The University of Mississippi Athletics
Women's Basketball Game Notes
1/2/2003 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 2, 2003
GAME DAY QUICK FACTS
Radio: Non-conference games will not be broadcast.
Rankings: None
Series: Tied at 1-1
Coaches: Ole Miss head coach Ron Aldy is 76-80 in his sixth season with the Lady Rebels and owns a 154-120 overall record in his nine years as a head coach. Temple head coach Dawn Staley is 43-38 in her third season at Temple. Temple is Staley's first head coaching position.
GAME DAY HEADLINES
- Ole Miss is 4-0 at Tad Smith Coliseum this season.
- Ole Miss is 9-2 on the season for the first time since the 2000-01 season, when the Lady Rebels posted 11-straight wins to start the season.
- Five different Lady Rebels have earned All-Tournament honors this season. Amber Watts was named the MVP of the UIC Thanksgiving Classic, while Elizabeth Cansdale and Ellen Buchanan were named to the All-Tournament team. Ashley Johnson earned All-Tournament honors for her play at the Sun Splash Shootout and Genice Terry earned the same honor at the Sun & Fun Classic.
- Of the 12 players on the Ole Miss roster, 11 have scored in double-figures. The lone player to not score in double figures is junior forward Tia Watson. Watson, however, scored in double figures in both of the Lady Rebels' exhibition games.
- The Lady Rebels are 20-8 in the first game of a new year. Ole Miss defeated Arkansas, 81-46, to open 2002. Head coach Ron Aldy is 2-3 in the first game of a new year.
LADY REBEL PROBABLE STARTERS
| No. | Pos. | Name | Yr. | Ht. | Ppg. | Rpg. |
| 11 | G | Carletta Brown | So. | 5-4 | 6.7/td> | 1.5 |
| 2 | G | Tenisha Gist | Jr. | 5-10 | 7.8 | 4.5 |
| 22 | F | Leah Henley | Sr. | 5-9 | 6.0 | 4.4 |
| 33 | C | Amber Watts | So. | 6-3 | 12.5 | 8.6 |
| 34 | F | Tywanna Inmon | Jr. | 6-1 | 6.4 | 4.3 |
LADY REBELS OFF THE BENCH
| No. | Pos. | Name | Yr. | Ht. | Ppg. | Rpg. |
| 5 | G | Elizabeth Cansdale | So. | 5-8 | 7.4 | 1.6 |
| 12 | F | Erin Newsom | Jr. | 6-2 | 1.9 | 1.4 |
| 20 | G | Ashley Johnson | Fr. | 5-9 | 8.7 | 1.5 |
| 21 | G | Genice Terry | Jr. | 5-9 | 6.0 | 2.0 |
| 25 | F | Tia Watson | Jr. | 5-11 | 2.6 | 4.0 |
| 32 | F | Ellen Buchanan | Fr. | 5-11 | 3.0 | 4.0 |
| 45 | C | Marie Deparrois | Fr. | 6-4 | 4.6 | 4.4 |
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
| Ole Miss | Category | Temple |
| 69.0 | Points Per Game | 59.7 |
| 54.6 | Opp. Points Per Game | 62.2 |
| 38.7 | Field Goal Pct. | 38.6 |
| 35.7 | Opp. Field Goal Pct. | 42.8 |
| 64.3 | Free Throw Pct. | 65.3 |
| 64.9 | Opp. Free Throw Pct. | 72.7 |
| 30.3 | 3-Point Field Goals | 26.7 |
| 24.4 | Opp. 3-Point Field Goals | 20.8 |
| 44.4 | Rebounds | 35.0 |
| 39.1 | Opp. Rebounds | 38.2 |
| 14.3 | Assists | 12.9 |
| 15.5 | Turnovers | 16.2 |
| 2.3 | Blocked Shots | 2.5 |
| 9.2 | Steals | 10.5 |
LADY REBEL GAME NOTES
LAST TIME OUT: Poor shooting and rebounding doomed the Lady Rebels as they suffered their second loss of the season, a 76-68 set-back at the hands of Florida International. Ole Miss was led by junior guard Genice Terry with 20 points, four steals and three assists. Terry was named to the Sun & Fun All-Tournament team for her efforts.
