The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Takes On No. 18 Vanderbilt
2/9/2001 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 9, 2001
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GAME #23 OLE MISS (15-7, 3-6) vs. #18 Vanderbilt (15-7, 4-5)
DATE: Feb. 11, 2001
TIME: 2:00 p.m.
SITE: Oxford, Miss.
RADIO: WQLJ Q93.7 FM
OLE MISS RETURNS HOME FOR THREE-GAME HOMESTAND
Ole Miss (15-7, 3-6) returns home for a three-game homestand beginning with No. 18 Vanderbilt, Sunday. Game time is 2:00 p.m. at Tad Smith Coliseum. The game will be broadcast on Q93.7 FM instead of Supertalk 105.5 due to the baseball game. Fans can also listen to the game on the internet at www.WQLJ.com.
ALDY BEGINS FOURTH YEAR
Ron Aldy is in his fourth year as the person in charge of rebuilding Ole Miss women's basketball back to where it once was. Aldy has dedicated himself to making Ole Miss a winner on and off the court. After a difficult first season, Aldy guided the team to its 23rd winning season in 1999 and a return trip to postseason play. Following a return to postseason play two years ago, the ship appeared to be headed in the right direction for Ole Miss women's basketball. The 1999-2000 season was sailing along with a 10-2 start in non-conference action. Then the Lady Rebels hit SEC play, where they lost seven games by 10 points or less. Injuries began to mount, and the Lady Rebels were unable to get the ship back on course. With more determination and motivation, the Lady Rebels look ahead to the 2000-01 season. Off the court, the Lady Rebels have made tremendous strides academically and in the community. In 1999, Ole Miss led the league with six players named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll and in 2000 were second with six. Since Aldy got here, five players have received their bachelor's degrees.
LADY REBELS ON SUPERTALK MISSISSIPPI 105.5 FM
For the past 15 years, all Lady Rebel home games have been broadcast on WQLJ Q93.7 FM. This year the Lady Rebel games will be broadcast on WTNM Supertalk Mississippi (105.5 FM), with each broadcast beginning 15 minutes prior to the scheduled tip-off. Gary Darby returns for his ninth season as the 'Voice of the Lady Rebels'.
RON ALDY COACHES SHOW
The third edition of the 'Ron Aldy Coaches Show' is on the air each week. The show airs in Oxford Tuesday's at 6 p.m. on local cable channel 12. The weekly half-hour show will include player features, game analysis from coach and highlights from each game.
LADY REBS SUFFER WORST DEFEAT IN PROGRAM'S HISTORY
Tennessee's Kara Lawson scored 22 points including five three-pointers, to lead the Lady Vols to a 119-52 win over Ole Miss, Thursday night. Please see page 2 for boxscore and recap.
SCOUTING VANDERBILT
Vanderbilt comes into the game with a 15-7 overall record, 4-5 in the SEC. They are coming off a 71-62 loss at Mississippi State and have lost five in a row. The Commodores are playing without their point guard Ashley McElhiney, who has a stress fracture. Sophomore center Chantelle Anderson scored a school-record 41 points in the loss to Mississippi State and leads the team with 20.5 points per game. She also ranks among the top five in the SEC. Junior forward Zuzana Klimesova is second on the team at 16.8 points per game. Jenni Benningfield leads the Commodores on the boards averaging 7.7 rebounds per game. The Commodores are averaging 80.0 points per game and shooting 56.1 percent from the field. They are shooting 40.7 percent from behind the arc.
SERIES RECORD
This will be the 28th meeting between the two schools and the second of two meetings this year. With the league now playing 14 games, the Lady Rebels will play Vanderbilt and Alabama twice this year in addition to Mississippi State. Vanderbilt leads the all-time series 16-11 including winning both meetings last year and the first one this year. The Commodores defeated the Lady Rebels 60-38 in Oxford last year and then 59-51 in Nashville. In the first game this year, Vanderbilt held off a late charge by Ole Miss to win 79-64. Vanderbilt has won seven in a row and eight of the last nine. Ole Miss' last win in the series came during the 1995-96 season as they beat the Commodores 72-53 in Oxford. Please see a recap and boxscore from the last meeting on page 5.
