Rebels Travel to South Alabama

Dec. 3, 2010

Ole Miss Rebels (5-2, 0-0 SEC)
This Week ... at South Alabama (Sun Belt)
Dec. 5, Mobile, Ala.
at South Alabama (3-4), Sunday, 4 p.m. CT

Date: Sunday, December 5, 2010
Tip-off: 4 p.m. (CT)
Location: Mobile, Ala.
Arena: Mitchell Center (10,000)
TV: None
Radio: Gary Darby, play-by-play
WTNM Supertalk Mississippi (105.5 FM)
WQLJ (Q93.7)
Web: Live stats - available by clicking here.

Rebels Travel to South Alabama Sunday
Ole Miss will play its fourth straight game on the road with a game at South Alabama on Sunday at 4 p.m. CT. Two of Ole Miss' games this year away from the Tad Smith Coliseum were neutral site games (Gonzaga and Illinois) while the South Alabama game will mark the Rebels' second true road game of the year.

About Ole Miss
The Rebels are 5-2 this year and will finish a four-game road trip this Sunday playing at South Alabama. Ole Miss is led by freshman point guard Valencia McFarland who is averaging 15 points per game. Kayla Melson is second averaging 14.1 points per game while Pa'Sonna Hope is third averaging 8.4 points per game. Nikki Byrd leads the team in rebounding averaging 6.7 boards per game followed by LaTosha Laws who averages 6.4 boards per game. As a team the Rebels are averaging 64.6 points per game while holding its opponents to 61.9 points per game.

News and Notes
Ole Miss' double overtime game against Hawai`i marked the team's first double overtime game since a February 2007 game at Arkansas ... Valencia McFarland and Kayla Melson have each started all seven games for the Rebels this season ... Pa'Sonna Hope recorded a career-high nine rebounds against Hawai`i ... McFarland and Melson are each averaging nearly 40 minutes a game for Ole Miss ... McFarland is averaging 39.9 mpg while Melson is averaging 38.1 ... Ole Miss came from 14 points down in two games this year to win, versus Gonzaga and versus Illinois ... Ole Miss' guards recorded 32 of the team's 53 boards in their win over Nicholls State ... Kayla Melson tied her career-high with 12 boards against Nicholls State ... five players recorded at least five rebounds versus Nicholls State ... Valencia McFarland matched her career high in assists with seven versus Arizona ... freshman Kenyotta Jenkins recorded a career-high five points in Ole Miss' win over Jackson State ... all nine of the Rebels who have seen action for Ole Miss this year have scored.

Ole Miss vs. South Alabama
Ole Miss is 2-1 versus South Alabama with the last meeting between the two schools coming during the 2001 season. South Alabama won the last meeting, 62-61, in overtime on December 21, 2001 in Oxford.

A Look at South Alabama
South Alabama is 3-4 on the year and is coming off a 75-70 loss at Auburn on Thursday. The Lady Jags are led by Christian Shelter (11.9 ppg) and Sarda Peterson (11.0 ppg). Shelter also leads the team in rebounding (5.3 rpg) while Siedah Banks is second averaging 5.0 boards per game. As a team, South Alabama is averaging 65.1 points per game while holding its opponents to 59.7 points per game. The Lady Jags hold a +2.3 rebounding average over its opponents and average 13.1 assists per game, 16.3 turnovers per game and 5.6 steals per game.

Last Time Out
Ole Miss went 2-1 at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Rainbow Wahine Showdown, beating Gonzaga and Illinois while falling to Hawai`i. Led by Valencia McFarland (24 points) and Kayla Melson (21 points), the Rebels beat the Fighting Illini 70-61 in the third-place game.

McFarland Named to All-Tournament Team in Hawaii
Freshman Valencia McFarland was named to the All-Tournament team at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Rainbow Wahine Showdown. McFarland averaged 14.7 points per game including a career-high 24 versus Illinois. McFarland also scored the game-winning layup versus Gonzaga with four seconds left on the clock. McFarland was also named to the Inn at Ole Miss Classic All-Tournament team earlier this month.