ALDY IS IN SIXTH YEAR: Ron Aldy is in his sixth year (76-80) at the helm of the Lady Rebel basketball program. After having achieved success on every level as either a head coach or an assistant coach, Aldy is using his knowledge and love of the game to bring the storied Ole Miss basketball program back to national prominence. He has dedicated himself to making Ole Miss a winner on and off the court. Aldy has guided the Lady Rebels to postseason play in two of his five seasons in Oxford. He led Ole Miss to a 17-13 overall record and a trip to the WNIT in 2000-01. Off the court, the Lady Rebels have made tremendous strides academically and in the community, as well. Ole Miss has placed six players on the SEC Academic Honor Roll in three of the last four seasons. Since Aldy came to Oxford, all of his outgoing seniors have received their bachelor's degrees with the exception of three, one of whom will graduate in December and the other two in May. Aldy and his staff have seen to it that the Lady Rebels get involved in the Oxford community. The Ole Miss players have helped build a community playground, visited the elderly and participated in many other activities in the area.
SCOUTING TEMPLE: The Owls enter Thursday's contest with a 4-6 record, including five-straight losses. Temple, a 2002 NCAA Tournament qualifier, has three players recording double-digits in scoring led by sophomore guard Khadija Bowens with 11.7 points per game. Senior guard Stacey Smalls (11.2) and freshman center Candice Dupree (10.3) also average in double figures. Dupree leads the Owls in rebounding with 6.7 boards per contest. Four of Temple's losses have come at the hands of ranked teams.
SERIES RECORD: This will be the third meeting between the two schools. The series is tied at one win a piece, with Temple winning last year's game, 84-69, in Philadelphia. The victory gave the Owls the championship trophy of the Temple University Classic. Ole Miss defeated Temple, 84-74, during the 1984-85 season. The teams met in Hawaii at the Rainbow Classic.
COMMON OPPONENTS: Ole Miss and Temple share just one common opponent during the 2002-03 season in South Carolina. The Gamecocks defeated Temple, 57-39, in Philadelphia on Dec. 27. Ole Miss will host South Carolina on March 2.
OLE MISS-TU TIES: Ole Miss does not have any players from the state of Pennsylvania on the roster and Temple does not field any native Mississippians on their roster. Owl head coach Dawn Staley played on the USA World Championship Gold Medal team in September along with Lady Rebel great Jennifer Gillom. Former Lady Rebel head coach Van Chancellor was the head coach of the World Championship team.
OLE MISS VS. PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOLS: Ole Miss owns a 6-2 record (.750 winning percentage) versus schools from the Quaker state. The following is a list of schools from Pennsylvania that Ole Miss has played and their record against those schools.
Team RecordPenn State 2-1Pittsburgh 1-0St. Joseph's 1-0Temple 1-1Villanova 1-0Total 6-2
OLE MISS VS. THE ATLANTIC-10 CONFERENCE: The Lady Rebels have posted an overall record of 3-1 (.750 winning percentage) against the Atlantic-10 Conference. Temple is one-of-three Atlantic-10 Conference schools Ole Mis has faced in the history of the program. The following is a list of schools from the A-10 that Ole Miss has played and their record against those schools.
Team RecordDayton 1-0St. Joseph's 1-0Temple 1-1Total 3-1
JOHNSON MAKING A NAME FOR HERSELF: Freshman guard Ashley Johnson has been making waves lately. The 5-9 Shelbyville, Tenn., native has averaged 17.4 points per game over the last three outings. Johnson has nailed 20-of-42 shots from the floor during the two games, including 8-of-17 three-point attempts. Johnson is leading the SEC in three-point shooting percentage as she has connected on 16-of-29 for 55.2 percent on the season.
