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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Alabama
Rebels Face Tough Test, Welcome Crimson Tide on Sunday
1/14/2023 | Women's Basketball
Ole Miss Looks to Remain Undefeated in SEC Play
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OLE MISS (16-2, 5-0 SEC) vs. ALABAMA (13-4, 2-2 SEC) Sunday, Jan. 15 • 4 p.m. CT • Oxford, Miss. SJB Pavilion (9,500)  |
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Watch • Live Stats • Listen
Ole Miss Game Notes • SEC Game Notes |
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TEAM FACTS
Ole Miss Rebels (16-2, 5-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Yolett McPhee-McCuin • 5th Season at Ole Miss (70-68) • 10th Season in Career (164-131)
Alabama Crimson Tide (13-4, 2-2 SEC)
Head Coach: Kristy Curry • 10th Season at Alabama (166-136) • 24th Season in Career (475-285)
ON THE AIR
Television/Online: SEC Network
Play by Play: Sam Gore
Analyst: Tamika Catchings
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Station: 105.1 FM
Play by Play: Graham Doty
SERIES HISTORY
VERSUS ALABAMA
Dating back to the first meeting between the two schools in 1977, Ole Miss leads all-time 36-27 against the Crimson Tide. The Rebels have also claimed the last two matchups against Alabama, in Tuscaloosa in 2021 and last season's meeting in Oxford.
When these two teams met up last season, Ole Miss picked up one of its largest SEC victories in program history with an 86-56 victory over the Crimson Tide from the SJB Pavilion.
The trio of Baker, Collins and Scott, lit it up against the Tide last season. The three combined for 47 points, with Baker leading with 18. Scott recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
FIRST MEETING
• 01/11/77 - UM, 73-70 - at Tuscaloosa
LAST MEETING
• 01/13/22 - UM, 86-56 - at Oxford
SCOUTING THE CRIMSON TIDE
Following an appearance in the WNIT Semifinals last season, the Crimson Tide returned all five starters heading into the 2022-23 campaign. 17 games in, Alabama sits at 13-4 and 2-2 in conference play.
Alabama is one of the most dangerous teams in the country shooting the three, currently leading the SEC at a .387 clip. Ranking 26th in the nation in triples is Preseason All-SEC Second-Team member Brittany Davis, hitting 44 on the year.
Jada Rice has been on a tear around the rim, ranking second in the conference and fifth nationally with 2.47 rejections per game
TEAM NOTES
LAST TIME OUT
Thursday night proved to be another monumental step for the Rebels, improving to 5-0 in conference play to match the best start in the SEC since 2007.
A collective effort from the Rebs pushed them over to edge Georgia 66-58. Angel Baker dropped her fifth 20-point game of the season, followed by season-best nights from Madison Scott and Myah Taylor. Scott added 18 points and tied a career-high with five assists. Taylor dished out a season-best eight assists as well as a season-high 11 points.
ALL BARK. NO BITE.
Not only was Thursday's win a key piece for the Rebels as they march through conference play, it was the first win in Athens for the program since 2010 and only the second in Ole Miss history.
TAKING IT JUST MEANS MORE SERIOUSLY
With five straight wins to open conference play, Ole Miss kicks off 5-0 for the first time since the 2006-07 season where that team then went on to win 24 games and reach the Elite Eight.
The 2007 Rebels started 5-0 in SEC play, before going 9-5 in the conference.
The 1991-92 Ole Miss squad owns the best SEC program record, as the Rebels went 11-0 en route to an Elite Eight appearance.
MUST PACK - DEFENSE
It's no secret that Ole Miss thrives off its defense, yet with the win over Georgia, the Rebels picked up its third straight SEC road victory.
It's the first time Ole Miss has started 3-0 on the road within the conference and the first time since 1991-92 the Rebels have won back-to-back-to back road games against SEC foes.
WHAT'S IN THE SECRET SAUCE?
The correlation between Rebel wins and rebounding is evident, as all 16 Ole Miss wins have come when outrebounding its opponent.
Through five SEC play, Ole Miss has outrebounded its opponents by an average of +7.4 boards per game.
