “They played a very big part in our defensive performance, and they carried our offense.”

The Lady Commodores managed to stifle the explosive OHS offense, led by Tiara King and Maggie Hobson. However, King was held to only four points, while Hobson managed only 12.

“We knew Tiara was very quick, and she likes to drive to the hole,” Linzy said. “We forced her to take some jump shots, and try to cut off her drives to the lane.

When you have somebody like that on the other team, you have to take away what they do well.”

The game was more than a landmark victory for Linzy and the Lady Commodores.

He was hired by Lafayette from the same job at Oxford High School, following last year’s season.

Linzy felt the pressure from his former players, but he put that at the back of his mind come game time.

JOEY BRENT | OXFORD CITIZEN

Lafayette's Orianna Shaw (12) shoots over Oxford's Kyla Malone during Friday night's game in the LHS gym. Lafayette won the rivalry matchup 55-40.

“As always, I love seeing those Oxford kids,” Linzy said. “I’ve missed them, but I greatly enjoyed coaching them. It was definitely different seeing them on the other side of the court, which was to be expected.

But come game time, they had to do what they had to do, and we had to do what we had to do.”

BOYS The prime-time game resulted in quite the opposite result. The Chargers defeated the Commodores, 74-48, in a blowout victory for the visiting team.

The push was led by offensive superstar, Jarkel Joiner, but motivated by the return of D.K. Metcalf.

Metcalf has spent the majority of the first semester with the football team, but has recently returned to basketball. Friday was his first ever varsity start.

“My adrenaline was pumping because it was TURN TO CROSSTOWN PAGE 17

Oxford's DK Metcalf blocks a shot from Lafayette's Mack Bishop.

OXFORD CITIZEN

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2015

PAGE 17

Sessom, Sisk pace Ole Miss in win

OXFORD SOCCER SHOWCASE

OXFORD CITIZEN REPORTS

JOHN DAVIS | OXFORD CITIZEN

Oxford's Michelle Reid dribbles up the field during Saturday’s match in the Oxford Showcase. A total of 83 matches were played during the two-day tournament that was hosted mainly at FNC Park. John Owen Yoste, above right, sets up a corner kick against Oak Grove. Lafayette’s Brian Leyva, at right, makes a slide tackle during the Commodores’ matchup with Itawamba AHS.

Crosstown FROM PAGE 16

my first start ever,” Metcalf said. “I just took what the defense gave me, and that happened to be big plays. I always have some great teammates around me so all I had to do was feed off of them.”

Metcalf’s first start was highlighted by two major dunks on offense, and multiple key blocks on defense.

“I just jumped as high as I could, and threw it down as hard as I could.

Twice,” Metcalf said.

“Instantly, he brings size into the 1-2-2 press that we play on defense,” Oxford head coach Drew Tyler said. “I thought when we weren’t making steals, we were wearing Lafayette down, and we were wearing the clock down. We have to shore some things up around the goal, but I feel like we played good defense tonight.”

While Metcalf brought the momentum, Joiner brought the points to win, 32 to be exact.

“D.K. brought a lot of momentum to this game, and we really wanted to win, more than they did,”

Joiner said. “But it’s not about me, it’s about the team, and the team played really well today.

We just executed.”

The Chargers were without forward Will Swindoll, who is playing in the Mississippi NorthSouth All Star Game, but forwards Metcalf, Ke’Michael Coleman and Cole Cromwell managed to contain the Commodore’s offensive push.

Football players Metcalf and Hiram Wadlington made their first appearances of the year, and immediately resumed leading the team.

“I think our chemistry was great,” Tyler said. “We just passed our way to a win. We’ve had a lot of turnovers lately, but tonight, we passed our way to a win, and that’s something we can build on going forward.”

Even with Metcalf in the lineup, the Chargers went with their conventional three-guard set, which Tyler foresees for the remainder of the season.

“We could have a solid number three guard going forward,” Tyler said. “I don’t see us having a steady fourth forward, so we could have a three guard set for the foresee-

able future. I see us gaining more going small than going big.”

While Tyler praised his team’s camaraderie, Lafayette head coach John Sherman was skeptical of his team’s performance.

