Rebels to Host No. 23 Arkansas for Pink Out at The Pavilion

			OLE MISS (7-17, 0-11 SEC) vs. #23 ARKANSAS (19-5, 7-4 SEC) Sunday, Feb. 16 • 2 p.m. • Oxford, Miss. The Pavilion at Ole Miss (9,500) Pink Out
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OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss women's basketball returns home to host yet another ranked foe, with No. 23 Arkansas coming to The Pavilion for a Pink Out on Sunday afternoon.

PROMOTIONS
• Tickled Pink (sponsored by Baptist Hospital)

TEAM FACTS

Ole Miss Rebels (7-17, 0-11 SEC)
Head Coach: Yolett McPhee-McCuin • 2nd Season at Ole Miss (16-39) • 110-102 career record (7th Season)

#23 Arkansas Razorbacks (19-5, 7-4 SEC)
Head Coach: Mike Neighbors • 3rd Season at Arkansas (54-38) • 152-79 career record (7th season)

ON THE AIR

Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Eric Frede
Color: Christy Thomaskutty

OLE MISS RADIO

Radio: 105.1 FM
Audio: TuneIn
Play-by-Play: Graham Doty

SERIES AT A GLANCE
At Oxford: Ole Miss leads 15-4
At Fayetteville: Arkansas leads 13-5
At Neutral Sites: Ole Miss leads 5-3
Longest UM Streak: 8 (2004-2010)
Longest UA Streak: 6 (2011-2014)
Biggest UM Win: 35 (1/6/02 - at Oxford)
Biggest UA Win: 41 (3/3/13 - at Fayetteville)
Most UM Points: 94 (3/2/06 - at Little Rock)
Most UA Points: 93 (3/3/13 - at Fayetteville)
Last 10 Meetings: Arkansas leads 7-3

SERIES NOTES vs. ARKANSAS

Series History
Ole Miss leads, 25-20

Current Streak
Arkansas, 3

First Meeting
Dec. 14, 1985
• W, 76-61, in Oxford

First SEC Meeting
Jan. 4, 1992
• W, 66-65, in Oxford
• No. 15 Ole Miss vs. No. 25 Arkansas
• First SEC road game ever for Arkansas
• First win of undefeated SEC season for Ole Miss
• Aired on ESPN on a tape delay the following Monday (Jan. 6) at noon
• Four Rebels in double-digit scoring
• Charlotte Banks: 16 points, 7 rebounds
• Clara Jackson: 14 points, 9 rebounds

Last Meeting
Feb. 24, 2019
• L, 73-61, in Fayetteville
• Chelsea Dungee: 33 points, 8-of-17 FG, 5-of-7 3PT, 12-of-15 FT
• Mimi Reid: 10 points, 6 assists

Last Time in Oxford
Jan. 6, 2019
• L, 85-55

Last Win
Jan. 1, 2017
• W, 73-64, in Oxford

Last Win in Fayetteville
Jan. 23, 2011
• W, 69-65, over No. 23 Arkansas
• Trailed by as many as 12
• Valencia McFarland: 21 points

SCOUTING ARKANSAS

Record
19-5, 7-4 SEC

National Rankings
AP Ranking: #23
Coaches Ranking: RV

Last Game
W, 103-85, vs. #15 Kentucky
• Top Scorers: Alexis Tolefree (30), Chelsea Dungee (24)
• Most points in Arkansas history against an SEC opponent; most overall since scoring 106 vs. Sam Houston State in 2009
• School record 66.7 clip from three
• First home win vs. top-15 opponent since 2016
• First win vs. Kentucky since 2011
• Out-scored UK 33-19 in third quarter
• Attendance: 5,638 (most since 2011)

