The University of Mississippi Athletics
Final WBB Game Notes 2014-15
4/10/2015 | Women's Basketball
Ole Miss WBB Game Notes- 2014-15 Final Notes
Final Notes(PDF)
Ole Miss concluded the 2014-15 campaign with a 82-70 setback to Middle Tennessee in the third round of the WNIT. Ole Miss closed the season with a 19-14, 7-9 SEC record, which was the best record since 2006-07 and the most SEC wins since 2009-10 and the 19 wins was a seven game turnaround from the 2013-14 season.
Starting Five -- Season Notables
1. Ole Miss posted its best season in five years with a 19-14, 7-9 SEC record. The Rebels 19 wins are the most wins since the 2006-07 season when Ole Miss went 24-11. Additionally, the seven SEC wins are the most since 2009-10 when Ole Miss also had seven SEC wins. The Rebels WNIT berth was the first postseason action since a 2009-10 WNIT action.
2. Senior Tia Faleru concluded her career as the No. 14 scorer in Ole Miss history with 1440 career points. She posted 974 of her 1440 career points under the guidance of second-year head coach Matt Insell and had her best scoring season as a junior with 493 points and closed her career averaging 11.9 points per game.
3. Tia Faleru tallied an SEC-best 14 double-doubles on the season and closed her collegiate career with 34 career double-doubles. Her 34 career double-doubles ranks No. 5 all-time at Ole Miss and Faleru is one of five players in program history with 30+ double-doubles and has posted 10+ double-doubles in each of the last two seasons.
4.Head coach Matt Insell and his father Rick Insell made history by becoming the first father-son duo to play each other in NCAA women's basketball history when Ole Miss and Middle Tennessee squared off in Oxford on Nov. 23. The teams also met in the third round of the WNIT in Murfreesboro. Middle Tennessee and Rick Insell won both meetings.
5. Tia Faleru was a All-SEC first team selection by the coaches and AP and was the only unanimous first team selection by the AP. She also earned AP honorable mention All-America and College Sports Madness All-American fourth team honors while A'Queen Hayes was an SEC All-Freshman selection.
Ole Miss Season Review
-Ole Miss' 19 wins are the most since the 2006-07 season when the Rebels went 24-11 and reached the NCAA Elite Eight. Additionally, Ole Miss' WNIT berth was the first postseason action for the Rebels since 2009-10 when they also earned a WNIT berth. Ole Miss reached the third round of the WNIT for the second time in school history.
-The WNIT berth was Ole Miss' eighth appearance in the Women's National Invitation Tournament and with wins in the first and second round, the Rebels moved to 4-6 in the WNIT and 22-23 all-time in postseason action. Ole Miss also hosted two WNIT games in 2014-15 and are 3-0 all-time in WNIT games played at Tad Smith Coliseum. Ole Miss was one of seven players to reach the postseason and was joined by Mizzou in the WNIT.
-Ole Miss posted its best non-conference record, 10-3, since 2011-12 in 2014-15. The Rebels also opened SEC action with a 4-1 record, the best SEC start since 2009-10.
-Ole Miss head coach Matt Insell picked up his 30th career win against UT Martin. Insell has led Ole Miss to 31 wins in his two years and becomes the sixth coach in program history to lead the Rebels to the postseason in just the second season at the helm.
-The Rebels picked up its 403rd win at the Tad Pad against Georgia Tech. Ole Miss moved to 15-5 at home this season and 10-2 at home against non-conference foes. Ole Miss recorded its 400th win at the Tad Pad this season with an upset of No. 13 Kentucky.
-For the first time in the last four years, Ole Miss picked up a win in its SEC opener when it defeated Arkansas, 71-57 on Jan. 2 Ole Miss last won an SEC opener in 2010-11 when they defeated Vanderbilt at home. The Rebels moved to 7-3 in SEC openers over the last 10 seasons.
-Ole Miss knocked off two ranked opponents in 2014-15 with wins over Georgia and Kentucky. The Kentucky win snapped a streak of 20 straight losses to top 15 foes and was the first win over Kentucky for head coach Matt Insell who spent five years there as the top assistant. Ole Miss also defeated a ranked Georgia team on Jan. 15 snapping a streak of 24 straight losses to ranked opponents. The Rebels last knocked off two ranked opponents in the same season in 2009-10. Ole Miss went 2-8 against ranked foes this season.
-On the heels of its first winning season since 2010, Ole Miss had several players earn accolades. Senior Tia Faleru picked up first team All-SEC accolades by the coaches and AP and was the lone unanimous first team selection by the AP. She was also named a College Sports Madness Fourth Team All-American and an AP honorable mention All-American. Faleru is Ole Miss' first All SEC first-team selection since Bianca Thomas in 2010. A'Queen Hayes also earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team, the first since Valencia McFarland earned a spot her freshman season.
-Ole Miss was second in the SEC with 10.7 steals per game which ranked 21st nationally. The Rebels posted double-digit steals in 14 games and have topped 20+ steals on two occasions.
-There were 5,696 fans on hand to see Ole Miss defeat Grambling in its season-opener, which was the annual School Day game. The 5,696 fans were the second most fans on hand to see an Ole Miss women's game trailing the largest ever crowd of 5,870 by just 174 people. Ole Miss has set at least one attendance record in each of the last three seasons.
-Ole Miss took 587 three-pointers this season, which is the fourth most in school history.