“We’ve been a whole lot better,” Sherman said. “I didn’t see anything good tonight, and I don’t know what it is.”

Sherman blamed the loss on the Commodore’s inability to prevent fastbreak points and to defend in the paint.

“We gave up way too many layups and dunks tonight,” Sherman said.

“We gave up too many transition points, and I’m not talking about the D.K. Metcalf show, I’m talking about the average points that we should’ve stopped.”

Oxford began the game with a high-energy attack, and never lost the lead once. The Chargers were firing on all cylinders – from the first quarter to the last.

Sherman “Coach spends a lot of time on defense, and that just goes to show that we work hard on offense,” Joiner said. “I just took what they gave me, and did what I do.”

The Chargers are now

on a four-game winning streak, after dropping their first of the year to Ashland High School, but their toughest test is yet to come.

“We’ve had four straight wins, but the Ashland loss let our team know they had to show up night in and night out,” Tyler said.

“Obviously, we play in the hardest classification in Mississippi in one of the hardest regions, so if we can make it out of our region, we have a good shot at state.”

The Chargers are headed to the Smoky Mountains to compete in a tournament over Christmas break, while the Commodores’ remaining schedule is filled with tough Class 4A matchups.

“We want to win in Gatlinburg,” Tyler said.

“There is a trophy at stake, and we want it. It will be a good measuring test going forward, so I’m excited to see how we play.”

Both coaches noted the significance of the crosstown rivalry game, as the win for Oxford puts them at a good spot looking forward, while the Lafayette loss puts them at a difficult spot, especially with their remaining gauntlet of games.

A second straight double-double from Shandricka Sessom helped lead the Ole Miss women’s basketball team sto a 9656 win over McNeese State Saturday afternoon at Tad Smith Colisum.

Sessom finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds as the Rebels improved to (75).

Oxford native Erika Sisk also added 23 points for her first 20-point outing of the season.

For the first time this season, Ole Miss had two double-figure rebounders as freshman Jonell Williams contributed 10 rebounds – her second game of double figure rebounds this season.

The Rebels hit the ground running and after a 31-point first quarter, they were on cruise control. McNeese State (7-4) made it interesting in the third quarter, but never got closer than 23 points.

Sisk was the little engine that could and from the outset of the game was all over the place on the defensive end and tallied 13 first-half points en route to her eighth career 20point game.

Ole Miss’ bench was outstanding and added 24 points including nine from Kiara Golden who was 3-of-5 from long range – which tied her career high for three-point field goals.

Despite the Rebels scoring the first points of the third quarter, McNeese State came out with a renewed energy on the defensive and used a 14-0 run to take some momentum from the home team and keep them off the board for over four minutes at the third quarter media timeout.

The home team dug in on defense and used their own 7-0 run punctuated with a triple from Sessom to take the momentum back and took a 73-42 lead into the fourth quarter.

Ole Miss kept the pressure on in to the second quarter and opened with

a 5-0 burst and kept McNeese State off the board until the 7:14 mark of the second quarter.

Ole Miss got some valuable production off the bench from Madinah Muhammad and Kiara Golden each tallied six first-half points with Golden nailing two triples.

Ole Miss extended its lead to 34, it’s largest of the game with 1:34 left in the half and held a 55-21 advantage at halftime.

Ole Miss opened up a 52 lead early, but the Cowgirls tied the game at 6-6 at the 6:13 mark of the first quarter.

With the game knotted at 8-8 at the media timeout, Ole Miss went to Sisk who promptly forced three turnovers and held spark a 6-0 run for the home team putting the Rebels up 14-8 with 4:08 left in the quarter.

A pair of free throws from Jaylen Johnson ended the Ole Miss run but Ole Miss leading scorer Sessom countered with a triple and kept the momentum with the home team as Ole Miss took a 31-13 lead at the end of the quarter and saw Sisk score 13 points to lead all scorers.

“These games are always tough because you don’t really know what to expect because everybody is ready to go home. Every one of our players is going home,” Ole Miss coach Matt Insell said. “Shequila and Cecilia Joseph Muhate Pena are flying out at five today. (Sunday) they’ll be with their moms in London, England, and Madrid, Spain. You worry if they’re thinking about that and if they’re going to be focused on here. McNeese State is picked to win their league.