Notes
• RPI: 38
• Shooting .445, allowing .368
• Shooting .385 from three, allowing .245
• Converting 74.2 percent of its free throws
• Three with 40+ three-pointers
• Scoring Margin: +19.3 PPG
• Rebounding Margin: -2.9
• Leads SEC in scoring offense (84.1 PPG), free throw shooting (.742), three-point shooting (.385), three-point defense (.245) and threes per game (9.9)
• Ranks in the NCAA top-50 in: fewest turnovers per game (3rd, 11.3), scoring offense (4th, 84.1 PPG), three-point defense (4th, .245), threes made (4th, 237), threes per game (5th, 9.9), free throws made (6th, 383), three-point shooting (7th, .385), fewest turnovers (8th, 271), scoring margin (10th, +19.3), free throw attempts (12th, 516), threes attempted (14th, 615), defensive rebounds per game (21st, 29.2), turnover margin (21st, +5.29), assist-turnover ratio (32nd, 1.14), shooting (32nd, .445)

ARKANSAS PLAYERS TO WATCH

#33 Chelsea Dungee
• 18.1 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.5 SPG
• .385 FG, .321 3PT, .792 FT
• 3rd SEC in scoring (18.1 PPG)
• 4th SEC in free throw shooting (.792)
• 6th SEC in minutes (32.5/game)
• Ranks in the NCAA top-50 in: free throws made (22nd, 114), free throw attempts (25th, 144), field goal attempts (31st, 361), total points (35th, 434) and points per game (44th, 18.1)
• Career vs. Ole Miss (2 games): 50 points (25.0/game), 7 rebounds (3.5/game), 2 assists (1.0/game), 12-of-29 FG (.414), 8-of-14 3PT (.571), 16-of-19 FT (.842).
• Jan. 6, 2019, in Oxford: 17 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 5-12 FG, 3-7 3PT, 4-4 FT
• Feb. 24, 2019, in Fayetteville: 33 points, 4 rebounds, 7-17 FG, 5-7 3PT, 12-15 FT

#2 Alexis Tolefree
• 15.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.6 SPG
• .444 FG, .432 3PT, .816 FT
• Leads SEC in three-point shooting (.432), third in threes per game (2.9)
• 2nd SEC in free throw shooting (.816)
• 5th SEC in scoring (15.8 PPG)
• 2nd in scoring during SEC play (18.5 PPG)
• Leads the conference in SEC-only three-point shooting (.404) and threes per game (3.3)
• Ranks in the NCAA top-50 in: total threes made (16th, 70), threes per game (18th, 2.9) and three-point shooting (18th, .432)
• Career vs. Ole Miss (2 games): 14 points (7.0/game), 9 rebounds (4.5/game), 3 assists (1.5/game), 2 steals (1.0/game), 3 blocks (1.5/game), 5-of-18 FG (.278), 1-of-11 3PT (.091), 3-of-3 FT (1.000)
• Jan. 6, 2019, in Oxford: 4 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2-10 FG, 0-6 3PT,
• Feb. 24, 2019, in Fayetteville: 10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks, 3-8 FG, 1-5 3PT, 3-3 FT

#23 Amber Ramirez
• 14.4 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.2 SPG
• .427 FG, .431 3PT, .909 FT
• Leads SEC in threes per game (3.1), 2nd in three-point shooting (.431)
• 5th SEC in minutes (32.6/game); 2nd in SEC-only play (36.1/game)
• 7th SEC in scoring (14.4 PPG)
• Ranks in the NCAA top-50 in: total threes made (6th, 75), threes per game (7th, 3.1), three-point shooting (20th, .431), threes attempted (25th, 174)

LAST TIME OUT (at FLORIDA)
Ole Miss emptied its tank, clawing its way back from a 13-point first quarter deficit amid a superb offensive night, but ended up falling just short as Florida edged out a 74-72 win at Exactech Arena on Feb. 13.