LADY REBELS FROM TENNESSEE
The Lady Rebels have two players on their roster from the Volunteer state. Senior Becky Myatt hails from Bon Aqua, and freshman Tenisha Gist calls Athens home. Vanderbilt has no players on its roster from Mississippi.
THE LAST TIME
The last time Ole Miss defeated a ranked opponent was Feb. 22, 1999, when they handed then No. 22 ranked Auburn an 86-77 loss in Oxford.
INJURY UPDATE
Senior Chandra Dorsey hurt her ankle in practice Wednesday and played only one minute in the Tennessee game. Senior Stephanie Murphy tore her ACL but is playing with a brace.
LADY REBELS ONE OF WINNINGEST TEAMS IN SEC
Since the Southeastern Conference began regular-season play in the 1981-82 season, the Lady Rebels have posted a winning record in conference play in 11 of 19 years. The Lady Rebels are one of six teams to have won 100 conference games. Tennessee, Georgia, Auburn, Vanderbilt and LSU are the other five SEC schools which have won 100 conference games. Alabama needs two SEC wins to join the group. The Lady Rebels have 105 conference wins.
JUST HOW BAD WAS IT?
Ole Miss' 67 point loss (119-52) to Tennessee Thursday, was the worst defeat in the history of the program. The previous widest margin of defeat, was 46 (91-45) also against Tennessee in 1998.
OPPONENT 100-POINT GAMES
Thursday's loss to Tennessee, was only the third time in the history of the program, that the Lady Rebels have allowed an opponent 100 points in a game. They allowed Mercer 101 points in 1976 and Memphis scored 111 in 1979.
CONSECUTIVE SEC WINS
For the first time since the 1999 season, the Lady Rebels claimed consecutive SEC games with their wins over Mississippi State and South Carolina. In 1999, the Lady Rebels beat Mississippi State and Kentucky on Jan. 7 and 10.
MOTON SCORES CAREER-HIGH
Junior TaShondrea Moton had her best game as a Lady Rebel against South Carolina, scoring a career-high 16 points on 7-of-11 from the field. Her previous high was 11 against Alabama on Jan. 28 of this year. In addition, Moton grabbed eight rebounds, dished out two assists and had two steals in the win.
COULD SHE DO IT AGAIN?
Senior guard Becky Myatt holds the record for three-pointers in a career, in a season and is tied for three-pointers in a single game. With 18 more threes, Myatt will eclipse the single-season record of 65 which she set during her sophomore year. Myatt currently has 48 threes on the year and is averaging 2.1 per game.
MYATT NAMED TO SEC GOOD WORKS TEAM
Senior Becky Myatt was named to the SEC Good Works Team. Myatt, a native of Bon Aqua, Tenn., is active in the Champs Life Skills program at Ole Miss volunteering her time at the local retirement home, mentoring elementary kids and helping out in the community. She helped build a community-wide playground. Myatt is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, M-Club and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
INMON DOUBLES UP AGAIN
Freshman forward Tywanna Inmon recorded her third double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds against Mississippi State. It was her second double-double in conference play. She scored 14 points and 10 rebounds versus LSU. Inmon has eight double-digit games and has grabbed at least seven rebounds seven games. Inmon is averaging 9.1 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.
SEC ROAD WINS HARD TO COME BY
The SEC is arguably the top conference in women's basketball and so a road win is nice anyway you can get it. The Lady Rebels' road win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa, was their first conference road win since they defeated Arkansas in Fayetteville in 1998-99. With their win at Mississippi State, the Lady Rebels have now won two SEC road games in a season for the first time since the 1995-96 season. That year they won at Kentucky, 68-60, and then at Mississippi State, 71-68.
THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 60
It appears that when the Lady Rebels score at least 60 points, they are going to win the game. They are 14-3 when scoring 60 points or more and 1-4 when scoring less than 60.