“They have a good team. Erika Sisk came out and set the tone right away. She just had a phenomenal game. We’ve got a good basketball team.

We’re improving every day. We’ll be ready in January. We’re starting to get there, and I’m happy about that.”

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 18

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2015

SPORTS IN DEPTH

(W) OLE MISS 96, MCNEESE STATE 56 McNeese State (56) Carswell 3-7 1-2 7, Rogers 0-3 0-0 0, Baggett 5-15 1-2 12, Johnson 1-6 6-6 8, Donnes 2-2 0-0 5, Hudnall 5-7 3-4 13, Sheppard 0-0 0-0 0, Rivas 1-1 0-0 2, Guidry 0-0 0-0 0, Cupit 0-2, 0-0 0, Jenkins 0-4 12 1, Haywood 2-5 1-6 5, Rachal 1-3 1-2 3, Shaw 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-55 14-24 56.

Ole Miss (96) Joseph 0-4 0-0 0, Hayes 3-9 2-2 8, Sisk 7-13 9-11 23, Sessom 9-15 2-2 22, Lewis 2-8 0-0 6, Golden 4-9 0-0 12, Williams 0-2 0-0 1, Muhate 2-3 0-0 4, Briggs 3-7 1-2 7, Muhammad 1-6 4-4 6, Hart 2-4 0-0 4, Alston 1-4 2-2 4. 34-84 20-23 96.

Halftime – Ole Miss 55, McNeese State 21. 3-Point Field Goals – McNeese State 29 (Baggett 1-3 Johnson 0-1, Donnes 1-1, Hundnall 0-1, Jenkins 0-2, Rachal 0-1), Ole Miss 8-24 (Joseph 0-2, Sisk 0-2, Sessom 22, Lewis 2-6, Golden 4-7, Briggs 0-1, Muhammad 0-4). Assists – McNeese State 11, Ole Miss 16. Turnovers – McNeese State 33, Ole Miss 17. Total Fouls – McNeese State 24, Ole Miss 28. Records – McNeese State 7-4; Ole Miss 7-5.

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Akron vs. Utah State – Dec. 22, 2:30 p.m.

(ESPN)

(M) OLE MISS 85, MEMPHIS 79 OLE MISS (9-2) Newby 2-6 8-14 12, Saiz 4-9 2-5 11, Gielo 3-9 2-2 10, Brooks 4-7 2-2 11, Moody 6-20 6-9 21, Escobar 0-0 0-0 0, Davis 0-0 0-0 0, Hymon 2-5 2-4 6, Finley 2-2 1-2 5, Perez 4-4 0-0 9, Shepard 0-0 0-0 0, Fitzpatrick-Dorsey 0-0 0-0 0, Brutus 0-0 0-0 0, Coddington 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-62 23-38 85.

MEMPHIS (7-3) D. Lawson 7-17 5-6 21, Goodwin 1-4 59 7, Woodson 2-6 1-2 7, Crawford 2-6 2-2 6, Tarrant Jr. 8-14 8-10 29, Burrell 2-8 4-6 8, Scott 0-0 0-0 0, Martin 0-1 0-0 0, Broddie 00 0-0 0, Randall 0-0 0-0 0, K. Lawson 0-6 12 1, Johnson 0-1 0-0 0, Mitchell 0-0 0-0 0, Marshall 0-0 0-0 0, Wallingford 0-0 0-0 0, McDowell 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-63 26-37 79.

Halftime–Ole Miss 43-31. 3-Point Goals–Ole Miss 8-18 (Moody 3-6, Gielo 2-6, Perez 1-1, Saiz 1-1, Brooks 1-3, Newby 0-1), Memphis 9-20 (Tarrant Jr. 5-7, D. Lawson 23, Woodson 2-6, Martin 0-1, Johnson 0-1, Burrell 0-2). Fouled Out–Hymon, Perez. Rebounds–Ole Miss 42 (Newby 12), Memphis 44 (Goodwin 15). Assists–Ole Miss 15 (Brooks, Moody, Newby, Saiz 3), Memphis 13 (Crawford, Tarrant Jr. 3). Total Fouls–Ole Miss 27, Memphis 26. Technicals–Hymon, Burrell, Memphis Bench. Records – Ole Miss 9-2; Memphis 7-3.