TERRY EARNS ALL-TOURNAMENT HONOR: Junior guard Genice Terry scored a season-high 20 points to lead Ole Miss in the championship game of the Sun & Fun Classic in Miami. Terry also tallied team highs in steals (4) and assists (3) in the Lady Rebel loss to FIU. Terry collected five points, two steals and two assists in the Ole Miss opening round win over Georgia State. She was the fifth Lady Rebel to earn All-Tournament honors this season.
JOHNSON GETS HER SHINE ON: Ole Miss freshman Ashley Johnson turned her game up a notch in the Bahamas as the 5-9 guard recorded a game-high 23 points in the consolation win over Marshall. Johnson entered the game with just over 11 minutes remaining in the first half of play and went on to score 20 points in the first period. Johnson connected on 8-of-12 shots from the field, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Johnson scored another three points in the second half and earned All-Tournament honors for her efforts.
OLE MISS CLAIMS TOURNAMENT TITLE: The Lady Rebels defeated host Illinois-Chicago, 65-64, to capture the title of the UIC Thanksgiving Tournament. Sophomore Elizabeth Cansdale made one-of-two free throws with 23.2 seconds left in the game for the difference in the game. Cansdale led Ole Miss in scoring with 16 points, while junior Genice Terry chipped in 10. Freshman Ellen Buchanan led the Lady Rebels in rebounding with nine, followed by sophomore Amber Watts with eight boards. Sophomore Carletta Brown dished out a team high four assists.
WATTS EARNS MVP HONORS: Ole Miss sophomore center Amber Watts was named tournament MVP at the UIC Thanksgiving Classic. Watts recorded 28 points and 17 rebounds in the two-game tournament. It is her first MVP honor of her career.
BUCHANAN AND CANSDALE EARN ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS: Freshman forward Ellen Buchanan and sophomore guard Elizabeth Cansdale joined Amber Watts on the All-Tournament team at the UIC Thanksgiving Tournament. Buchanan racked up 24 points and 13 rebounds, while Candale scored 28 points and grabbed five boards during the two-game stint. It was the first All-Tournament honor for both.
CANSDALE MAKES A SPLASH: Sophomore Elizabeth Cansdale has the early edge on most improved player for the Lady Rebels. Cansdale played in a total of 59 minutes spread over 18 games as a freshman, averaging 1.3 points and 0.4 rebounds per contest. In just 10 games this season, the 5-8 guard has played 185 minutes and is averaging 8.1 points (2nd on team) and 1.8 rebounds. The Boulder City, Nev., native has set a new career high with 16 points versus Illinois-Chicago and has connected on 17-of-18 free throws for an SEC leading 94.4 percent.
CANSDALE IN THE CLUTCH: Sophomore Elizabeth Cansdale led Ole Miss in scoring in the championship game of the UIC Thankgiving Tournament with 16 points. She scored 11-straight points during a stretch in the first half for the Lady Rebels, however her most important point of the game was her last. With the game knotted at 64-all, Cansdale stepped to the free throw line and hit one-of-two charity shots for the final difference in the game as Ole Miss went on to win the game and the tournament with the 65-64 margin.
GIST HAS CAREER DAY AGAINST SOUTHERN: Junior Tenisha Gist posted several career highs in the Lady Rebels' season opening 66-53 win over Southern University. Gist's set new marks in points (14), field goal attempts (9), three-point field goal attempts (4) and minutes played (30). She also tied a career high in rebounds (7).
CANSDALE IN THE CLUTCH PART II: Elizabeth Cansdale is leading the SEC in free throw shooting percentage after the first six weeks of competition. Cansdale has made 17-of-18 from the charity stripe, good for 94.4 percent. Cansdale's success at the line should come as no surprise as she has her name in the Basketball Hall of Fame after winning the National Elk's Free Throw Shooting Contest in 1996. Cansdale made 23-of-25 free throws to win the national title at age 13.
