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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
10-18, 3-13SEC
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Mississippi State
12-16, 4-12SEC
Rebels Drop Regular-Season Finale
2/27/2011 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 27, 2011
STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Ole Miss women's basketball team fell on the road in its regular-season finale 65-55 at Mississippi State Sunday.
Ole Miss started off hot from the floor hitting its first nine shots but the Rebels hit just 11 for 37 the rest of the way.
With the loss, Ole Miss fell to 10-18 overall (3-13 SEC) while Mississippi State improved to 12-16 overall (4-12 overall). The Rebels will be the 12th seed in this week's SEC Tournament and will play the 5th seeded South Carolina Gamecocks at 6:30 p.m. Thursday night.
The teams traded baskets early on with neither team leading by more than three early on. Ole Miss used an 11-0 run, including three three-pointers from Valencia McFarland as the Rebels went up 18-10 with 13:40 left in the first half.
Ole Miss started the game 9-for-9 from the floor and didn't miss a shot from the floor until the 10:20 mark of the first half.
The Bulldogs went on a 16-4 run to retake the lead and go ahead, 29-25, with 6:02 remaining in the half. After starting the game 9-for-9 from the floor, the Rebels made just two of their next eight until Shae Nelson's three with 3:10 left pulled Ole Miss to within one, 29-28.
Mississippi State led Ole Miss by one at the half, 31-30. McFarland led Ole Miss at the half with 13 points including three three-pointers. Melson, who was seeing her first playing time since taking a hard fall battling for a rebound at Florida on February 3, had seven points at the half.
A pair of free throws from Melson gave Ole Miss a three-point lead, 40-37, with 15:01 left in the game. Mississippi State went on a 13-3 run to go up by nine, 52-43, with 9:30 remaining.
"I thought this game was a game of runs and Mississippi State had the last run," head coach Renee Ladner said. "Had I had Kayla for the month of February, we'd have been a different team. Nonetheless, we played tough tonight."
Melson and McFarland each ended with 15 points for Ole Miss.
Ole Miss will play in the 2011 SEC Tournament March 3-6 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