The Gators (13-11, 4-7 SEC) took early command of the game, opening on a 9-0 run in a blistering first quarter that saw a 7-of-8 line from the field and a 3-of-3 line from deep by the first media timeout, but that was before a resilient Rebel squad dug deep and found an offensive rhythm. Deja Cage (23 points, five rebounds, four assists), Mimi Reid (16 points, four assists, one rebound) and Taylor Smith (15 points, five rebounds) combined for 54 points tonight, 35 of which came in the second half alone.

"I'm just super proud of the group," said Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin. "They left everything out on the floor with no regrets. I just don't know many teams that would do that at this stage and under these circumstances. Tonight it did not show up on the scoreboard – we lost – but we won in a lot of areas, too, and I'm just proud of them."

However, it was a member outside that trio that sparked the Rebels in the second quarter. Freshman Jayla Alexander (seven points, two rebounds, two assists) went on a tear, scoring seven straight points to kick-start what ended up as a 14-3 Rebel run across the first two quarters. However, Alexander quickly fell into foul trouble, and a technical foul assessed to the bench helped add to the foul issues for the Rebels in the early going. The Rebel defense was able to mitigate that foul trouble, though, stifling the Gators to just 2-of-14 shooting in the second frame to allow Ole Miss to cut their lead to 35-32 at the break.

Smith was the offensive catalyst for the Rebels right out of the gate in the third quarter, scoring eight unanswered points to cut the Gator lead to 41-40. Smith ended up with 13 of her 15 points in the third quarter, including three trifectas – doubling her career total in threes entering Thursday in the third quarter alone.

Smith wasn't alone, though, as Deja Cage started to find her shot in the third frame as well, combining with Smith for 18 points that quarter. Cage would keep the pedal down in the fourth, draining back-to-back threes to give Ole Miss its first lead of the game with 8:35 to play (61-60), setting up a wild run to the finish that included four lead changes. The 23-point game by Cage was her sixth this year with at least 20 points.

It was a true team effort down the stretch with buckets from Reid – who tied a career-high with her 16 points – and Iyanla Kitchens (three points, five rebounds) helping keep pace with the Gators, as Ole Miss was able to extend to a 70-66 lead on a Kitchens layup with 2:55 to play. Florida was able to cut into that lead, though, and with 20 seconds left Lavender Briggs (23 points, eight rebounds) drained two free throws to push the Gators up two to 74-72. The Rebels had a play drawn up for the hot-handed Cage with the shot clock off, but an athletic play by Briggs on a pass forced the ball into Gator hands as time expired.

TEAM NOTES

3PT SHOOTING VS. 3PT DEFENSE
The Pavilion will play host to an intriguing matchup on Sunday, as the SEC's top three-point shooting team in Arkansas will go up against the conference's third-best three-point defense in Ole Miss.

Arkansas, currently the NCAA's 7th-best three-point shooting team with a percentage of 38.5, also own the SEC's top three-point defense at 24.5 percent (fourth-best in the NCAA). The Rebels, meanwhile, are holding opponents to 28.3 percent from beyond the arc, including a 31 percent clip in SEC play that also ranks third in the conference. The Razorbacks feature three players with at least 40 trifectas this year, but the Rebels have yet to allow an opponent to reach double-digit threes, and only five have been able to drain seven.

COACH YO VS. THE TOP-25
Being in the SEC means facing some of the toughest schools in the nation, and Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin has had a tough road through her first two seasons in Oxford. Entering Sunday, Coach Yo's Rebels have gone up against 10 nationally ranked squads in two years at Ole Miss, nine of which have come in SEC play. Ole Miss has one win against those 10, a 55-49 upset over No. 16 Kentucky in Lexington on Jan. 13, 2019, which marked the first ranked road win by a Rebel team since 2011 and the first win at UK overall since 2007.