WE DEFEND LIKE NO OTHER
By locking down the Aggies and holding Texas A&M to only 38 points, Ole Miss once again proved why "We Defend" is at the heart of its program.
The 38 points are the fewest points allowed against an SEC team in program history and the only time in program history holding a conference opponent under 40 points.
OFF THE LINE
Three-point defense has been a point of emphasis during the Coach Yo era, with 89 of 131 opponents being held to five or fewer.
1st Season (2018-19)
17-of-32 (53.1%)
2nd Season (2019-20)
21-of-30 (70.0%)
3rd Season (2020-21)
14-of-22 (63.6 %)
4th Season (2021-22)
22-of-31 (70.9%)
5th Season (2022-23)
16-18 (88.9%)
THE BEST KIND OF THIEVERY
No wonder Ole Miss was able to keep Texas A&M at bay, the Rebels racked up a season-high 14 steals as a team. Ole Miss has recorded double-digit steals in seven games this season.
COME AT THE VET
As one of the most experienced players currently in Division I basketball, Angel Baker sure plays like it as she leads the Rebels averaging 14.8 points per game.
Appearing in 139 games throughout her collegiate career, Baker ranks 10th among active players in career games played.
DYNAMIC DUO
All 17 points scored in the first quarter against Vanderbilt came from the combined duo of Angel Baker and Madison Scott as the pair went on to combine for a total of 39 points.
39 points between Baker and Scott are the most in a single-game by the two in their two seasons together in Oxford.
JUNIOR JUMPS
It's extremely evident that both juniors Snudda Collins and Madison Scott made great strides in the offseason headed into their third seasons in the Oxford, and those numbers are reflected on the court.
Collins
• 2021-22: 5.9 ppg
• 2022-23: 11.3 ppg
• 91.5% increase
Scott
• 2021-22: 9.6 ppg
• 2022-23: 11.5 ppg
• 19.8% increase
• 2021-22: 6.0 rpg
• 2022-23: 9.0 rpg
• 50% increase
HOME IS WHERE THE WINS ARE
With Thursday's decisive victory over Vanderbilt, Ole Miss begins the 2022-23 season 10-0 at home for its best start in Oxford since the 2016-17 campaign.
The 2016-17 Rebels won 12 in-a-row at the SJB Pavilion to open their season to go 15-4 overall at home.
In program history, Ole Miss has four undefeated seasons at home.
DON'T LET THE REBS GET HOT: FROM DEEP
Not only was Angel Baker hot from deep against Vanderbilt with a season-high four triples, multiple Rebels felt it from deep going 8-of-16 from beyond the arc.
Snudda Collins, Marquesha Davis, Elauna Eaton, and Ayanna Thompson each added a triple to contribute to the most made three's by the Rebels against an SEC team since 2020.
BALLIN' OFF THE BOARDS
There's no doubt that the motto "We Defend" rings true throughout the Ole Miss program, as this squad has been cleaning up off the boards all season.
Ole Miss has outrebounded eight opponents by a 15+ margin this year, the most in a single year within the last 20 seasons.
WON BIG IN VEGAS
Ole Miss rung in the New Year in a big way with its first win over Mississippi State in Starkville in 15 seasons.
Around the rim, Rita Igbokwe and the Rebels went to work with a season-high nine blocks as a team with Igbokwe swatting a season-high four shots.
The Rebel defense held the Bulldogs to its lowest point total in the matchup since 2008, holding MSU to 50 points.
500 AND COUNTING
With two assists against Mississippi State, Myah Taylor eclipsed the 500 career assist mark and continues to add to her total of 514. Taylor currently leads the SEC in active career assists.
RIGHT ON TARGET
Through the first five games of conference play Madison Scott ranks first in the SEC, draining .646 percent of her shots. On the season, Scott leads the Rebels in field goal percentage at .556.
Scott went 5-of-7 from the field against Auburn for 13 points, 7-of-10 at Mississippi State for 15 points and 8-of-11 against Vanderbilt for 17 points.
The junior shot .486 percent from the field last season through 32 games.
