A little more than a month ago on the calendar, or approximately the Paleolithic era in Twitter time, Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy was on the hot seat. After his Rebels started the season 17-2, Kennedy’s Ole Miss team endured a 4-6 stretch that raised questions about the future of the coach.  But his squad caught fire late, won the SEC Tournament, beat Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament,and ended the year with 27 victories, tied for the most in school history.

Friday, Ole Miss rewarded Kennedy with a raise and an extension.  He’ll be paid $1.8 million a year through 2017, making him the league’s seventh-highest paid coach.  Ole Miss also raised the salaries for assistant coaches and support staff by 40 percent.  Kennedy had two years remaining under his old deal which paid him a base salary of $1.3 million. The Rebels lose seniors Murphy Holloway and Reginald Buckner but return Marshall Henderson, the SEC’s leading scorer this past season.

The measurables.  At MrSEC.com we base our awards and honors on numbers and statistics rather than on eye tests or polled opinions.  We’re not saying one method is better than the other, just that we like to zig when others zag.  And there are plenty of people who zag.

The problem with using statistics for this kind of thing is that not all actions on a basketball court are recorded in box scores.  Heck, some important actions — properly setting a screen, defending a passing lane — can’t really be accurately recorded at all.

So any formulaic system for determining a best or most productive player is going to have flaws.  We know that.  We’ve admitted that.  But we still find it interesting to compare the stats of the SEC’s best players.

Last Friday we revealed our selections for the SEC’s Offensive Player of the Year (Arkansas’ BJ Young) and the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year (Missouri’s Alex Oriakhi).  In both cases we added up the number of positive plays made by each of the league’s 51 players who logged 800 or more minutes and compared those plays to each player’s floor time.

On offense we looked at field goal attempts made (with a bonus given for three-pointers made), offensive rebounds, and assists.  On defense we included defensive rebounds, blocked shots, and steals.

For our overall award, we combined each player’s positive offensive plays with his positive defensive plays.  Then we looked to see who made the most positive plays on both ends of the court, compared to their total number of minutes played.

This year’s winner will hopefully keep Marshall Henderson from ripping us on Twitter.  MrSEC.com’s “Most Productive Player” honor goes to Ole Miss’ big man Murphy Holloway.  He recorded 366.3 positive offensive plays and 287 positive defensive plays (653.3 total) in 1,057 minutes of action.  By our measure, Holloway accounted for a positive play once every 1.61 minutes he was on the floor.

However, if not for our 800-minute cutoff point, Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel would have nabbed the honor easily.

In 765 minutes of action, the Wildcat’s injured star accounted for 201.0 positive offensive plays and 318 positive defensive plays (519.0 total).  That’s one positive play for every 1.47 minutes played.  We thought that kind of production needed to be recognized whether Noel met our minutes-played requirement or not.

Below you’ll see the numbers for all 51 players who tallied at least 800 minutes.  You’ll also notice that our “All-Numbers Team” consists of the 10 players in the league:

Observations:

*  Our Defensive Player of the Year (Missouri’s Oriakhi) ranked eight slots higher than our Offensive Player of the Year (Arkansas’ Young) on our overall Most Productive list.  Oriakhi was the more complete player — statistically speaking — accounting for 249 positive plays on offense and 250 positive players on defense.

*  Ole Miss’ Henderson got most of the spotlight this season, but the statistics suggest once more that the Rebels were truly driven by their inside tandem.  Holloway (1st) and Reginald Buckner (6th) gave Mississippi the highest-ranked pair of players in on our list.  Henderson ranked 24th on our list of overall most productive players.

*  LSU’s Johnny O’Bryant (4th) and Charles Carmouche (9th) and Florida’s Patric Young (8th) and Erik Murphy (10th) were also top 10 duos.

When Ole Miss lost to LaSalle on Sunday night and exited the NCAA Tournament in the second round (it’s not the “third round,” NCAA), Marshall Henderson reacted just as you’d probably expect — by throwing a tantrum.

As the video below shows, first, he kicked a box of Powerade bottles across the floor.  He’s probably not the first basketball player to kick drinks, but he appears to be the only one who did so after Sunday’s game.