Hyundai Sun Bowl Miami vs. Washington State – Dec. 26, 1 p.m. (CBS)

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF

Marmot Boca Raton Bowl Temple vs. Toledo – Dec. 22, 6 p.m. (ESPN) San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl Boise State vs. Northern Illinois – Dec. 23, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN) GoDaddy Bowl Bowling Green vs. Georgia Southern – Dec. 23, 7 p.m. (ESPN) Popeyes Bahamas Bowl Middle Tennessee vs. Western Michigan – Dec. 24, 11 a.m. (ESPN) Hawaii Bowl Cincinnati vs. San Diego State – Dec. 24, 7 p.m. (ESPN) St. Petersburg Bowl Marshall vs. Connecticut – Dec. 26, 10 a.m.

(ESPN)

Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl Washington vs. Southern Miss – Dec. 26, 1:20 p.m. (ESPN) New Era Pinstripe Bowl Duke vs. Indiana – Dec. 26, 2:30 p.m. (ABC) Camping World Independence Bowl Virginia Tech vs. Tulsa – Dec. 26, 4:45 p.m.

(ESPN) Foster Farms Bowl Nebraska vs. UCLA – Dec. 26, 8:15 p.m.

(ESPN) Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman Pittsburgh vs. Navy – Dec. 28, 1:30 p.m.

(ESPN) Quick Lane Bowl Central Michigan vs. Minnesota – Dec. 28, 4 p.m. (ESPN2) Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl Air Force vs. California – Dec. 29, 1 p.m.

(ESPN) Russell Athletic Bowl North Carolina vs. Baylor – Dec. 29, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Capital One Orange Bowl Clemson vs. Oklahoma – Dec. 31, 3 p.m.

(ESPN)

NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl Colorado State vs. Nevada – Dec. 29, 6:30 p.m. (American Sports Network)

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Alabama vs. Michigan State – Dec. 31, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl Texas Tech vs. LSU – Dec. 29, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

College Football Playoff National Championship Clemson-Oklahoma winner vs. AlabamaMichigan State winner – Jan. 11, 7:30 p.m.

(ESPN) Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Houston vs. Florida State – Dec. 31, 11 a.m.

(ESPN) Fiesta Bowl Notre Dame vs. Ohio State – Jan. 1, Noon (ESPN) Rose Bowl Stanford vs. Iowa – Jan. 1, 3 p.m. (ESPN) Sugar Bowl Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss – Jan. 1, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) OTHER GAMES Miami Beach Bowl USF vs. Western Kentucky – Dec. 21, 1:30 p.m. (ESPN)

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Ole Miss forward Tomasz Gielo battles Memphis' Jeremiah Martin for a rebound during the first half.

Birmingham Bowl Memphis vs. Auburn – Dec. 30, 11 a.m.

(ESPN) Belk Bowl North Carolina State vs. Mississippi State – Dec. 30, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN) Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl Louisville vs. Texas A&M – Dec. 30, 6 p.m.

(ESPN) National University Holiday Bowl Wisconsin vs. USC – Dec. 30, 9:30 p.m.

(ESPN) Outback Bowl Northwestern vs. Tennessee – Jan. 1, 11 a.m. (ESPN2) Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl Michigan vs. Florida – Jan. 1, Noon (ESPN) TaxSlayer Bowl Georgia vs. Penn State – Jan. 2, 11 a.m.

(ESPN) AutoZone Liberty Bowl Kansas State vs. Arkansas – Jan. 2, 2:20 p.m. (ESPN) Valero Alamo Bowl TCU vs. Oregon – Jan. 2, 5:45 p.m. (ESPN) Cactus Bowl West Virginia vs. Arizona State – Jan. 2, 9:15 p.m. (ESPN)

ANGIE LEDBETTER

Rebels FROM PAGE 13

early and I remember him from Alabama and I remember him from Tulane.

