Rebels Host No. 18 Vanderbilt Sunday

GAME 28: Ole Miss (15-12, 4-8) vs. Vanderbilt (21-6, 10-2)
Sunday 02.22.09 | 2 p.m. CT
Oxford, Miss. | Tad Smith Coliseum (9,061)

MEDIA
Live Radio: (David Kellum, play-by-play) Listen Online through RebelVision
Live Stats: OleMissSports.com

OXFORD, Miss. With five schools separated by two games or less in the league standings, the Ole Miss women’s basketball ball team looks to improve its seed for the upcoming Southeastern Conference Tournament Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. when the Rebels host No. 18 Vanderbilt from Tad Smith Coliseum. 

Ole Miss (15-12, 4-8 SEC) enters the weekend in 10th place in the conference standings following a difficult loss Thursday night at Alabama.  Despite the setback, the Rebels finish the regular season with two straight home games and will have the opportunity to move up the league standings several spots over the next seven days. 

Rebel guard Bianca Thomas scored a game-high 26 points to lead the Ole Miss offensive attack against the Crimson Tide.  It was the seventh time this season that Thomas has scored 20 or more points. 

Senior Shawn Goff posted her fourth double-double of the season by finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds against Alabama.  Goff also collected a game-high three blocked shots to up her career total to 201 and etch her name among the SEC’s elite.  The Tallahassee, Fla., native is now one of only 15 players in SEC history to have 200 or more career blocked shots. 

Both Thomas and Goff continue to serve as the offensive catalysts for the Rebels.  Thomas is first on the team and third in the SEC with 15.1 points per game.  The Henderson, Tenn., native also pulls down 4.9 rebounds per game and is second in the SEC with an 84.5 shooting percentage from the free throw line.

Goff stands second on the team and seventh in the conference with 13.4 points per game.  She also leads Ole Miss and ranks 14th in the SEC with 6.2 rebounds per game.  Defensively, Goff is second in the league and 29th in the nation with 2.2 blocks per game.  Junior Shantell Black is second in the SEC and 21st in the country with 5.5 assists per game.

Vanderbilt (21-6, 10-2 SEC) enters the weekend riding a four-game winning streak after knocking off third-ranked Auburn 73-70 Thursday night in Nashville.  With the win, the Commodores arrive in Oxford at the top of the league standings with their 10-2 mark inside the SEC.  In addition, Vanderbilt has won seven of its last eight games entering this weekend.  The only setback during that time was a 66-61 loss Feb. 5 at Mississippi State. 

Senior Christina Wirth leads of trio of Commodores who average in double figures.  Wirth ranks first on the team and fourth in the SEC with 15.0 points per game.  She is also second on the team with 5.6 rebounds per game.  Sophomore Hannah Tuomi ranks second on the team with 11.9 points per game and paces the team with 6.1 rebounds per game.  Tuomi also ranks 16th in the SEC in rebounding.  Junior Merideth Marsh rounds out the trio with 11.0 points per game.  Guard Jence Rhoads leads the Commodores with 106 assists (3.9 apg). 

Ole Miss and Vanderbilt will be meeting for the 36th time when the two teams tip-off Sunday afternoon.  The Commodores own a 22-13 overall record in the all-time series with Ole Miss that dates back to the 1977-78 season.  The two teams have split the last four games, with each team winning on its own home court.  Last season, the Commodores defeated Ole Miss 83-50 at Memorial Gymnasium for their 12th straight home win over the Rebels. 

Ole Miss is 10-5 all-time against Vanderbilt in games played inside Tad Smith Coliseum.  The Rebels have beaten the Commodores two straight times in Oxford, and have not lost at home to Vanderbilt since 2003. 

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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