The University of Mississippi Athletics
Women's Basketball To Meet Georgia In Quarterfinals
3/2/2001 | Women's Basketball
March 2, 2001
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OLE MISS (17-11)
vs.
#6/#5 Georgia (23-5)
DATE: March 2, 2001
TIME: 8:30 p.m.
SITE: Memphis, Tenn.
RADIO: Supertalk 105.5 FM
TELEVISION: FoxSportsNetSouth
OLE MISS TO FACE NO. 3 SEEDED GEORGIA IN SEC QUARTERFINALS
Ole Miss (17-11) advanced to the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament with a 75-68 win over South Carolina Thursday night. The Lady Rebels will face the No. 3 seeded Georgia Lady Bulldogs at 8:30 p.m., Friday.
ALDY IS IN 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.
OLE MISS DOWNS SOUTH CAROLINA IN FIRST ROUND OF SEC TOURNEY
Ole Miss downed sixth-seeded South Carolina 75-68, Thursday night in the first round of the SEC Tournament. Please see page 2 for boxscore and recap.
SCOUTING GEORGIA
Georgia, ranked No. 6 in the Associated Press poll and No. 5 in the USA Today/ESPN Poll, enters the SEC Tournament as the No. 3 seed with a 23-5 overall record. They finished 11-3 in the SEC and tied for second. The Lady Bulldogs suffered a setback in their final regular season game, losing at Vanderbilt, 71-65. Georgia is led by twins Kelly and Coco Miller. Kelly earned the SEC Player-of-the-Year honors, while her sister and fellow teammates Deanna Nolan and Tawana McDonald were named All-SEC. Christi Thomas was selected as the conference's Freshman-of-the-Year. Coco leads the Lady Bulldogs with 16.4 points and Kelly averages 16.3 points per game. Thomas adds 13.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, McDonald chips in 10.2 and 6.9 rebounds per outing and rounding out the scoring, Nolan averages 13.1 points per game. The Lady Bulldogs rank near the top of the conference in scoring at 81.4 points per game. They are giving up only 62.8 points per game. Georgia is shooting 46.0 percent from the field and holding opponents to 37.6 percent.
SERIES RECORD
This will be the 25th meeting between Ole Miss and Georgia. Georgia leads the all-time series 17-7 but is just 3-3 in SEC Tourney games. The Lady Rebels won the most recent SEC Tourney meeting, upsetting No. 5 seed Georgia, 77-73, in 1998 in Columbus, Ga. Georgia won this year's regular season meeting, 74-51, in Athens on Jan. 25. Please see a recap and boxscore from the last SEC Tourney meeting on page 5.
OLE MISS VS. GEORGIA SCHOOLS
The Lady Rebels have played two other schools from the state of Georgia. Ole Miss is 1-0 versus Georgia Southern and 2-4 against Valdosta State.
LADY REBELS FROM GEORGIA
The Lady Rebels have two players on their roster from the state of Georgia. Sherika Wright hails from Augusta, and Kim Ufford comes from Roswell. Georgia has one player on its roster from Mississippi. Freshman Ebony Felder is from Jackson.
AND THE WINNER GETS
The winner of this game will meet the winner of the Florida/Arkansas game in the semifinals, Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Florida is the No. 2 seed and Arkansas is the No. 7 seed. Arkansas defeated Mississippi State, 94-76, in the first round.
OLE MISS IN THE SEC TOURNEY
The Lady Rebels have an overall record of 18-21 (.461 winning percentage) in the SEC Tournament. Ole Miss has advanced to the semifinals nine times and has played in two SEC Tournament championship games in 1980 and 1983. For Ole Miss results in the SEC Tournament and a recap of Ole Miss in last year's SEC Tournament see page 9.
MOST WINS UNDER ALDY
The 17 wins that this year's team has achieved, are the most wins by a Lady Rebel team under Coach Aldy. The 1998-99 team finished 15-13 and made the WNIT. Should the Lady Rebels win tonight, it would be the most wins since the 1995-96 season, when Ole Miss went 18-11 and made the NCAA Tournament.
AS CLOSE AS IT GETS TO HOME
The Lady Rebels have a nice following in Memphis thanks in part to Freshman Tywanna Inmon, who comes from just over the bridge, in West Memphis, Ark.
INJURY UPDATE
Senior Stephanie Murphy tore her ACL and has been playing with brace. She did not dress in the Lady Rebels' game against South Carolina.
OLE MISS MAKING THE GRADE
The Lady Rebels placed six players on the 2001 SEC Academic Honor Roll. Tennessee led the conference with seven players on the honor roll. In each of Ron Aldy's four years, Ole Miss has ranked in the top three in the SEC with the number of players on the honor roll. Takela Corbitt (Biomedical Science), Shayla Day (Journalism), Von Kirk (Elementary Education), TaShondrea Moton (Marketing), Stephanie Murphy (Exercise Science) and Becky Myatt (Exercise Science) were all named to the 2001 SEC Academic Honor Roll. Myatt has been named to the honor roll in each of the three seasons she was eligible.