Then he threw up a pair of middle fingers at fans in the stands.  An Ole Miss aide rushed to his side and knocked his hands down, trying to cover the dual birds.  Asked about the issue, Henderson said, “When someone yells, ‘Your sister’s a whore, you (expletive) coke head, at at time like that, I’m always the one to react.”  (Booing is heard on the video, but short of some Gene Hackman work a la “The Conversation,” it’s impossible to make out individual yells from the stands.)

This is hardly new stuff for the controversial, emotional, combustible hero of the Magnolia State.  Fans should probably get ready for another year of his taunts and celebrations, too.  As we told you yesterday, his draft stock is nowhere near the NBA first-round level.  And as we told you in this morning’s headlines, CBSSports.com’s Gregg Doyel said an Ole Miss source told him Henderson is a 99% lock to return to Oxford for his senior season.

Doyel also suggests that Henderson could be the face of college basketball next year.  With added media scrutiny, added pressure to carry his team with Murphy Holloway and Reginald Buckner gone, and added attention from opponents, one must wonder if Henderson becoming the face of the sport is a good thing for the sport.  Or for Ole Miss.  Or for Henderson.

SEC Basketball

1. Video has surfaced of Marshall Henderson flipping off the crowd following Ole Miss’ loss on Sunday.

2. It’s “99 percent certain” Henderson will return to Ole Miss next season, a source told CBSSports.com.

3. Alabama’s Levi Randolph has become more aggressive during the NIT.

4. Florida will need to continue to improve its free throw shooting in the NCAA tournament.

5. Everyone – Florida included – is getting to know Florida Gulf Coast, the Gators’ upcoming opponent.

SEC Football

6. Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin discussed Johnny Manziel’s reported shove of a graduate assistant.

7. Alabama is looking for the five best offensive linemen to start this fall.

8. Auburn’s new coaching staff is focused on developing players for the 2013 season.

9. The Tigers need to make pass protection a top priority during spring practice.

10. Arkansas coach Bret Bielema is using spring practice – not film – to evaluate his players’ abilities.

11. LSU running back Alfred Blue is recovering from knee surgery and waiting for a chance to compete for playing time.

12. Senior quarterback Tyler Russell will have more input on Mississippi State’s offense this year.

13. Ole Miss’ defense won the day during Monday’s spring practice session.

14. Georgia will have its first spring scrimmage this afternoon. The first scrimmage had been scheduled last Saturday.

15. Georgia’s Malcolm Mitchell expects to “make a jump” now that he’s focused on playing wide receiver.

16. Kentucky running back Josh Clemons feels healthy again after missing all of the 2012 season.

17. Kentucky’s new “Air Raid” offense needs more help at wide receiver.

18. Tennessee’s new running backs coach Robert Gillespie will make $300,000 this season.

19. Vanderbilt expects to have a deeper and stronger defensive line this fall.

20. Tony Barhart of CBSSports.com takes a look at the SEC East.

Extras

21. Which SEC player has the best chance to win the Heisman Trophy, according to Athlon? Hint: It isn’t Manziel.

22. Here’s a preview of the South Region as four team remain with a shot at reaching the Final Four.

23. Could former Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray be a steal in next month’s NFL draft?

24. Myron Medcalf reseeded the NCAA tournament with 16 teams remaining.

25. Pat Forde of Yahoo! Sports understands why Minnesota and UCLA fired their basketball coaches.

Controversial Ole Miss guard Marshall Henderson says he wants to be a leader for Andy Kennedy’s team if he returns to Oxford next season.  The SEC’s top scorer this past season spoke of his plans after the Rebels’ 76-74 loss to LaSalle in the NCAA Tournament last night:

“I want to be a leader, but who am I to tell someone to do something after the problems I’ve caused.  It’s time for me to take the next step in my leadership especially being an Ole Miss senior next year…

(But with regards to the NBA) I don’t know.  I haven’t explored any options.  I don’t even know it that’s legal.  It’s a crazy world out there.  You never know what might happen.  I’m tired of going to school.”

The NBA draft-centric website DraftExpress.com ranks Henderson as just the 58th best junior prospect in the country.  With that kind of number, it’s doubtful he would sniff the first-round of this summer’s draft and only first-rounders receive guaranteed contracts.

Mississippi’s big men in the middle — Murphy Holloway and Reginald Buckner — were seniors this past season.  Ditto guard Nick Williams.  So if Henderson returns for his own senior season, the Rebels will be much more of his team.  There’s no question UM needs his talent back on the floor next year.  But the team chemistry that worked so well this year will definitely need to be watched moving forward… if Henderson returns.

