Ole Miss new basketball home for Travis Perry

By MARK MAYNARD, Kentucky Today

Ole Miss new basketball home for Travis Perry

Travis Perry has found a new home in the Southeastern Conference, committing to the Ole Miss Rebels on Sunday.

The 6-foot-1 guard from Lyon County, who was the state's all-time leading scorer in high school, played one season for Kentucky. He entered the transfer portal a few hours before the deadline on April 22.

The former top 100 prospect in America was sought after by multiple high-profile programs out of high school including Ole Miss, Alabama, Cincinnati and Western Kentucky, but Kentucky was his dream school.

During his lone season with the Wildcats, Perry averaged 2.7 points in 9.8 minutes per game over 31 appearances. He made four starts for Kentucky as a freshman, taking over point guard duties after injuries occurred to each of Kriisa, Lamont Butler and Jaxson Robinson.

Known for his outside shooting, he went only 18-for-56 (32.1 percent) from 3-point range last season for the Cats. He didn't play in Kentucky's last two games in the NCAA tournament partly because of a wrist injury suffered in the SEC tournament against Alabama.

Perry was one of two scholarship players from coach Mark Pope's first Kentucky basketball team to enter the portal this offseason, along with fifth-year guard Kerr Kriisa, who has committed to Cincinnati for his final college season.

Ole Miss reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last season for just the second time in school history. The Rebels of coach Chris Beard went 24-12 overall and 10-8 in SEC games during the regular season. Ole Miss lost by only three points to Michigan State in the Sweet 16 of March Madness.

Beard has dipped into the transfer portal, signing small forward AJ Storr (Kansas), power forward Corey Chest (LSU), combo guard Koren Johnson (Louisville) and Perry (Kentucky). from the transfer portal.

Two Ole Miss players from last season -- center John Bol (Central Florida) and shooting guard TJ Caldwell (Arkansas State) -- have departed the Rebels this offseason via the portal.

Former Ole Miss players Ja'Von Benson (forward) and Robert Cowherd (guard) are also both still in the transfer portal.