THE YO EFFECT
Five years into Yolett McPhee-McCuin's guidance at the helm of the Rebels, she is already responsible for two of the program's best starts in the last 30 seasons.
Through the first 18 games:
• 1991-92: 17-1
• 1994-95: 15-3
• 2021-22: 16-2
• 2022-23: 16-2
SEC STATEMENT
In Ole Miss' first SEC game of the 2022-23 season, the Rebels held nothing back as they lead for the entirety of the game against the Auburn Tigers. With the 79-47 win, Ole Miss earned its largest margin victory in SEC play since February 11, 2007 when the Rebels defeated Alabama 84-43.
The Rebels held Auburn to a 25.0 field goal percentage. That is the lowest the Ole Miss defense has held a team in SEC play since January 6th, 1990 where the Rebels held Alabama to a 19.3 field goal percentage.
NOT A SCRATCH
The Auburn Tigers went 0-for-10 from 3-point range, a season-best for the Rebel defense.
Last season, Ole Miss accomplished perfect beyond the arch defense three times in conference play.
BAKER = BUCKET
Angel Baker was key for Ole Miss as she was unstoppable from the beginning by putting up 13 points in just the first quarter against Auburn – the most points in a quarter by Baker this season.
With 22 points against the Bulldogs and then Vanderbilt, Baker stretched her double-digit scoring streak to four straight games and her 11th game with 10 or more points this season.
MY OH MY MADI
Madison Scott earned double-doubles in three straight games to finish the non-conference season, putting up big numbers against Jacksonville (19 points, 17 rebounds), McNeese (18 points, 10 rebounds), and Temple (16 points, 10 rebounds).
The last time a Rebel had three straight double-doubles for Ole Miss was Shakira Austin versus Lamar, LA Tech, and Jackson State in 2021.
The junior grabbed double-digits 12 times this season and obtained six double-doubles overall for this year.
Overall, Scott has led Ole Miss in rebounds (13x), points (6x), and assists (2x) so far this year. Out of the Rebels' 18 games, Scott has had 5+ rebounds in 16 of them.
DEFENSE LEAD BY DESTINY
Destiny Salary was an added bonus off the bench for Ole Miss in its SEC opener versus Auburn. Salary led the defense to achieve a new career-high in rebounds with 10 boards.
The junior also added four points, three assists, and two steals to the mix to play a key part in the Ole Miss victory.
OFF THE BOARDS
Ole Miss currently ranks 22nd in the nation in offensive rebounds, putting up 277 offensive boards so far this season and averaging 15.4 off the glass.
Madison Scott leads for the Rebels in rebounds, averaging 8.9 boards a game.
#WEDEFEND
Ole Miss is catching national attention in its defensive efforts. The Rebel defense currently ranks 7th in the nation in scoring defense, holding teams to only 51.8 points. The Rebels also rank 14th in defensive field goal percentage, holding opponents to an average of 34.2 percent.
Ole Miss is 16-0 when holding its opponent to 60 points and under.
TAYLOR DROPPING DIMES
Grad transfer Myah Taylor is in high rankings among the Southeastern Conference as the No. 1 active career leader in assists (514). Taylor leads the category with a margin of +113 assists.
The Mississippi-native also is 2nd in the SEC active career leaders for steals with 227 career steals.
FORWARD PROGRESS
Against Jacksonville, Madison Scott and Tyia Singleton both secured double-doubles to give Ole Miss the 66-52 victory over the Dolphins.
Scott and Singleton equally led the offense together, both combining for more than half of Ole Miss' points.
Scott put together a new season-high in points (19) and a career-high in rebounds (17) for her fourth double-double this season. Singleton also updated her career-high in rebounds (15) along with 12 points to give her a second double-double this year.
The last time Ole Miss had two players gain double-doubles in one game was against Mississippi State on January 16, 2022 where Shakira Austin (21 points, 10 rebounds) and Donnetta Johnson (12 points, 10 rebounds) both grabbed double-doubles.
KIDS DAY, BEST DAY
The annual Kids Day is Ole Miss women's basketball's favorite day of the year as it brings high intensity along with high pitched screams.
