The University of Mississippi Athletics
Women's Hoops Hosts Arkansas Thursday
2/15/2011 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 15, 2011
Complete Release in PDF Format 
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Ole Miss Rebels, 10-14 overall, 3-9 SEC (6-7 home)
This Week ...
vs. Arkansas, 16-8 overall, 4-8 SEC (6-3 away)
Thursday, February 17, 2011, 7 p.m. CT
Date: Thursday, February 17, 2011
Tip-off: 7:07 p.m. (CT)
Location: Oxford, Miss.
Arena: Tad Smith Coliseum (9,061)
TV: CST (Cox Sports Television)
Blair Cartwright (play-by-play), Nicki Collen (analyst)
Radio: WQLJ - Q93.7 Gary Darby (play-by-play)
Web: Gametracker Up Next:
Sunday, February 20 at Alabama, 2 p.m.
Thursday, February 24 vs. No. 4/4 Tennessee, 7 p.m. (FSN)
REBELS HOST ARKANSAS IN "TICKLED PINK" GAME THURSDAY
Coming off a 61-56 home loss to No. 24 Georgia, Ole Miss will host its fourth-straight home game Thursday at 7 p.m. taking on Arkansas. Ole Miss will look to record a regular-season sweep against Arkansas as the Rebels beat the then nationally-ranked Razorbacks 69-65 on January 23. Ole Miss is 13-0 all-time against Arkansas in Oxford.
ABOUT OLE MISS
The Rebels are 10-14 (3-9 SEC) this year and are coming off a 61-56 loss at home against No. 24 Georgia on Sunday. Ole Miss is led by Kayla Melson who is averaging 15.6 points per game. Valencia McFarland is second, averaging 13.0 points per game while Shae Nelson is third averaging 8.5 points per game. Pa'Sonna Hope leads the team in rebounding (6.5 rpg) while Courtney Marbra and Kayla Melson are second each averaging 5.1 rebounds per game. As a team, the Rebels are averaging 60.2 points per game while its opponents average 67.3 points per game.
NEWS AND NOTES
LaTosha Laws set a career-high with four made free throws versus No. 24 Georgia ... Valencia McFarland has led the team or been tied for the team lead in scoring in 11 games this year ... McFarland has recorded at least five assists in 10 games this year ... Shae Nelson was held without at least one made three against Mississippi State as she finished the game 0-of-5 from three-point range ... it was also the first time Nelson was held scoreless this year ... Ole Miss leads the SEC in conference games in free throw percentage (75.5 percent) ... the Rebels shot a season-low 23.2 percent from the floor in its 76-38 loss to LSU on February 6 ... Ole Miss' 38 points scored against LSU tied for the second fewest points scored in program history ... the 12 points Ole Miss scored in the second half versus LSU ties the fewest points scored in the second half in program history ... freshman Kenyotta Jenkins is 11-of-12 from the line this year with her only miss coming at Vanderbilt ... Ole Miss' top three scorers in the Florida win were freshmen (McFarland, Hope and Nelson) ... Ole Miss played six of its first nine conference game on the road ... the Rebels will play five of its final eight games at home including four straight at home starting February 6 ... in all games, three of Ole Miss' top four scorers are freshmen (Valencia McFarland, Shae Nelson and Pa'Sonna Hope) ... Pa'Sonna Hope was held scoreless for the first time in her career against No. 17/18 Kentucky ... Ole Miss' 11 point lead against No. 17/18 Kentucky marks the Rebels' biggest lead in a loss this year ... of the 24 1,000 point scorers on Ole Miss's career list, only five have averaged more points as a freshman than freshman Valencia McFarland ... McFarland is averaging 13.0 points per game this season ... McFarland is the first freshman since now assistant coach Arminite Price Herrington to average more than 13.0 points per game as a freshman (Price Herrington averaged 14.9 ppg as a freshman in 2003-04).
OLE MISS VS. ARKANSAS
Ole Miss leads the all-time series, 22-9, with the Rebels holding a 8-2 advantage in the last 10 meetings. Ole Miss won seven straight meetings from 2004-10. The Rebels won the last meetings between the two schools, a 69-65 win over then No. 23/24 Arkansas on January 23. The Rebels are 13-0 all-time against Arkansas in games played in Oxford.
