Rebels to Host No. 14 Kentucky

			OLE MISS (7-18, 0-12 SEC) vs. #14 KENTUCKY (19-5, 8-4 SEC) Thursday, Feb. 20 • 7 p.m. • Oxford, Miss. The Pavilion at Ole Miss (9,500) Jersey Lunch Box Giveaway
Watch • Live Stats • Listen • Buy Tickets Ole Miss Game Notes (PDF) • Kentucky Game Notes • SEC Game Notes

OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss women's basketball hosts its second straight national top-25 opponent when No. 14 Kentucky comes to The Pavilion for a Thursday night showdown. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT in The Pavilion and on SEC Network +.

PROMOTIONS
• Jersey Lunch Box Giveaway

TEAM FACTS

Ole Miss Rebels (7-18, 0-12 SEC)
Head Coach: Yolett McPhee-McCuin • 2nd Season at Ole Miss (16-40) • 110-103 career record (7th Season)

#14 Kentucky Wildcats (19-5, 8-4 SEC)
Head Coach: Matthew Mitchell • 13th Season at Kentucky (300-130) • 330-159 career record (15th season)

ON THE AIR

Television/Online: SEC Network +
Play-by-Play: Will Kollmeyer
Color: Lindsay Roy

OLE MISS RADIO

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

SERIES AT A GLANCE
At Oxford: Ole Miss leads 12-7
At Lexington: Tied: 10-10
At Neutral Sites: Series tied 1-1
Longest UM Streak: 8 (1992-99)
Longest UK Streak: 6 (2010-2015)
Biggest UM Win: 31 (1/2/97 - at Oxford)
Biggest UK Win: 41 (2/2/12 - at Lexington)
Most UM Points: 90 (2/1/04 - at Oxford)
Most UK Points: 108 (2/13/14 - at Lexington)
Last 10 Meetings: Kentucky leads 7-3

SERIES NOTES vs. KENTUCKY

Series History
Ole Miss leads, 23-18

Current Streak
Ole Miss, 1

First Meeting
Feb. 9, 1980
• W, 79-62, in Knoxville
• Second Round of first SEC Tournament

First SEC Meeting
Feb. 1, 1984
• L, 69-59, in Lexington

Last Meeting
Jan. 13, 2019
• W, 55-49, in Lexington
• Kentucky: Ranked No. 16
• First Ole Miss win at UK since 2007
• First road ranked win since 2011
• Crystal Allen: 28 points
• La'Karis Salter: 12 points, 10 rebounds
• Kentucky: 26.6 FG, 26.1 3PT
• Rhyne Howard: 20 points, 11 rebounds
• Ole Miss won 4th Quarter, 23-13

Last Time in Oxford
Feb. 22, 2018
• L, 79-71

Last Win in Oxford
Jan. 21, 2016
• W, 73-65
• First win at The Pavilion at Ole Miss
• Kentucky ranked No. 9; last top-10 win for Ole Miss

SCOUTING KENTUCKY

Record
19-5, 8-4 SEC

National Rankings
AP Ranking: #14
Coaches Ranking: #16

Last Game
W, 73-62, vs. No. 6 Mississippi State
• Top Scorers: Rhyne Howard (26), Chasity Patterson (15), Jaida Roper (14)
• Howard: 20th double-digit game, 15th 20-point game, fifth double-double
• Out-scored MSU 22-9 in 3rd Quarter
• Shot .435, allowed .385

Notes
• RPI: 22
• Shooting .413, allowing .403
• Shooting .357 from three, allowing .285
• Converting 70 percent of its free throws
• Scoring Margin: +13.6 PPG
• Rebounding Margin: -2.7
• Leads SEC in turnover margin (+8.79)
• Ranks in NCAA top-50 in: turnover margin (2nd, +8.79), fewest total turnovers (10th, 295), fewest turnovers per game (15th, 12.3/game), turnovers forced (16th, 21.1/game), threes per game (25th, 8.3), scoring margin (27th, +13.6 PPG), total threes made (30th, 199), three-point percentage (33rd, .357), assist-turnover ratio (36th, 1.13)