He’s a volume scorer,” Kennedy said. “If he plays like that tonight to help that front court, they’re going to be a handful in their league.”

Memphis outscored the Rebels 48-42 in the final 20 minutes, but the Rebels were able to hold on at the free-throw line.

“In our last outing against La. Tech, we really

Square

shot the ball well. We shared it,” Kennedy said.

“Tonight wasn’t really our best effort. I thought we were good defensively, early. We limited our turnovers, which didn’t allow them to get into the open floor as much as they are accustomed. Our best player, the best guard in the SEC, goes 6-for-20. We shoot 60 percent from the free-throw line and as a team we lead the league there at 75 percent. We lead the SEC in the fewest fouls per game and yet they shoot 37 free throws.

It was about as much ad-

versity as you can ask for in one game. I was proud that we were able to finish it, especially with the lineup we had on the court.”

Nobody was bigger at the line for the Rebels than Newby, who garnered a double-double. He made his shots from the line, going 8-for-14 overall. He went 5-for-8 in the final minutes of the game.

“He’s a Memphian. He knew this was his last chance to play the Tigers in this environment. He had so many family and friends here,” Kennedy said. “He wanted it so bad. I could

championships revolve around.

He’s just like Laremy Tunsil, who will be a first round draft pick this FROM PAGE 13 spring.

Westerberg said Little was equally who is an Ole Miss pledge from Oxford, dominated the annual Missis- good at protecting a quarterback as he is opening a hole for a running sippi-Alabama All-Star Classic last back. week. They caught four touch“He has all the tools. The knowldowns and almost had 300 yards edge. The work ethic. He has everyreceiving. They were named Cothing they are looking for to MVPs, a first in series history. produce at a very high level,” WestCould you imagine what Brown erberg said. “Greg has led more and Metcalf would do together at through his actions than anything Ole Miss? It would be a lot of fun.

Mississippi State fans would have a else. He’s not the biggest vocal guy on the team, but he is a guy that the heart attack if Brown picks the kids know is going to go out and do Rebels. Kobe Jones, his teammate at Starkville, for that matter as well. his job, and work at his craft of MSU fans are up in arms about Ole being the best offensive tackle he Miss and Hugh Freeze’s recruitment can be. I think all the camps and all the things he has put in to being the as it is. Brown and Simmons and Jones coming to Ole Miss? It would best, I think that’s more of his leadership style than him being a vocal send the Bulldog faithful off the guy.” rails. And bridges for that matter.

Little has started every game MSU’s class is ranked down in the since his sophomore season. He high 30s. Unless the players turn started out as a right tackle, and out be a lot better than their rankthen moved to the left side when ings, it’s hard to believe that the Bobby Evans, who signed with OkBulldogs are going to win champilahoma, was injured in 2014. onships with the 2016 class as a “Greg started for three years and centerpiece.

Little is the kind of left tackle that that’s a pretty good accomplish-

sense it. With the light outage. He was back there like a Tiger. He was just going back and forth.”

Five Rebels scored in double figures in the win.

Newby had 12 points and 12 rebounds. Saiz finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Rasheed Brooks chipped in 11 points for the Rebels.

Ole Miss will return to action Tuesday at home against Troy. It will be the final game for the Rebels in Tad Smith Coliseum. john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

ment here,” Westerberg said. “He can do it all and that’s what makes him the best. He works hard at pass protection and he dang sure can come off the ball at the same time.

If you can only do one or the other, I don’t think you’re going to be as ranked as high.”

Little is 6-6 without shoes. Westerberg had him listed at 282, so he’s not too heavy by any stretch. Westerberg added that Little grew a great relationship with the Ole Miss coaches. He also built one with the other players when he’s been on campus at games or during visits.

“I think you get a feel if you’re going to fit in there and I think that has a lot to do with it,” Westerberg said. “Then you have look at rosters and depth charts and playing time and see where you fit in with everything. I just think the overall fit was very good. He’s just gone about his business everyday. We could rely on him everyday to get his job done.”

John Davis is the Oxford Citizen sports editor. He can be reached at john.davis@journalinc.com. Follow him on Twitter at @oxfordcitizenjd.

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