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 one SEC win to join the group. The Lady Rebels have 106 conference wins.
GIVE HER THE ASSIST
Junior guard Sherika Wright dished out four assists in the Florida game to reach 100 for the season. She is averaging 3.89 per game, which ranks eighth in the SEC and has 109 for the year.
DID YOU SEE THAT?
Senior Becky Myatt thought time had run out in the first half of the Kentucky game, but she kept hearing the coaches yell at her to shoot the ball. So, she threw it up from halfcourt, and it went in to give the Lady Rebels a 13-point lead. It was Myatt's first time to sink a halfcourt shot as a Lady Rebel. She did it twice before coming to Ole Miss.
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 Kentucky, the Lady Rebels have now won three SEC road games in a season for the first time since the 1993-94 season. That year, Ole Miss defeated Kentucky, South Carolina, LSU and Mississippi State on the road.
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.
INMON DOUBLES UP AGAIN
Freshman forward Tywanna Inmon recorded her fourth career double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds in the loss to Florida. It was her third double-double in conference play. She scored 19 points and 10 rebounds against Mississippi State and 14 points and 10 rebounds versus LSU. Inmon has nine double-digit games and has grabbed at least seven rebounds in 10 games. Inmon is averaging 9.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game overall. In conference games only she led the team with 10.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
MULTIPLE DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Tywanna Inmon is one of 24 SEC players to have multiple double-doubles this season. Florida's Naomi Mobley leads the league with 12 double-doubles. Three of Inmon's double-doubles are against SEC foes.
FRESHMAN EARNS FIRST START
Freshman forward Tenisha Gist earned her first career start against Florida. Gist finished with three points, a career-best four assists and two steals. She started three-straight games before coming off the bench in the regular season finale at Arkansas.
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.
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 16-5 when scoring 60 points or more and 1-6 when scoring less than 60.
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 225.
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 is tied for 15th place with 1,164 points and needs one to pass Kris Stratton.
MYATT FROM DOWNTOWN
Becky Myatt has scored at least one three-pointer in 55 of the last 62 games dating back to the Mississippi State game on Feb. 11 of 1999. She has hit a three-pointer in 21 out of the last 23 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 330 career assists.
MORE MILESTONES FOR MYATT
Becky Myatt recorded her 400th career rebound in the win over Mississippi State and has 432. She is averaging 4.0 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 18 of the last 23 games. She has 62 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 115 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 17 of the first 28 games. They are 13-4 when at least three players score in double digits and 4-6 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 28 games, nine players are averaging double-digit minutes, including freshman Tywanna Inmon, who is averaging 22.5 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 28 games, the Lady Rebels have attempted 604 free throws, 145 more than the 459 they attempted during last year.
TAKE IT AWAY
In their first 28 games, the Lady Rebels are averaging 8.8 steals per game. They only averaged 7.5 last year. Against Southeastern Louisiana, the Lady Rebels recorded a season-best 23 steals.
BACK AT THE TOP
Last year the Lady Rebels averaged a league-leading 7.25 three-pointers per game. Through the first 28 games of this season, the Lady Rebels are averaging 5.9 threes per game and rank third in the SEC. Senior guard Becky Myatt is averaging 2.0 treys per game.
AND IN CONFERENCE PLAY
In conference games only, the Lady Rebels led the league with 6.6 three-pointers per game.
STREAK STILL ALIVE
Ole Miss hit nine three-pointers in the against South Carolina in the SEC Tournament. They have now hit at least one three-pointer in 202 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 289 straight games since 1991.
OLE MISS IN THE SEC
In the latest SEC stats, Ole Miss is ranked ninth in the SEC in scoring at 67.7 points per game. Tennessee leads the conference in scoring with 83.4 points per game. Ole Miss ranks seventh in scoring defense at 64.1 points per game and second in three-point field goal percentage defense at 29.8 percent. The Lady Rebels are third in three-point field goals with 5.8 and first in SEC games only at 6.6.
LADY REBELS AMONG SEC LEADERS
Senior Becky Myatt is among the SEC leaders in three-point field goals, three-point field goal percentage and free throw percentage. She is fourth in three-pointers made per game, eighth in 3-pt field goal percentage and sixth in free throw percentage. Junior Sherika Wright ranks eighth in assists. Von Kirk is tenth in three-point field goal percentage. In conference games only, Kirk is sixth with 1.86 three-point field goals per game. Tywanna Inmon ranks 15th in rebounding for SEC games only with 6.1 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 60 IN STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
In the latest WBCA/Summerville RPI for the 2000-01 season including games through Feb. 4, Ole Miss is ranked 54th. 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 three times this year. College Sports Southeast did the game at Mississippi State, and Comcast broadcasted the the Tennessee game. FoxSportsNetSouth televised 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 March Birthday to sophomore Shayla Day (11th), sports information directior Kimberly Ling (20th) and senior Kesha Howell (21st).