A LOOK AT ARKANSAS
Arkansas is 16-8 overall and 4-8 in SEC play. The Razorbacks are led by C'eira Ricketts (13.5 points per game, 4.7 rebounds per game), Sarah Watkins (13.1 points per game, 5.8 rebounds per game) and Lyndsay Harris (12.8 points per game, 4.0 rebounds per game). Arkansas opened the year 12-0 but are just 4-12 since including 0-4 in its last four games. The Razorbacks are coming off a 64-59 loss against Auburn on Sunday. As a team, Arkansas shoots 39.9 percent from the floor, 66.6 percent from the free throw line and 32.4 percent from three-point range. The Razorbacks average 38.9 rebounds per game, 12.2 assists per game, 15.4 turnovers per game and 8.8 steals per game.
A WIN THURSDAY WOULD .....
- Give Ole Miss a regular-season sweep of Arkansas.
- Snap the Rebels' three-game losing streak.
- Give Ole Miss a perfect 14-0 record all-time against Arkansas in Oxford.
A LOSS THURSDAY WOULD .....
- Have Ole Miss finish its four-game homestand 0-4.
- Give the Rebels their eighth loss at home this year.
"TICKLED PINK" GAME THURSDAY NIGHT
Thursday's game is "Tickled Pink" at the Tad Pad against Arkansas at 7 p.m. Wear pink and get in free. The Rebels are teaming up with Baptist Memorial to raise money for their breast cancer center. All proceeds stay in Lafayette County. Fans wearing pink will receive a free door prize from Baptist Memorial.
MCFERRIN SETS CAREER HIGH
Sophomore Maggie McFerrin, who made her first career start three games ago versus LSU, recorded a career-high 12 points in Ole Miss' 56-61 loss to No. 24 Georgia on February 13. McFerrin finished the game 4-of-7 from the floor and she ended the game with a career-high four three pointers. Prior to the Georgia game, McFerrin's career-high was 11 points set against SELA in December. McFerrin also recorded a career-high 37 minutes against Georgia.
REBELS TOUGH IN LAST THREE GAMES VERSUS TOP-25 TEAMS
In Ole Miss' last three games against top-25 teams, the Rebels have gone 1-2 with its win coming on the road and its two losses coming with margins of defeat of six points or less. Ole Miss beat No. 23/24 Arkansas 69-65 before falling to No. 17/18 Kentucky, 74-68, and No. 24 Georgia, 61-56. The Rebels led by 11 in the second half against the Wildcats and by 10 against the Bulldogs.
FRESHMAN MCFARLAND LOGGING MAJOR MINUTES
Freshman Valencia McFarland has played in seven games this year where she played 40 or more minutes. Her seven games with 40 or more minutes are the most by an Ole Miss freshman since Alliesha Easley played three games with 40+ minutes during the 2006-07 season. McFarland has also played in four games with 39 minutes and three games with 38 minutes. This season, McFarland is second on the team averaging 36.7 minutes per game. In SEC games, McFarland leads the conference in minutes played with 38.5 minutes per game.
REBELS LEAD SEC IN FREE THROW PERCENTAGE IN LEAGUE GAMES
As a team, Ole Miss is shooting a conference-leading 75.5 percent from the free throw line in SEC games this year. Freshman Valencia McFarland leads the conference in SEC games shooting a league-best 86.4 percent (38-of-44) from the free throw line.
MCFARLAND, MELSON IN TOP OF LEAGUE STATS IN ASSISTS
Valencia McFarland and Kayla Melson are third and fourth in the SEC in overall games in assists per game. McFarland is third with 4.5 assists per game (4.8 in SEC play) while Melson is fourth in overall games with 4.3 assists per game (3.1 in SEC games). Vanderbilt is the only other team to have two players in the top-10 in assists per game.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
The Rebels will play at Alabama on Sunday, February 20 at 2 p.m. and will host No. 4/4 Tennessee on Thursday, February 24 at 7 p.m. (SportSouth) in the team's final regular-season home game of the season. Ole Miss will play at Mississippi State on Sunday, February 27 at 2 p.m. The SEC Tournament will be hosted by Vanderbilt March 3-6 in Nashville, Tenn.