SEC Basketball

1. Will Florida gain confidence from closing out Minnesota in Sunday’s round of 32 matchup?

2. After being benched on Friday, Gators guard Mike Rosario provided a lift against Minnesota.

3. Florida’s next opponent, No. 15 seed Florida Gulf Coast, won’t be intimidated in the next round.

4. FGCU has beaten two No. 2 seeds this year (Georgetown and Miami). Miami says Florida’s next opponent isn’t a fluke.

5. It was a shot in the final seconds that allowed La Salle to end Ole Miss’ season.

6. One Missouri player believed the Tigers would compete for a national title. They fell well short.

7. Don’t blame coach Frank Haith for all of Missouri’s struggles, writes Bryan Burwell.

8. Popular Kentucky fan Ashley Judd is pulling for Louisville in the NCAA tournament. How will UK fans react?

9. Is Tennessee’s basketball program better after Cuonzo Martin’s second year? It’s a fair debate, writes Mike Strange.

SEC Football

10.  Alabama left tackle Cyrus Kouandjio has built a strong relationship with the Crimson Tide’s new center.

11. Here’s a preview of Auburn’s special teams as the Tigers prepare for spring practice.

12. Mississippi State’s wide receivers are impressing during spring practice.

13. Wesley Tate (Golden Tate’s brother) is vying for Vanderbilt’s starting running back position.

Extras

14. Florida Gulf Coast is the biggest story in all of sports, writes Gary Parrish.

15. UCLA has officially fired basketball coach Ben Howland. What’s next for the Bruins?

16. Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel gave Ole Miss’ Henderson some advice before the Rebels’ loss on Sunday.

17. Jeff Eisenberg of Yahoo! Sports has the best and worst of the first NCAA tournament weekend.

SEC Basketball

1. Defense and a late Marshall Henderson surge helped Ole Miss beat Wisconsin 57-46.

2. Ole Miss forward Reginald Buckner’s line: Nine points, 12 rebounds and five blocks. “It was one of my best.”

3. Henderson got into a twitter battle with a fake Ryan Harrow account.

4. Florida’s defense smothered Northwestern State in the second half of a 79-47 win.

5. Friday was a day of upsets, but not in Austin. The Gators avoided any potential embarrassment.

6. Florida will meet Minnesota and former SEC coach Tubby Smith on Sunday.

7. Alabama coach Anthony Grant saluted Mal Moore and welcomed new athletic director Bill Battle.

8. Andrew Steele’s season is officially over. He had ankle surgery on Wednesday.

9. What happened to college basketball in Louisiana? Jeff Duncan examines.

SEC Football

10. Harvey Updyke – the Toomers Oaks poisoner – was sentenced to three years in prison on Friday.

11. Radio host Paul Finebaum on Updyke: “For everyone’s sake, I’m just glad this is finally over.”

12. Florida linebacker Antonio Morrison is filling a leadership role for the Gators.

13. Bruce Feldman of CBSSports.com was in Knoxville to write about Butch Jones’ challenge at Tennessee.

14. Take a look at Alabama’s defensive backs in the Crimson Tide’s latest practice.

15. Running back Brandon Williams will be the next breakout star for Texas A&M, writes Barrett Sallee.

16. Nose tackle John Jenkins weighed 370 pounds when he played for Georgia last season.

17. Linebacker Avery Williamson is working to learn another defense at Kentucky.

18. Kentucky fans seem excited about football as they continue to buy spring game tickets.

19. Former Vanderbilt QB Jordan Rodgers has tried to show NFL teams he can throw the ball downfield.

20. Sophomore Evan Boehm’s move to center is close to being permanent for Missouri.

Extras

21. Western Kentucky almost made history Friday night but fell to No. 1 seed Kansas.

22. The Big East has two teams remaining in the NCAA tournament, only one more than the SEC.

23. Interesting story in the L.A. Times on UCLA star Shabazz Muhammad. Read how Muhammad’s father turned him into a star.

You either love him or you hate him.

If you’re an Ole Miss fan or a columnist in need of a topic sure to generate a response, you love him.

If you believe there’s a difference between showing emotion and showing your arse then you probably hate him.