vs. Ranked Schools (First Year)
#2 UConn - Nov. 22, 2018 (L, 90-50)
#16 Kentucky - Jan. 13, 2019 (W, 55-49)
#6 MSU - Jan. 27, 2019 (L, 80-49)
#20 Texas A&M - Feb. 3, 2019 (L, 72-60)
#12 S. Carolina - Feb. 7, 2019 (L, 76-42)
#6 MSU - Feb. 21, 2019 (L, 88-60)

vs. Ranked Schools (Second Year)
#10 Texas A&M - Jan. 6, 2020 (L, 79-35)
#23 Tennessee - Jan. 9, 2020 (L, 84-28)
#9 MSU - Jan. 26, 2020 (L, 80-39)
#1 S. Carolina - Jan. 30, 2020 (L, 87-32)

VARIETY IN THE STARTING LINEUP
Ole Miss has used 17 different starting lineups in 24 games of the 2019-20 season. In Coach Yo's first season with the Rebels, Ole Miss used 17 different starting lineups through 31 total games played.

OFF THE LINE
Ole Miss has proved difficult to damage from distance, ranking third in the SEC at an opposing three-point percentage of 28.3 while holding opponents to five or fewer three-pointers in 18 of 24 games this season. The Rebels have been particularly stout from beyond the arc in the last three games, stifling teams to a 9-of-39 clip (.231) in games against Alabama (3-of-20), Vanderbilt (3-of-8) and Florida (3-of-11).

The Rebel defense held Louisiana to a season-low 1-of-10 clip from the three-point line, the third time in the last two seasons that Ole Miss has held an opposing team to one three-point field goal.

In the Coach Yo era, three-point defense has been a point of emphasis, holding opponents to five threes or fewer in 35 of 55 games in her two seasons. Last season, Ole Miss held 17 opponents to 30 percent or less from three, including 12 that shot 25 percent or worse and four that haven't been able to break 20 percent. The year before, Ole Miss held opponents under 30 percent just 10 times all season.

FIRST HALF SUCCESS = WINS
Ole Miss has found its way into the win column more times than not when having a strong first half effort. The Rebels are 7-1 when leading at the break, with their lone loss coming against Georgia after holding a 28-27 halftime lead. Likewise, Ole Miss is 0-15 when trailing at halftime and 0-1 when tied at the break.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

DYNAMIC DUO IN SEC PLAY
Rebel junior Deja Cage and freshman Jayla Alexander have been the driving force for Ole Miss in conference play, currently combining for 49.4 percent of all Rebel points scored in SEC season. Additionally, the tandem have drained 43 of 56 Ole Miss threes in conference play, which comes to 76.8 percent. Individually during SEC season, Cage is averaging 13.4 points and 2.5 threes, while Alexander is averaging 9.3 points per game.

OH MY, SHE'S ON FIRE!
Junior Deja Cage has been a dynamic scorer for the Rebels, recording 16 different double-digit games and six 20-point games through 24 contests this season. Cage has also been one of the most consistent three-point shooters in the league, ranking fourth in threes per game (2.3).

Cage lit the net on fire with a career-high 30-point performance on 10-of-18 shooting and 5-of-8 three-point shooting against Louisiana Tech. She is one of just four Rebels in the last five years to have recorded a 30-point game.

OLD DOG, NEW TRICKS
Sophomore Taylor Smith was always known for her smooth mid-range jumper, but she has now developed that just a few feet backward into a deadly three-point shot. With just three trifectas in her career entering a Feb. 13 contest at Florida, Smith drained three from beyond the arc -- including two in a row -- to help stimulate what ended up as an electric outing for the Rebel offense. Smith is a career 38.4 percent shooter overall, and her 6-of-20 clip from three in her two seasons sits at 30 percent. She only attempted one three during her freshman season.

BIG MINUTES FOR ALEXANDER
Freshman and Pearl, Mississippi native Jayla Alexander has been a key member on the floor for the Rebels in SEC play, currently ranking second among SEC freshman on the year in minutes per game (31.0).