Player Notables
-Tia Faleru closed her career by grabbing a rebound in 105 consecutive games. Faleru, who led the SEC rebounding, is averaging 10.3 rebounds per game, was the only SEC player averaging double-figure rebounds and the only player currently averaging a double-double (14.7 ppg and 10.3 rpg).
-Tia Faleru closed the season with 34 career double-doubles, which places her No. 5 all-time at Ole Miss and makes her one of five players with 30+ career double-doubles.
-Gracie Frizzell closed the year with 56 three-pointers and is just seven triples away from breaking into the top-five on Ole Miss' single season list. She currently has 164 career triples and ranks No. 4 all-time at Ole Miss.
- Tia Faleru averaged 14.7 ppg and 10.1 rpg and was the only player in the SEC to average a double-double in 2014-15. She became the first player to average double-figure rebounds since Georgia's Porsha Phillips In 2009-10 and the first to average a double-double since Alabama's Tierney Jenkins in 2010-11. Faleru, who was ranked 27th nationally in double-doubles, has recorded 10 or more double-doubles in each of the last two seasons.
- With her 800th rebound at Auburn Tia Faleru become one of seven players with 1,000 points, 800 rebounds and 150 steals. With her two assists against Georgia Tech, she joined a group of four players with 1,000 points, 800 rebounds, 150 steals and 100 assists.
-Tia Faleru became the first player to lead the SEC in rebounding in back-to-back years since Sylvia Fowles led the league in rebounds from 2006-08. Faleru is also the first player to averaging double-figure rebounds in a season since Georgia's Porsha Phillips averaged 10.7 in 2011. Additionally, the last Ole Miss player to average double-figure rebounds was Armintie Price in 2005 when she averaged 10.3 rebounds per game.
-Erika Sisk was ranked second in the SEC with 2.2 steals per game, which ranked 83rd nationally.
-Tia Faleru swatted a career-best five shots against Baylor. Faleru's five blocked shots were the most for an Ole Miss player this season. She currently has 66 career blocks. Faleru's five blocks were the most since Nikki Byrd had five against Southeast Louisiana on 2011-12.
-Freshman A'Queen Hayes posted a Ole Miss freshmen-best 10 games in double figures, which are the most for an Ole Miss freshman. Hayes was also the lone freshman to record a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds against Florida.
Postseason Notables
-In the opening round game against UT Martin, Ole Miss set a WNIT record for assists with 20 against the Skyhawks. The previous Ole Miss record for assists in the WNIT was 19 against Murray State in 2008-09.
-The Rebels scored 80 points against UT Martin, which is the third highest point total for the Rebels in the WNIT. Ole Miss has only reached 80 points on three occasions in nine WNIT games.
-Tia Faleru's 24 points against Georgia Tech are the third most points ever scored by an Ole Miss player in WNIT action. She is one of just five players who have scored 20+ in WNIT action.
-The Rebels held Georgia Tech to just 48 points, which is the fewest points allowed in WNIT action and also had 14 steals against the Yellow Jackets which are the most for Ole Miss in the WNIT.
Miscellaneous Notables
Turnin' Them Over
In the WNIT win over Georgia Tech, Ole Miss forced the Yellow Jackets into 23 turnovers and scored 30 points of them. The 23 turnovers mark the 18th time an Ole Miss opponent has posted 20 or more turnovers and marked the first time since the Mississippi State game, Ole Miss forced and opponent into 20 or more.
Scoring Points in the Tad Pad
Ole Miss enjoys playing at home and it shows in the number of points the Rebels post at home. Ole Miss went 15-5 this season at Tad Smith Coliseum and averaged 69.9 points per game in home games. In home games against non-conference foes, Ole Miss averaged 83.7 points per game and only failed to get to 70 points on four occasions
Converting At The Line
Against LSU in the last home game of the season, Erika Sisk went 10-of-10 from the charity stripe against, setting a new career high in free throws made and attempted. Her 10 free throws tied Tia Faleru for the most free throws made by an Ole Miss player this season. Sisk and Faleru are the only Rebels to have double-digits free throw attempts and makes this season.
Double Digits = Good
Ole Miss had three players in double figures in the opening round of the WNIT against UT Martin and also in second round action against Georgia Tech. Ole Miss was 15-2 on the year when they had at least three players reach double figures, but when Ole Miss fails to have at least three in double figures they are 4-11.
Second Chances Key
Ole Miss is a good offensive rebounding team and ranked third in the SEC and 22nd nationally. In SEC action, Ole Miss scored 185 points on second chance opportunities and posted a season-high 20 points off second chances against Mississippi State. In total, 20 percent of Ole Miss' points in SEC action are coming on second opportunities. On the season, Ole Miss had 453 points on second chance opportunities, which amounted to 21 percent of Ole Miss' points.
Notable Ole Miss Streaks in 2014-15
Tia Faleru
Games started --63 games
Rebounds - 105 games
Danielle McCray
Points-- 39 games
A'Queen Hayes
Points -- 30 games
Rebounds -- 23 games
Points of Turnovers HUGE For Rebels
Ole Miss capitalized on opponent miscues in 2014-15 and on the season has scored 664 points off opponent mistakes, averaging 20.1 points of turnovers on the season. In total, 30 percent of Ole Miss' points this season have come off opponent miscues.
70's the Magic Number
When Ole Miss got to 70 points, the outcome was typically a win. Ole Miss was 10-1 when they reached 70 points, but conversely when they failed to get to 70 points they are 8-14. Ole Miss reached 70 points just twice in SEC play, but hit the mark nine times against non-conference opponents