McFarland, Melson Set Career Highs vs. Illinois
Freshman Valencia McFarland and senior Kayla Melson each set career highs in Ole Miss' win over Illinois. McFarland scored 24 in the win while Melson scored 21. The 24 points McFarland scored are the most points to date this season by an Ole Miss player.

Marbra Records First Career Double-Double
Sophomore Courtney Marbra recorded her first career double-double against Hawai`i with 10 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. The 10 points also ties her career high.

Freshman Nelson Records First Career Start
Freshman Shae Nelson made her first career start for the Rebels against Illinois. Nelson has played in all seven games this year and is averaging 6.3 points per game and 3.9 rebounds per game.

Rebels Take Third at Rainbow Wahine Showdown
Ole Miss took third in the Waikiki Beach Marriott Rainbow Wahine Showdown in Honolulu, Hawaii. Ole Miss beat Illinois in the third-place game. The Rebels finished the eight-team tournament with a 2-1 record recording wins over Gonzaga and Illinois while falling to Hawai`i.

Iron Woman
Freshman point guard Valencia McFarland has played 279 out of a possible 290 minutes for Ole Miss through the Rebels first seven games. She is averaging 39.9 minutes per game and has tallied 105 points (including 21 three pointers), 31 rebounds, 33 assists, 14 steals while committing 14 turnovers.

Close Games
All seven of Ole Miss' games have been decided by nine points or less while four games have been decided by five points or less. The Rebels have gone 3-1 in games decided by five points or less in those games with their narrowest margin of defeat coming versus Arizona (72-70) and their narrowest margin of victory coming versus Gonzaga (53-52).

Melson on Track for 1,000 Career Points
Senior Kayla Melson has recorded a total of 852 career points and needs 148 points to reach 1,000 for her career. This season, Melson is averaging 14.1 points per game and is second on the team.

Melson Looks to Break into Top Five in Career Assists
Senior Kayla Melson has recorded 393 assists during her career. She needs to record 63 assists this season to claim the fifth spot on the career list (456). Last season, Melson recorded a league-leading 178 assists. This year she has recorded 35.

Career Assists
1. 566, Glenda Springfield, 1975-79 (134 games)
2. 559, Kim Bullard, 1984-88 (118 games)
3. 552, Dana Fortenberry, 1979-83 (123 games)
4. 531, Carol Ross, 1977-81 (135 games)
5. 455, Jackie Martin, 1987-92 (130 games)

Rebels in November
Ole Miss finished the month of November with a 5-2 record marking the third time in the past five years that the Rebels recorded five wins during the month of November.

Melson Records Second Double-Double of the Year
Senior guard Kayla Melson recorded second double-double of the season against Nicholls State with 12 points and a team-high 12 rebounds. She recorded her first double-double of the year against Sam Houston State with 15 points and a career-high 12 boards.

Active Players With Double-Doubles
Season Career
Kayla Melson 2 5
Nikki Byrd 0 3
Courtney Marbra 1 1

Ladner Gets 50th Career Win at Ole Miss
Fourth-year head coach Renee Ladner recorded her 50th career win at Ole Miss with the Rebels 69-60 win over Sam Houston State in the championship game of the Inn at Ole Miss Classic. Ladner, who has 53 career wins at Ole Miss, is one win away from becoming the fourth all-time winningest coach in Ole Miss history. Currently she trails Pam Davidson (1974-77, 53 wins); Ron Aldy (1997-2003, 79 wins); Carol Ross (2003-07, 77 wins) and Van Chancellor (1978-1997, 439 wins).

Become a Fan Of Ole Miss Women's Basketball On Facebook
The Ole Miss women's basketball team launched its Facebook page this week at facebook.com/OleMissWBB. The site also has links to the team's YouTube, Twitter and Picasa sites. "Like" the page today and become a fan to get updates on games, pictures from games and road trips, videos and more.

McFarland, Melson lead team in 20-point games this year
Freshman Valencia McFarland and senior Kayla Melson have each recorded two 20-point games this year. McFarland scored a career 24 agaisnt Illinois and added 20 versus Arizona while Melson scored a career-high 21 and added 20 versus Gonzaga.

