The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
12-8, 2-5
Vanderbilt
14-7, 3-4
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ole Miss | 30 | 28 | 58 |
| VU | 26 | 42 | 68 |
Slow Start To Second Half Dooms Lady Rebels
1/29/2006 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 29, 2006
Final Stats
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Ole Miss opened the game with a 8-0 run and led by four at the half, but did not get on track in the second half until after nearly six minutes had ticked off the clock, falling to Vanderbilt 68-58 Sunday afternoon in Memorial Gymnasium.
"We played pretty well in the first half," said Ole Miss head coach Carol Ross. "We rebounded and knocked down some good shots. To open the second half, we just took way too long to get things going again. We let Vanderbilt take the lead and we did not respond quick enough."
The Lady Rebels (12-8, 2-5) jumped on the `Dores early behind two threes by sophomore Lindsay Roy and two baskets by sophomore Jada Mincy. Vanderbilt (14-6, 3-4) closed the gap behind five points from Cherish Stringfield and three by Rachel Brockman. Ole Miss went down two at 12-10, but then went on another 10-0 run to retake an eight-point lead with 7:10 remaining in the first period.
In a game of runs, Vanderbilt quickly knotted the score at 20 just two minutes later on a free throw by Stringfield. Ole Miss outscored the Commodores 10-6 in the remainder of the period to take a 30-24 half time lead.
Vanderbilt exploded in the opening minutes of the second period going on a 12-1 run to take a 38-31 lead five minutes into the final half. Carla Thomas scored six points during the run and Caroline Williams netted five. The duo went on to combine for 25 second-half points.
Ole Miss cut the lead to three on several occasions over the next few minutes, but could not get any closer. Junior Armintie Price scored on a lay-up with 11:56 left to play, cutting the lead to 41-38 it was as close as the Lady Rebels would get the rest of the way.
Two minutes later Williams hit another three for Vanderbilt stretching the lead to nine a distance Ole Miss could not recover from.
"Every time we cut into their lead in the second half they responded with a basket or rebound to keep us at bay," said Ross. "Those first few minutes of the second half really cost us."
Mincy and Price led Ole Miss with 12 points a piece. Roy finished the game with nine points and Ashley Johnson added eight, all of which came in the first half. Mincy pulled down eight rebounds to lead the Lady Rebels. Price had six, and played just 31 minutes due to foul trouble. It was the first time in four games Price had missed a minute.
Thomas led Vandy with 16 points. Williams finished with 15 and Stringfield 11. Nicole Jules pulled down 10 boards to lead the Commodores and Dee Davis dished four assists to go along with her eight points.
Ole Miss won the rebounding battle 37-34, but surrendered 20 points at the free throw line, while only tossing in 10 of their own. Vanderbilt made 20-of-28 from the charity stripe, while the Lady Rebels cashed in on 10-of-16.
Ole Miss will return to action on Thursday when they play host to #1/3 Tennessee in Tad Smith Coliseum. Game time is slated for 7 p.m.
