The University of Mississippi Athletics
Preseason Notebook: Getting Better Each Practice
10/21/2015 | Women's Basketball
Countdown To Tipoff
The Rebels are just 22 days away from opening the 2015-16 season. Ole Miss will host Mississippi Valley State on Nov. 13 at its 13th annual School Kids game at 11 am at the Tad Smith Coliseum. Last season, Ole Miss had 5,696 fans at its season-opener and this season is setting to set an attendance record this season. Ole Miss' largest crowd for a women's basketball game is 5,870 set against Southeastern Louisiana in 2009.
Practice Rolls On...
Ole Miss continues to prepare for its season opener on Nov. 13 and head coach Matt Insell is please with what he has seen so far. Here are some words from Insell about the start of practice and some expectations for the season, as the team gets closer to tipping off the 2015-16 season.
On what the team looks like right now ...
"The one thing I take away from practice is that we are extremely fast and athletic. This is probably the most athletic team I've been apart of in my nine years of collegiate basketball and it may be the fastest team as well. The big thing that we have to learn is to use that to our advantage and that's the stuff we're working on each and every single day defensively and offensively. Our athleticism really stands out to me as well as our depth. Over the last two years we haven't had a lot of depth and our first four or five has been able to play with everyone in the league, but when we had to sub it went down. We've had some players grow up - some freshmen became sophomores and sophomores that became juniors and now we have a new wave of freshmen in the program. We're still young with nine freshmen and sophomores, but we're starting to see some experience in terms of playing with those sophomores. Our depth is better, much better than it's been in the past and I think that's going to give us a chance this season."
On expectations this year as compared to last year at this time ...
"There is a lot different feel in the gym compared to last year. Last year, there was a lot of `I don't' know if we can do this or do that, he's talking about beating this team or that team but can we really do it?' Now, they have tasted it and done it. They have had success at a high level, we played in the postseason last year and so the expectation is to be in the NCAA Tournament. We feel like we have in our gym an NCAA Tournament capable team. We think we have a team that can pose some problems for different teams. Overall, we're a lot bigger than we have been in the past. We still don't have the big 6-4, 6-5 kids in the middle, but across the board we're a lot bigger and more athletic, which will allow us to player bigger than what our size is. The expectation is to be in the NCAA Tournament and that's not just me talking or our players talking, we think that if we can stay healthy and continue to grow throughout the season we have a chance to play in the Big Dance and that's what we're shooting for each and every day."
On leadership ...
"Erika Sisk has been a great leader for us. She's developed into a great leader on the court and off the court. She's done a tremendous job with that but that's what you expect from a player that started every game as a sophomore. Bretta Hart has also been a great leader. She's a three-year player in our program and is doing a good job leading and being an emotional support for the young players by helping them understand what I'm asking for and what I need from them."
New This Season: Ballin' With Brett
This season the Ole Miss women's basketball team has added a new weekly video element called Ballin' With Brett. It's a short video segment that features a behind-the-scenes look at Ole Miss women's basketball. Brett Ball joined the Ole Miss women's basketball team as a graduate manager this summer and was a member of the South Carolina women's basketball team. Ball has some strong women's basketball ties, as her aunt is the famed Ruthie Bolton who played at Auburn and has a long history with USA Basketball. Check out the first three episodes below:
Ballin' With Brett: Episode 1
Ballin' With Brett: Episode 2
Ballin' With Brett: Episode 3
Rebels Tabbed No. 6 by Media in Preseason SEC Poll
Coming off its best season in five years, which featured a return to the postseason, Ole Miss was picked to finish sixth in the SEC media poll released on Oct. 20. The Rebels were predicted to finish 14th a year ago and ended last season tied for seventh in the league standings.
Link to Preseason Media Poll Story
Headed to SEC Tipoff `16
Head coach Matt Insell and Ole Miss players Erika Sisk and Shandricka Sessom will travel to Charlotte, N.C. on Oct. 22 to participate in SEC Tipoff '16. It's a day filled with interviews with both print and television outlets along photo shoots for promotional items for both the SEC Network the conference office. Coach Insell will also break down some plays with Debbie Antonelli on the coaches' clicker while Sisk and Sessom will do a demonstration of some plays with Carolyn Peck and Kara Lawson on a sport court.
Pavilion at Ole Miss on Track For January Opening
This January will begin a new era of Ole Miss basketball with the opening of the $95 million Pavilion at Ole Miss in January. The grand opening weekend is set for Jan. 7-10. Ole Miss will take on Florida on Sunday Jan. 10 as part of the festivities.
Pavilion Live Cam 1 (Exterior)
Pavilion Live Cam 2 (Interior)
Square Jam 2015 A Success
The fourth annual Square Jam was held on the Oxford Square on Friday, Oct. 9. The Rebel men's and women's basketball teams and coaches were introduced and there was a combined skills contest and the evening concluded with the ever-popular dunk contest. Both teams were recognized on the football field during the Ole Miss football team's win over New Mexico State.
Welcome to the Family, Coach Spencer
Over the summer the Rebels welcomed Chad Spencer to the Ole Miss women's basketball family. Spencer, who serves in the role of video coordinator, comes to Ole Miss after serving as a high school basketball coach in Tennessee.
Rebels on TV
Ole Miss will make 12 appearances on television this season including its first appearance on ESPN2 since 2009-10 when they take on Mississippi State on Sunday, February 21. The Rebels will appear on the SEC Network 10 times during the regular season and will make an appearance on Fox Sports in the Insell vs. Insell showdown on Nov. 22 in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
2015-16 Ole Miss Schedule
Get Your Tickets
It's not too late to purchase season tickets for the 2015-16 season. Season tickets are just $50. For further ticket information go to OleMissTix.com or call the Ole Miss Ticket Office at 1-888-REB-TKTS (732-8587).
Important Dates On The Horizon
Exhibition Game vs. Christian Brothers - Friday, Nov. 6, 5:00 pm, (Tad Smith Coliseum)
Season Opener vs. Mississippi Valley-Friday, Nov. 13, 11:00 am (Tad Smith Coliseum)
The Pavilion at Ole Miss Opening Weekend-Jan. 7-10 (WBB vs. Florida, Jan. 10 - 1:00 p.m.)
Follow the Rebels On Social Media
OleMissSports.comTwitter - @OleMissWBB
Facebook
Instagram - @OleMiss_WBB
