The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
7-0
Western Kentucky
4-2
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Kentucky | 21 | 24 | 45 |
| Ole Miss Lady Rebels | 38 | 41 | 79 |
Lady Rebels Pummel Western Kentucky, 79-45
12/16/2002 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 16, 2002
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OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss (7-0) used a stifling defense and a solid inside-out game to frustrate Western Kentucky (4-2), as sophomore Amber Watts paced the Lady Rebels with 13 points and a career-high 14 rebounds on the way to a 79-45 win.
The win over the Lady Toppers marks the first time the Lady Rebels have opened the season 7-0 since the 2000-01 season, which saw Ole Miss jump out to an 11-0 start. Coincidentally, the Lady Rebels' saw the season end at the hands of Western Kentucky on the road in the first round of the WNIT that season.
Ole Miss came out playing hard nosed defense to open the game, shutting down the Lady Toppers and storming out to a 21-4 lead with 9:37 left in the first half. Western Kentucky never managed to get in the game, failing to pull within more than 12 points the rest of the way as the Lady Rebels held a 38-21 halftime lead.
"This is by far our best game of the season to date," said Ole Miss head coach Ron Aldy. "We picked up some momentum with our improved play in the win on Saturday. I am really pleased with the progress the girls are making, especially on the defensive end of the court."
The Lady Rebels looked inside to Watts early and combined her play inside with the solid shooting from the perimeter to seal the win. Besides Watts' double-double, sophomore Carletta Brown notched double digits for Ole Miss, recording 15 points to lead the Lady Rebels in scoring.
Defense set the tone early as Ole Miss switched from man to zone continuously to confuse Western Kentucky. The plan worked as the Lady Rebels held the Lady Toppers to 29.8 percent shooting on the night, and no three-point baskets, as Western Kentucky went 0-11 from behind the arc.
"We came out focused and ready to play," said Brown. "We got good defensive pressure on them early and that allowed us to score some easy baskets. The ball just kept rolling from there."
In comparison the offense clicked from the outset for Ole Miss, who fired 46.8 percent from the field, and 33 percent from behind the arc, hitting 6-18 from the perimeter. Ole Miss spread the scoring around, as every Lady Rebel got into the action, seeing all but two players notch baskets in the win.
Shala Reese led the way for Western Kentucky, recording 19 points and 11 rebounds on the night, while Tiffany Porter-Talbert scored 11 points. Leslie Logsdon, who came into the game leading the Lady Toppers in scoring got in foul trouble early and saw limited action, scoring only seven points on the night after opening the game with WKU's first four points.
Both teams notched 40 rebounds on the night. The Lady Rebels forced 24 WKU turnovers, compared to the 15 they committed.
Ole Miss will now take to the road, traveling to the Sun Splash Shootout in Nassau, Bahamas to face Oakland in the first round of play. The Lady Rebels will then play Clemson or Marshall, depending on the outcome of the first round games. Play at the Shootout begins on Dec. 21, with tip off scheduled for 7 p.m. (CST).