Alexander has become a staple in the starting lineup for Ole Miss, starting each of the last 13 games dating back to Dec. 20 after serving as a crucial reserve off the bench in her first 11 games as a Rebel. In that stretch, Alexander scored 101 points off the bench -- including 52 points in a four-game stretch from Nov. 15 to Nov. 26. Alexander went off against New Orleans with a 21-point outing against the Privateers on a 5-of-8 clip from beyond the arc. On the year, she has recorded 10 double-digit games, including four of her last seven that were highlighted by a 16-point outing against Missouri on Jan. 19 and a 15-point game against Alabama.

BANKS WITH THE REJECTION
Junior Dominique Banks is on pace for a historical season defensively. At her average of 2.2 blocks per game, she is on pace to rank on the Ole Miss single-season record in blocks with 64. Banks is currently the NCAA's 28th-best in blocks per game and No. 23 overall in total blocks (53).

1. Promise Taylor - 82 ('17-18, 31 games)
2. Shawn Goff - 67 ('07-08, 29 games)
3. Shawn Goff - 60 ('08-09, 30 games)
4. Susan Byrd - 60 ('93-94, 33 games)
5. Susan Byrd - 59 ('92-93, 28 games)

Furthermore, her eight blocks against Georgia Southern on Dec. 16 stand as the second-most in a game at Ole Miss.

AIR IT OUT, TORRI!
Senior three-point specialist Torri Lewis has picked up right where she left off two years ago, returning for the Rebels as a key weapon from deep. Lewis, who returned for her redshirt senior season at Ole Miss after sitting out last year due to the birth of her son, A.J., is a career 33.0 percent three-point shooter. In her career, 85.9 percent of all of her field goals have come from three-point distance.

Lewis shot a combined 11-of-28 (.393) from three-point distance in three games from Dec. 16-28, knocking down at least three treys in each game and hitting four twice against Georgia Southern on Dec. 16 and Alabama State on Dec. 28.

In her career, Lewis owns 31 games with multiple threes -- hitting seven or more threes in a game twice. She knocked down a school-record 10 in a game vs. New Orleans as a freshman in 2015 (the third-most in a single-game in NCAA history), and during her junior year, she nailed seven against Alabama.

During that junior season, Lewis was on fire from downtown in the final month of the season, going 16-of-32 in a stretch from deep from Feb. 1-11. That season, 90 percent of her made field goals were three-pointers and 131 of her 150 attempts were from beyond the arc (87.3 percent).

TWO NEW FACES
Ole Miss welcomed two new faces to the team this semester in the form of freshman early enrollee Caitlin McGee and former student manager Tootie Rankin.

McGee – a 6-1 forward out of Sandalwood High School in Jacksonville, Florida – graduated early this past December. She will sit out as a redshirt for the remainder of the 2019-20 season. A three-star recruit by ESPN as part of a 2020 Ole Miss class that ranks No. 1 in the SEC, McGee was a varsity letterwinner in both basketball and track & field while at Sandalwood. In her three-year career, she averaged 18.0 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. She is a three-time all-conference selection and a three-time first-team All-Area and All-City member.

Rankin, meanwhile, joins the active Rebel roster after serving as a student manager for the 2019-20 season. Rankin transferred to Ole Miss after two seasons at Southwest Mississippi Community College, where she played in 48 total games. Rankin saw her first action on Jan. 19 vs. Missouri and earned her first start at Auburn (22 minutes, 4 points, 3 rebounds).

A biochemistry major, Rankin excelled at SWMCC, earning a 4.0 GPA. She was awarded the Lyceum Scholar Award from Ole Miss, given to 15 transfer students from across the country who must be excellent leaders who excel both in and out of the classroom.

Follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissWBB, Facebook at Ole Miss WBB and on Instagram at Ole MissWBB. You can also follow head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin on Twitter at @YolettMcCuin

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Players Mentioned

Jayla Alexander

Dominique Banks

Deja Cage

Iyanla Kitchens

Torri Lewis

Caitlin McGee

Tootie Rankin

Mimi Reid

Taylor Smith

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