THAT'S THE VON WE KNOW AND LOVE
Junior Von Kirk has found her offense and the Lady Rebels are happy to see it come back. In the last six games, Kirk has scored 67 points and she led the Lady Rebels with 18 against Alabama. Kirk hit four threes in the Alabama game, and two huge threes against Mississippi State.
FRESHMAN HAS CAREER NIGHT
Freshman forward Tywanna Inmon enjoyed her finest performance as a Lady Rebel in the first game against Alabama, scorching the Crimson Tide for a career-high 22 points on 7-of-14 from the field and 8-of-9 from the charity stripe.
EXTRA TIME
In the win over Belmont, the Lady Rebels improved to 9-10 overall in overtime games and 5-1 in overtime games at home. The Belmont game was the first overtime game since a 62-61 overtime win against Missouri-Kansas City on Dec. 19, 1998. The Lady Rebel's last home overtime game was a 1991-92 win (80-78) against Tennessee.
MYATT SETS THREE-POINT RECORD
With 15:48 to go in the first half of the Tennessee Tech game, Becky Myatt hit her 195th career three-pointer, becoming the all-time leader. She passed Regan Seybert who had 194 from 1994-97. Myatt hit her 200th career three-pointer in the Vanderbilt game and has 217.
WHAT'S THIS? A NEW LINEUP
For 12 of the first 14 games, head coach Ron Aldy started Sherika Wright, Becky Myatt, Saundra Jackson, TaShondrea Moton and Von Kirk. In the last eight games, Aldy has started Wright, Myatt, Inmon, Kirk and Moton.
ANOTHER GRAND PLAYER?
Becky Myatt accomplished two milestones against Tennessee Tech. She scored 17 points to become the 19th Lady Rebel to score 1,000 points in a career. She currently has 1,102 points and needs one point to pass Kristen Goehring for 17th place.
MYATT FROM DOWNTOWN
Becky Myatt has scored at least one three-pointer in 49 of the last 56 games dating back to the Mississippi State game on Feb. 11 of 1999. She has hit a three-pointer in 15 out of the last 17 games this year.
MYATT DISHES OUT 300TH ASSIST
Becky Myatt tallied three assists in the win over Belmont to record her 300th career assist. She has 316 career assists.
MORE MILESTONES FOR MYATT
Becky Myatt recorded her 400th career rebound in the win over Mississippi State. She is averaging 4.1 per game this year. She notched a career-best 10 rebounds against Arkansas State and has six games with at least seven rebounds.
MYATT AND DOUBLE DIGITS
Becky Myatt has scored in double digits in 14 of the last 17 games. She has 58 career double-digit games.
STARTING AT GUARD
Becky Myatt marked another accomplishment in her outstanding career in the Vanderbilt game. In front of her home state, and family and friends, Myatt started her 100th consecutive career game and has now started 109 career games. In addition, Myatt has led the team in minutes played averaging nearly 33 minutes per game.
HOW DID THE START RANK?
The Lady Rebels 11-0 start to the season, was the best start since the 1988-89 season, when Ole Miss started the season 13-0 before losing at Tennessee, 68-61. The Lady Rebels went on to advance to the NCAA Elite Eight that year.
CONSECUTIVE VICTORIES
Where does the 11-game winning streak rank in Ole Miss history. The Lady Rebels' 11-game winning streak to start the season, ties for the third best in the history of the program. The 1991-92 team won 25 consecutive games and the 1984-85 team won 24 straight. This year's streak tied the 1975-76 and 1982-83 teams.
STREAK COMES TO AN END
With their loss to Tennessee Tech, Ole Miss ended a streak that saw them win 14 consecutive non-conference games at Tad Smith Coliseum dating back to Nov. 22, 1998. Their last home non-conference loss prior to Tennessee Tech, was against Clemson on Nov. 16, 1998.
LADY REBELS MAKE THE GRADE
Several Lady Rebels were impressive in the classroom last fall, making one of the three University Honor Rolls. Kim Ufford made the Chancellor's Honor. Becky Myatt made the Dean's Honor Roll. Takela Corbitt, Tenisha Gist, Leah Henley, Tywanna Inmon and TaShondrea Moton made the UMAA Honor Roll. All four of the managers made one of the honor rolls as well. Emily Brawner and Tiffany Gray made the Chancellor's Honor Roll, Amanda Walker made the Dean's Honor Roll and Brittany Aldy made the UMAA Honor Roll.
