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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
8-5, 1-0
Vanderbilt
9-5, 0-1
Women's Hoops Beats Vanderbilt In Thrilling Fashion
1/2/2011 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 2, 2011
OXFORD, Miss. - With 5:02 left in the game, Kayla Melson gave Ole Miss its first lead since the Rebels' opening possession as Ole Miss went onto post the 72-67 win over Vanderbilt in the SEC opener for both teams.
With the win Ole Miss improved to 8-5 (1-0 SEC) while Vanderbilt fell to 9-5 (0-1 SEC).
Melson led all scorers with a career-high 30 points and a team-high seven boards and five assists while Valencia McFarland added 15 points and four assists.
"Defense for us has to generate offense and we are still learning that," head coach Renee Ladner said. "I told them at the half that we've been down before. I thought Kayla was the spark today. Her ability to get to the basket - she looked confident and she made us confident."
Ole Miss, who trailed by as many as 18 in the game, shot 49.0 percent from the floor for the game (24-of-49) while Vanderbilt shot 40.3 percent (27-of-67).
After a back-and-forth game to start, Vanderbilt went up by five, 13-8, with 15:45 to play.
With Ole Miss trailing by one after a jumper from Pa'Sonna Hope with 14:54 left in the first half, the Commodores went on a 15-1 run to go ahead 28-13 with 8:26 to play.
Ole Miss went into the half trailing, 40-24. Kayla Melson and Valencia McFarland each recorded six points in the half.
The Rebels shot 44.4 percent (11-of-25) from the floor in the first half while the Commodores shot 44.4 percent (16-of-36).
Ole Miss came out in the second half and cut Vanderbilt's lead to 44-35 with 16:31 to play on a put back from Nikki Byrd. A three from McFarland cut Vanderbilt's lead to six, 46-40, with 15:02 to play.
Vanderbilt pushed its lead back to double-digits, 52-40, with 12:09 to play. The Rebels again chipped away at the Commodores' lead as a three by Shae Nelson brought Ole Miss to within five, 56-51, with 7:13 to play.
Ole Miss will travel to #5/6 Tennessee on January 9 for an 11 a.m. CT game. The game will be televised by CSS.
