The University of Mississippi Athletics
Melson's Triple-Double Leads Rebels Past SELA 80-42
11/13/2009 | Women's Basketball
OXFORD, Miss. - Kayla Melson registered just the third triple-double in school history and finished with 11 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 11 assists to lead Ole Miss to an 80-42 over Southeastern Louisiana Friday afternoon from Tad Smith Coliseum.
Melson joins Ole Miss assistant coach Armintie Price and Eugenia Conner as the only three Rebels in school history to record a triple-double. Price posted her triple-double against Illinois in 2006 after collecting 34 points, 15 rebounds and 12 steals. Conner was the first Rebel in school history with a triple-double after racking up 15 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists against McNeese State during the 1981-82 season.
All-SEC senior guard Bianca Thomas finished with 22 points and a career-high 10 rebounds en route to her first career double-double. Elizabeth Robertson finished with 10 points to round out the Rebel trio in double figures.
Southeastern Louisiana forward Quantae Thomas paced the Lady Lions with 20 points and scored just under half of her team's total output. No other Southeastern Louisiana player scored more than eight points.
The Rebel defense limited Southeastern Louisiana to just 26.8 percent shooting from the field and held three of its starters to zero field goals. Lady Lion guards Kelli Jenkins and Kim Edmonson finished a combined 0-for-16 from the field.
Ole Miss shot a blistering 50.9 percent from the field and had 12 of its 13 players score at least three points. The Rebels opened the game 5-for-5 from the field and sprinted out to a 13-4 lead following an uncontested layup from Bianca Thomas, forcing Southeastern Louisiana head coach Lori Davis Jones to use a timeout.
The Lady Lions scored on the ensuing possession, but the Rebels answered with a 12-0 run over a span of just over four minutes to increase the lead to 19 points. After a three-pointer from Quantae Thomas ended the run, Ole Miss went on a15-0 run thereafter to up its advantage to 31 points at 41-9 with just over five minutes left in the first half.
The Rebels continued their hot shooting in the second half and finished the stanza 42.9 percent from the field. Ole Miss led by at least 22 points for the entire second half and held at least a 30-point edge for the final 10:30.
Ole Miss improved to 30-6 all-time in season opening games and is now a perfect 12-0 all-time against Southeastern Louisiana. In addition, the Rebels are 32-6 all-time against teams from the Southland Conference and have now won 21 of their last 22 games against those foes.
The Rebels will take on their second consecutive Southland Conference opponent Tuesday at noon when Ole Miss travels to Sam Houston State.