TRIPLE DOUBLE
The Lady Rebels have had three players score in double digits in 13 of the first 22 games. They are 11-2 when at least three players score in double digits and 4-4 when less than three players record double digits.
SPREADING IT AROUND
The Lady Rebels are more balanced this year and have more depth. Just look at the minutes per game. Through their first 22 games, nine players are averaging double-digit minutes, including freshman Tywanna Inmon, who is averaging 20.8 minutes per game.
TAKIN' IT TO THE HOLE
The Lady Rebels are taking the ball to the hole more often this year than they have in the past. In the first 22 games, the Lady Rebels have attempted 460 free throws, one more than the 459 they attempted during last year.
OOPS
In their first 22 games, the Lady Rebels have forced their opponents into an average of 18.6 turnovers per game. Last year, their opponents averaged 18.4 turnovers per game.
TAKE IT AWAY
In their first 22 games, the Lady Rebels are averaging 8.9 steals per game. They only averaged 7.5 last year. Against Southeastern Louisiana, the Lady Rebels recorded a season-best 23 steals.
LOOKING FOR THREES
Last year the Lady Rebels averaged a league-leading 7.25 three-pointers per game. Through the first 22 games of this season, the Lady Rebels are only averaging 5.8 threes per game. Senior guard Becky Myatt has nearly half of the Lady Rebels' three-pointers as she is averaging 2.1 treys per game.
BUT IN CONFERENCE PLAY
In conference games only, the Lady Rebels are leading the league with 7.00 three-pointers per game.
STREAK STILL ALIVE
Ole Miss hit five three-pointers in the win over South Carolina. They have now hit at least one three-pointer in 196 consecutive games. The NCAA record for consecutive games with at least one three-pointer is held by Louisville, who has hit a three-pointer in 286 straight games since 1991.
BETTER PERCENTAGE = MORE POINTS
The Lady Rebels are shooting 41.0 percent from the floor through the first 22 games of the season. Last year they shot just 36.5 percent.
LADY REBELS LIKE CHARITY
The Lady Rebels have been taking advantage of charity this season through the first 22 games. The Lady Rebels are averaging 68.9, up 8.3 points from last year's percentage of 60.6.
OLE MISS IN THE SEC
In the latest SEC stats, Ole Miss is ranked eighth in the SEC in scoring at 69.9 points per game. Tennessee leads the conference in scoring with 82.9 points per game. Ole Miss is eighth in scoring margin at +9.2 points per game. They rank fourth in scoring defense at 60.6 points per game and first in three-point field goal percentage defense at 27.1 percent. The Lady Rebels also rank third in three-point field goals with 5.86. Ole Miss is first in three-point field goals in SEC games only at 7.25.
LADY REBELS AMONG SEC LEADERS
Senior Becky Myatt is among the SEC leaders in scoring, three-point field goals, three-point field goal percentage and free throw percentage. She is third in three-pointers made per game, fourth in 3-pt field goal percentage and sixth in free throw percentage. Junior Sherika Wright ranks eighth in assists. Von Kirk is seventh in three-point field goal percentage. In conference games only, Kirk and Myatt are tied for third in three-pointers with 2.1 per game.
OLE MISS SUCCESSFUL IN REGULAR SEASON TOURNAMENTS
With their Beach Classic title, the Lady Rebels have won 36 regular season tournament titles. Ole Miss now owns a 108-26 record in regular season tournaments. The Lady Rebels defeated Wichita State 68-62 in the first round of the Beach Classic and then rallied to beat Indiana 69-67 for the title. They Lady Rebels also won the Vermont Howard Bank Classic in November. They downed Radford University 91-62 in the first round and then defeated Vermont 85-75 in the championship game.
MVP AGAIN
Senior guard Becky Myatt scored 20 points including two key three-pointers in the final seconds against Indiana, to earn Most Valuable Player of the Beach Classic. This marked the second such honor for Myatt this season, as she also earned MVP status at the Vermont Howard Bank Classic.