KENTUCKY PLAYERS TO WATCH

#10 Rhyne Howard
• 23.2 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.5 APG, 2.3 SPG, 1.1 BPG
• .433 FG, .369 3PT, .783 FT
• Leads SEC in overall scoring (23.2 PPG) and SEC-only scoring (26.2 PPG)
• Also leads in SEC-only threes per game (3.3)
• 2nd SEC in threes made (3.1/game)
• Ranks in NCAA top-50 in: points per game (2nd, 23.2 PPG), threes per game (8th, 3.1), total points (13th, 487), field goal attempts (31st, 383), field goals made (31st, 166), threes attempted (36th, 176) and total threes made (37th, 65)
• Career vs. Ole Miss (1 game): 20 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, one steal, 7-of-20 FG, 5-of-13 3PT, 1-of-1 FT
• Second-fastest UK player to ever reach 1,000 points
• Five double-doubles, 15 20-point games
• 4x SEC Player of the Week
• On Watch Lists for: Citizen Naismith Trophy, John R. Wooded Award, Dawn Staley Award

LAST TIME OUT (vs. #23 ARKANSAS)
The Ole Miss women's basketball team gave No. 23 Arkansas a fight in the first quarter, but a lethal Razorback offense that ranks first in the SEC and fourth in the NCAA pulled away as it exploded toward a 108-64 win over the Rebels at The Pavilion on Feb. 16.

Arkansas (20-5, 8-4 SEC) broke its own program record for points against an SEC opponent and shooting percentage after draining 64.4 percent of its shots from the field on Sunday, less than one week after dropping an SEC-only program record 103 points on No. 15 Kentucky. The Rebels fought blow-for-blow in a wild first quarter of action in which both teams shot a combined 22-of-29 (.759) and scored 55 total points, but Ole Miss cooled off as the Razorbacks kept the pedal down, scoring at least 25 a quarter the remainder of the game.

Sophomore Taylor Smith was lights-out for the Rebels in the early going, hitting all six of her first attempts from the field and scoring 12 of her 17 in the first frame alone. In her last two games combined, Smith is averaging 16.0 points per game, shooting 13-of-23 (.565) overall and is a perfect 5-of-5 from beyond the arc after only hitting three career three-pointers prior to the Feb. 13 contest at Florida.

Ole Miss shot 71.4 percent in that quarter and scored an SEC season-high 23 points, but the Razorbacks proved why they are one of the most prolific and efficient offenses in the country, draining 80 percent of its shots en route to 32 points.

Arkansas, who entered as the NCAA's fourth-best three-point shooting team at 9.9 treys per game, was held to the second fewest threes it has made in an SEC game this year at a 7-of-13 clip. However, the Razorbacks made up for that with 42 points in the paint and a 25-of-28 line from the charity stripe. Five Razorbacks were in double digits, led by Alexis Tolefree's 19 points.

Ole Miss also received a strong outing from sophomore Iyanla Kitchens, who scored a career high 15 points while also grabbing eight rebounds. Sophomore Mimi Reid recorded her second straight double-digit game with 13 points, five assists and three rebounds. Other Rebel contributors included Dominique Banks (eight points, three rebounds, one block) and Jayla Alexander (seven points, five assists, three rebounds, one steal).

TEAM NOTES

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 11 nationally ranked squads in two years at Ole Miss, 10 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)
#23 Arkansas - Feb. 16, 2020 (L, 108-64)

VARIETY IN THE STARTING LINEUP
Ole Miss has used 18 different starting lineups in 25 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 fourth in the SEC at an opposing three-point percentage of 29.2 while holding opponents to five or fewer three-pointers in 18 of 25 games this season. The Rebels have been particularly stout from beyond the arc lately, stifling Alabama (3-of-20), Vanderbilt (3-of-8) and Florida (3-of-11) to a 9-of-39 clip (.231) in three straight from Feb. 2-13.

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 56 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 0-16 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 45.8 percent of all Rebel points scored in SEC season. Additionally, the tandem have drained 43 of 59 Ole Miss threes in conference play, which comes to 72.9 percent. Individually during SEC season, Cage is averaging 12.6 points and 2.5 threes, while Alexander is averaging 9.1 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 25 contests this season. Cage has also been one of the most consistent three-point shooters in the league, ranking fourth in threes per game (2.2).

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 kept it up against No. 23 Arkansas, going a perfect 2-of-2 from beyond the arc and hitting all six of her first shots, ending with 17 points.

Smith is a career 39.7 percent shooter overall, and her 8-of-22 clip from three in her two seasons sits at 36.4 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 freshmen on the year in minutes per game (31.2).

Alexander has become a staple in the starting lineup for Ole Miss, starting each of the last 14 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 eight 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 62. Banks is currently the NCAA's 30th-best in blocks per game and No. 24 overall in total blocks (54).

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.

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

Crystal Allen

Dominique Banks

Deja Cage

Iyanla Kitchens

Torri Lewis

Caitlin McGee

Tootie Rankin

Mimi Reid

La'Karis Salter

Taylor Smith

The University of Mississippi Athletics