The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Hold On For 69-60 Win Over Kentucky
2/1/2009 | Women's Basketball
OXFORD, Miss. Bianca Thomas scored 18 points in the second half and hit three 3-pointers to help Ole Miss hold on for a 69-60 victory over Kentucky Sunday afternoon from Tad Smith Coliseum.
Thomas finished with 24 points and tied her career-high with eight rebounds to lead a trio of Rebels in double figures. Senior Shawn Goff finished with 15 points and two blocked shots, while junior Elizabeth Robertson chipped in with 13 points and hit three 3-pointers. Goff is now just three blocks shy of setting the school record for most career rejections.
Amani Franklin led the Wildcats with 20 points and was the only Wildcat to score in double figures.
Ole Miss (14-8, 3-4 SEC) went the final 3:49 of the first half without a point and allowed Kentucky to even the score at 27-27 at halftime despite holding a lead for the majority of the stanza.
The Rebels, however, used a 7-0 run over the first 2:23 of the second half to quickly jump out to a 34-27 advantage.
Kentucky (12-10, 2-5 SEC) took its first lead of the second half at the 12:47 mark after using an 8-1 run to open up a 38-37 edge. The two teams went back-and-forth for the next four minutes before the Rebels rallied to a 51-45 lead following an 8-0 run.
After Kentucky cut the Ole Miss deficit to four points on a basket by Victoria Dunlap, Goff put Ole Miss back ahead by six points on the ensuing possession off a feed from Robertson. The Wildcats next scored five quick points on consecutive buckets from Carly Ormerod and Amber Smith to trim the Ole Miss to one point at 53-52.
Thomas answered for Ole Miss on the other end with a three-pointer with less than five minutes to play to force Kentucky head coach Matthew Mitchell into a timeout. Following the timeout, Shantell Black intercepted a Wildcat pass at midcourt and raced in for a layup to catapult Ole Miss ahead by six points with 4:05 on the clock.
Eleia Roddy hit a jumper for Kentucky on the next play, but Thomas responded with another three-pointer to give the Rebels a 63-56 lead. The Wildcats would come as close as three points in the final two minutes, but Black hit a tough jumper in the lane and Thomas finished 4-for-4 from the free throw line to help the Rebels snap a three-game losing streak.
Ole Miss returns to action Thursday evening at 6 p.m. when the Rebels return to the road to take on No. 4 Auburn.