MYATT ON ALL-TOURNEY TEAMS
Becky Myatt's selection to the All-Tournament team of the Beach Classic makes it four in a row. She was named to both the Montana State Gran Tree Inn Classic All-Tournament Team and the Northern Arizona Hilton Garden Inn Classic All-Tournament Team last year.
SHERIKA ENJOYED THE BEACH TOO
Junior college transfer Sherika Wright had a good time at the Beach Classic as well, scoring 27 points and eight assists in two games to make the All-Tournament team. She scored 12 of her 14 points against Indiana in the second half to help ignite the Lady Rebel comeback.
OLE MISS AMONG TOP 40 IN STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
In the latest WBCA/Summerville RPI for the 2000-01 season including games through Feb. 4, Ole Miss is ranked 45th. The Lady Rebels have had one of the toughest schedules in the nation the last three years.
TRAVELING WITH THE LADY REBELS
The Lady Rebels are one of the most well-traveled teams in the nation, having visited 33 states including Washington, D.C., and Aruba and Puerto Rico. This year, the Lady Rebels visited Vermont for the first time and traveled to Long Beach Calif, for the Beach Classic.
LADY REBELS GOLDEN IN WIN OVER TIGERS
The Lady Rebels 50-point margin against West Alabama, tied for the ninth widest margin of victory in the history of the program. Ole Miss defeated Montevallo 100-50 on Dec. 3, 1977.
OLE MISS WINS VERMONT HOWARD BANK CLASSIC
The Lady Rebels, behind the stellar guard play of Becky Myatt Von Kirk, and Sherika Wright, captured the Vermont Howard Bank Classic in Burlington, Vt. Myatt scored 23 points including two key three-pointers at the end of the game to lead the Lady Rebels to an 85-75 win over Vermont in the championship game. She also had seven rebounds to earn tournament MVP honors. Kirk, who tallied 17 points was also named to the All-Tournament team. Wright scored in double digits both nights with 20 and 16 points respectively. Ole Miss downed Radford University in the first round 91-62.
MYATT GARNERS SEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Senior guard Becky Myatt was rewarded again, for her outstanding play in the Vermont Howard Bank Classic by being named the SEC Player of the Week for the week of Nov. 20. Myatt averaged 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists. She sank two crucial three-pointers with just over four minutes remaining in the championship game to seal the title for the Lady Rebels. Myatt is the ninth Lady Rebel to be named SEC Player of the Week and the first since Tarsha Bethley earned the honor in November of 1998.
MYATT NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-SEC TEAM
Senior guard Becky Myatt was named to the 2000-01 preseason All-SEC second team. The team was voted on by the media members attending SEC Media Days Nov. 1-2 in Birmingham. Myatt is one of six guards on either the first or second team. Myatt averaged 9.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game last year. She ranked among the top five in the SEC in three-pointers per game.
IMPRESSIVE OUTSIDE THE SEC
The Lady Rebels have compiled an impressive record outside the Southeastern Conference in regular-season play since 1990. Ole Miss owns a 132-48 record (.733 winning percentage) versus non-conference teams since 1990. The Lady Rebels' best non-conference record since came during the 1991-92 SEC Championship season, as they compiled a 15-1 mark versus non-conference foes. The Lady Rebels have an overall 52-9 record (.852 winning percentage) versus non-conference opponents on this year's schedule.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION
Ole Miss has appeared on television twice this year. College Sports Southeast did the game at Mississippi State, and Comcast broadcasted the the Tennessee game. FoxSportsNetSouth will televise the Auburn game on Feb. 18 in Tad Smith Coliseum.
TIP-INS
Senior Stephanie Murphy graduated last year and is taking graduate courses...She is also serving as a minister at Providence Methodist Church ...Murphy gave her first sermon on Oct. 15...Chandra Dorsey, a Criminal Justice major, interned this summer with the University Police Department ...Takela Corbitt attended the NCAA Leadership conference this summer...Happy February (17th) birthday to Assistant Coach Kim Rosamond.