Rebel basketball star Marshall Henderson is the boldest provocateur to hit a college basketball court since… well… uh.  Who else has ever jumped on a scorer’s table at his conference’s tournament, taken a faux joint from his mouth and tossed it to the ground on national television, and snapped his jersey in the faces of opposing players, coaches and fans?  Some might have done one.  Henderson is the guy who’s done all.  And more.

From his shark fin finger gesture after a made trey to his off-court insults — “They’re losers.” – to his on-the-verge-of-a-technical interactions with officials, there’s never been anyone quite so far over the top as Ole Miss’ talented gunner.

When I said over the weekend that I thought Henderson was the most classless player to ever take to the  hardwood, a number of my friends in the media chafed.  Yet when I asked them for the name of any other college basketballer who’s come close to doing as much taunting as Henderson has done I was met with stares.

Followed by a change of subjects.

The shame of it all is that Henderson is a phenomenal basketball player.  His talents and energetic leadership should be the talk of the sporting world rather than his temperament.  And if he showed any remorse at all for the actions that have led him through four schools (and jail) in four years, his would be one of those tried and true sports/redemption stories that we all love to sop up like Southern gravy.  “He’s overcome so much and turned his life around,” we’d coo.

Instead, Henderson just throws his past in everyone’s face as part of his schtick.  Sorry?  Please.  The arrest record is good for his rep, dudes.

But Henderson’s actions aren’t just fodder for water-cooler talk.  They’re capable of inciting a riot.  After rubbing a Friday night victory into the faces of Missouri’s team (and then complaining that the Tiger players weren’t good enough sports to shake his hand), Henderson had this to say:

“People take it so seriously that it’s funny for a little white guy like me to just come around, talk trash to people and the fans.  Like, what are you going to do in the stands?  What am I going to do on the court to you in the stands?  It’s funny just to mess with people.”

Yes, it’s funny right up to the point that some ticked off fan in the crowd — say at Auburn, maybe — fails to reel in his own emotions and storms the court to trade fists with the biggest instigator this side of Woody Woodpecker.  Oh, sure, Henderson would probably just pull a knife from his sock and cut the guy, but no one really wants to see that any more than they want to see fans and players to duke it out on the floor.

There’s a reason that 90% of Ole Miss basketball games feature officials cooling players’ tempers as the final buzzer nears.  Henderson’s mouth and deeds get under the skin of his opponents.  Now maybe that takes them off their game — advantage: Rebels — but at some point maybe that will lead to a postgame donnybrook.  Don’t say you haven’t thought it possible.

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After being declared the SEC Tournament’s MVP, Marshall Henderson called the coaches who didn’t vote him onto the regular season’s All-SEC team “losers.”  When you win, you can bark.  And no one spends more time barking than Ole Miss’ controversial guard.

So how did he celebrate yesterday’s title game win over Florida?  By having a cop pretend to cuff him.  Teammate Murphy Holloway snapped the photo and tweeted it after the game with the line, “Check out the SEC MVP….”

Now most people with an arrest record might try to hide from that history.  Henderson apparently likes the street cred his previous legal run-ins bring him.  So the next time his father wants to moan about the media beating a dead horse when it comes to his son’s rap sheet, perhaps he should call his son first.

After the festivities at the arena, Henderson apparently celebrated with 10 straight games of beer pong.  Which he tweeted about.

Rallying back from a 14-point first-half deficit, the Ole Miss Rebels are your 2013 SEC Conference Tournament Champions.  Down 12-points at half, Ole Miss outscored Florida 40-25 in the second half. A last-second three-point attempt by Kenny Boynton hit the rim but bounced off.

Murphy Holloway led Ole Miss with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Marshall Henderson had 21 points, all but three of them in the second half.

Florida was led by Mike Rosario with 18 points and Kenny Boynton with 13.

- Ole Miss shot 47% from the field (27-57) while Florida shot 37% from the floor (22-59).

- Florida did connect on 11 three-pointers, Ole Miss just four.

- The Rebels outrebounded the Gators – 35-30.

-Ole Miss had 16 turnovers, Florida had 11.

No need to argue now – Ole Miss is in the NCAA Tournament.  Where and when – we’ll find out in a few hours.  Florida, the regular season champs, are headed to the tournament as well, but this stat will give Gator fans and anyone with a bracket pause to consider- Florida now 0-6 this season in games decided by six points or less.