Scoring in Double Figures
Through their first seven games of the season, the Rebels have had a total of seven different players record a total of 17 double-digit scoring games. Three players (Valencia McFarland, LaTosha Laws and Kayla Melson) have recorded a total of nine games of 15 points or more while McFarland and Melson have accounted for a combined four 20-point games.

Rebounding Advantage
Ole Miss outrebounded Sam Houston State by a margin of 16 boards, 50-34. The Rebels had five players record at least five boards in the game including Kayla Melson who recorded a game and career high 12 boards. The Rebels turned in their biggest rebounding margin of the year versus Nicholls State with a 53-25 advantage on the boards. The Rebels also outrebounded Gonzaga by 19, 48-to-29.

Head Coach Renee Ladner
Head coach Renee Ladner enters her fourth season at the helm of the Rebels. Last season, Ladner led the team to its 30th winning season in program history and to its sixth postseason appearance in seven years. Ladner was an assistant coach at Ole Miss from 2003-08.

Ticket information
Ticket prices for the regular season are $5 per game or $61 for season tickets. For more information call the Ole Miss ticket office at 662-915-7167.

Follow the Rebels
Ole Miss' regular-season games can be heard on WTNM Supertalk Mississippi (105.5 FM) with the pregame show starting 15 minutes before tipoff. Eli Savoie will be calling all of the games in November while Gary Darby will pickup the rest of the game this season.

Women's Hoops Signs Four
Head coach Renne Lander announced the signing of Danielle McCray, Gracie Frizzell, Monique Jackson and Tia Faleru to National Letters of Intent for the 2011-12 year. McCray Daneille McCray is a 6-1 forward from West Palm Beach, Fla. She is the 85th best player and 25th best forward in the country as ranked by ESPNU HoopGurlz. Frizzell Gracie Frizzell is a 5-10 guard from Little Rock, Ark. Frizzell averaged 16 points and seven rebounds per game at Central Arkansas Christian High School. Jackson Monique Jackson is a 6-1 forward from, Phenix City, Ala. She averaged 20 points and 16 rebounds per game at Central High School and was named the Ledger-Enquirer Girls Basketball Player of the Year and First Team All Bi-City. Faleru Faleru is a 6-0 wing from Carroll, Ala. Faleru averaged 24 points, 12 rebounds and six assists per game at Ozark High School.

2011-12 Recruiting Class Ranked 39th in the Nation by ESPNU Hoopgurlz
ESPNU HoopGurlz ranked Ole Miss' 2011-12 signing class as the 39th best class in the nation. The publication ranked the top 60 2011-12 signing classes in the nation and have Ole Miss ahead of fellow SEC schools, Mississippi State (44th), Auburn (60th) and Arkansas who was listed as "on the cusp."

Ole Miss On TV
Ole Miss is schedule to be on TV at least eight times during the season. All times are Central.

Jan. 9 at Tennessee, 11 a.m., CSS

Jan 22 vs. Kentucky, 8 p.m., FSN

Jan. 30 at Vanderbilt, 2 p.m., FSN

Feb. 6 vs. LSU, 1 p.m., SEC Network

Feb. 13 vs. Georgia, 2 p.m., CSS

Feb. 17 vs. Arkansas, 7 p.m., COX

Feb. 24, vs. Tennessee, 7 p.m., FSN

Follow Head Coach Renee Ladner on Twitter
Head coach Renee Ladner is on Twitter. Follow her at @Renee_Ladner.

Upcoming Promotions
Ole Miss will host Dec. 15 vs. Mississippi Valley State "Canned food drive for the Oxford Food Pantry". Bring two food items receive free admission. All donations stay in Lafayette County to serve our citizens during the holidays.

Dec. 21 vs. Miami "Holiday Hoopla"- Free Admission for everyone! Special Visit by Santa.

Upcoming Schedule
Ole Miss will host Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday, December 11 at 1 p.m. followed a game against Mississippi Valley State University on Wednesday, December 15 at 7 p.m. Ole Miss will travel to Central Michigan on Saturday, December 18 for a 1 p.m. game.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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