CROSSING OVER: Junior forward Erin Newsom recently joined the Ole Miss women's basketball team after completing her four-year Lady Rebel career in volleyball and scored 11 points and grabbed six rebounds in just her second game. Newsom, a 6-2 Argyle, Texas native, was a standout basketball player at Northwest High School before deciding to play volleyball in college. She was the starting middle blocker on the Lady Rebel volleyball team and was a team captain in 2002. She will have two seasons of basketball eligibility. Newsom is one of two two-sport athletes on the volleyball team as junior setter Jade Polonich also plays golf at Ole Miss.
DOUBLING UP: Sophomore center Amber Watts tallied her fifth career double-digit rebounding game in the Lady Rebel win over Western Kentucky. Watts grabbed a career-high 14 caroms in the win over the Lady Toppers. The 14 rebounds marks the fifth time in Watts' young career that she posted 10 or more rebounds as she tallied 12 last year versus Fairleigh Dickinson and 10 against Temple and had 13 boards in the 2002-03 season-opening win over Southern University and 11 rebounds in the win over Birminham Southern. For the season, Watts is nearly averaging a double-double as she records 13.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per contest.
SIX NEWCOMERS JOIN LADY REBELS IN 2002-03: New faces will abound as the 2002-03 Lady Rebel basketball season gets underway. The new players have arrived on the roster in a variety of ways. In the traditional mold, making their collegiate debuts will be freshman Ellen Buchanan and Ashley Johnson. In the not so traditional route, fellow freshman Marie Deparrois arrives in Oxford via Bourges, France. Deparrois is Ole Miss' first women's basketball international player. Junior college transfers Genice Terry and Tia Watson will joining the team as juniors. The final newcomer will be listed as a junior in Erin Newsom, an Ole Miss volleyball player playing her first season of collegiate basketball.
600 ON THE HORIZON: With 593 all time wins in the history of the Lady Rebel program, Ole Miss will be searching for its 600th victory during the 2002-03 season. The Lady Rebels have put together 593 wins to just 273 losses in the 29 seasons in Oxford.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: Ole Miss will appear on television three times this year. FoxSportsNetSouth will televise the Lady Rebels' game against Auburn on Feb. 2 in Tad Smith Coliseum and Comcast Sports Southeast will televise the Lady Rebels' game at Tennessee on Feb. 6. The Sunshine Network will air Ole Miss' game at Florida on Feb. 27.
TRAVELING WITH THE LADY REBELS: Ole Miss will log plenty of miles during the 2002-03 season. The Lady Rebels will travel as far north as Chicago for the Illinois-Chicago Thanksgiving Tournament. Sunshine awaits Ole Miss at both the Sun Splash Shootout in Nassau, Bahamas and the Sun-N-Fun Classic in Miami.
TIP-INS: Senior Leah Henley got engaged this fall to Rebel football player Rick Razzano. Razzano popped the question during the Rebel Walk through the Grove prior to the Sept. 14 Memphis game. Henley joins fellow Lady Rebel Tywanna Inmon as future brides. Inmon is engaged to Ben Virges.
IMPRESSIVE OUTSIDE THE SEC: The Lady Rebels have compiled an impressive record outside the Southeastern Conference in regular-season play. Ole Miss owns a 150-35 record (.812 winning percentage) versus non-conference opponents since 1990. The Lady Rebels' best non-conference record during that time came during the 1991-92 SEC Championship season, as they compiled a 15-1 mark versus non-conference foes.
OLE MISS MAKING THE GRADE: The Lady Rebels placed five players on the 2002 SEC Academic Honor Roll. In each of Ron Aldy's five years, Ole Miss has ranked in the top three in the SEC with the number of players on the honor roll. Shayla Day, Von Kirk, TaShondrea Moton, Stephanie Murphy and Becky Myatt were Ole Miss' 2002 honorees.
