The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
16-7, 6-4
Alabama
13-10, 4-6
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 27 | 27 | 54 |
| Ole Miss Lady Rebels | 25 | 43 | 68 |
Second Half Defense Sparks Lady Rebels To Win Over Alabama
2/13/2005 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 13, 2005
OXFORD, Miss. -
Ole Miss overcame a halftime deficit for just the second time this season on their way to a 68-54 victory over Alabama Sunday afternoon. Sparked by second-half defensive pressure, the Lady Rebels turned a 27-25 halftime deficit into their 16th win of the season as they knocked off Alabama 68-54 in Oxford.
"Our defense really keyed our offense today," said Ole Miss head coach Carol Ross. "In the second half we didn't have to run many offensive sets because of our defensive intensity."
Ole Miss (16-7, 6-4 SEC) forced 25 Crimson Tide (13-10, 4-6) turnovers, which led to 34 Lady Rebel points on the afternoon. Sophomore Armintie Price led the charge with four steals on the afternoon to go along with her season-high 26 points. Price also led Ole Miss with nine rebounds.
Alabama took a 5-2 lead to open the game, before Ole Miss reeled off 10-straight points to take a seven point lead at 12-5 with 13:31 remaining in the first frame. Alabama did not stay down long as the Tide chipped away at the lead tying the game at 16 a piece off a three-point basket by Natasha Gamble with 7:56 left in the half.
The lead see-sawed back and forth for the remainder of the first period with two Marverly Nettles free throws giving Alabama the 27-25 half time advantage.
Ole Miss jumped on the Crimson Tide to open the second period as Price scored a basket in the lane just 20 seconds in to the second period of play. Alabama briefly took a one point lead at 35-34 six minutes into the second half of play. It would be their last lead of the game.
Senior Elizabeth Cansdale knocked down the first of three big three-pointers to kick off a 24-8 run for Ole Miss, which concluded with the last of her three's. The run gave the Lady Rebels their largest lead of the game at 58-43 with just over four minutes remaining in the game. Alabama cut the lead to 10 points with two minutes remaining, but Ole Miss canned six-of-eight free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
"I was interested to see how we would play after dropping games to LSU and Tennessee and then having a week off," said Ross. "I thought we gave great effort especially in the second half."
Senior Amber Watts posted 13 points on the afternoon for Ole Miss, 11 of which came in the first half. Watts also tallied five rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Sophomore guard Ashley Awkward, who earned her second start of the season, recorded 11 points, while Cansdale finished with nine.
Senior Carletta Brown dished a game-high seven assists and grabbed two steals, while Jada Mincy pulled down four rebounds in her first career start.
Gamble led the Crimson Tide with 15 points in the game. Monique Bivins and Marverly Nettles each added 11 points, while Dee Merriweather grabbed nine rebounds and Gamble pulled down eight.
Ole Miss will take to the road on Thursday, Feb. 17, when they travel to Starkville, Miss., to take on Mississippi State. Game time is slated for 7 p.m., in Humphrey Coliseum.
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