The iconic Kids Day crowd didn't disappoint, setting a new overall Ole Miss women's basketball program record attendance of 8,958.
Ole Miss holds a perfect 19-0 record against opponents when the kids arrive to the SJB Pavilion.
BAKER IN HER BAG
Angel Baker went three consecutive games scoring at least 18 points against Oklahoma, Jacksonville State and Jacksonville. Baker has reached double-figures in scoring 11 times so far this season.
Baker put up an Ole Miss career high against Southern Miss with 25 points (11-16 FG).
Baker was the first 20-point scorer for the Rebels since she put down 23 points versus South Dakota in last season's NCAA Tournament game and paces the Rebels with four 20-point games this season.
TURNOVER TURN UP
Ole Miss has forced a cumulative number of 328 turnovers against its opponents this season. Out of those 328, the Rebels have secured 360 points off turnovers so far this season, averaging 20.0 points off turnovers a game.
RECORD BREAKING REBS
Ole Miss women's basketball is writing their name in the record books, as they've broken two program records this season.
Against Alabama A&M, Ole Miss used a powerful defensive effort to break the program record for single-game points allowed in a decisive 74-28 victory.
The previous record was 30 points allowed against Mississippi Valley State in 2016.
The Rebels held the Bulldogs to zero players in double-digit scoring, the first time since that same MVSU game back in 2016.
After holding the Southern Miss Eagles to seven points in the first half, the Rebels broke the record for the fewest points allowed in a single half in Ole Miss women's basketball history in a dominant 92-46 win.
At the half, Ole Miss held a 48-7 lead against the Eagles. The 41-point margin ranks tied as the fourth-highest scoring margin in a half.
OLE MISS ON THE OVER
Four Rebels secured double-digits against Texas Southern. This marks the second time this season that Ole Miss had four players in double-figures in a game - the last being against No. 17 Utah.
Against Texas Southern, Madison Scott led the offense with 16 points, followed by Destiny Salary (12), Myah Taylor (10), and freshman Ayanna Thompson (10).
TYIA TAKEOVER
Tyia Singleton was all over the floor for the Rebels against Alabama A&M. Singleton recorded 10 points, seven rebounds, three steals, and three blocks to give Ole Miss the dominant 74-28 victory.
Her three blocks and steals marked a season-high.
DEFENSIVE BATTLE AGAINST THE UTES
The Rebel defense continued to show out as they held No. 17 Utah to its then lowest scoring total of the season at 69 points. The Utes came into the game averaging 100.2 points per game and were the second-best scoring offense in the nation.
With Ole Miss' defense, it forced the Utes to drop their scoring average by 6 points.
4TH QUARTER MAGIC
Against Dayton, the Rebels outscored the Flyers 21-10 in the final 10 minutes of play, forcing seven turnovers and out-rebounding Dayton 10-5.
Ole Miss went on a 14-0 scoring run with 6:49 left in the fourth quarter, holding Dayton to zero field goals for over seven minutes of play.
Madison Scott and Snudda Collins six points apiece during the run, igniting the Rebel offense and giving Ole Miss a 14-point lead with under three minutes.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE FOR TYIA
Tyia Singleton was the leading scorer for the Rebels against Dayton, putting together her first double-double of the season.
Singleton scored a season-high 14 points and tied her career-high with 13 rebounds, nine of them being offensively.
QUE ON QUEUE
Marquesha Davis has secured double-digits in eight games for Ole Miss, breaking her career-high twice.
Against No. 17 Utah, the Arkansas transfer put up 18 points, a new career-high, leading Ole Miss in scoring. The senior also pulled down a season-high eight rebounds and went six-for-six from the free throw line.
BIG NUMBERS FOR BIG TIME PLAYERS
Four Rebels reached double-digits in scoring against No. 17 Utah.
Marquesha Davis led for Ole Miss with 18 points, Snudda Collins tied her season-high with 16 points, Angel Baker dropped in 13 points, and Myah Taylor hit 10 points for the first time this season.
TURNING UP THE PRESSURE
Defense was the name of the game for Ole Miss, as it forced Southern Miss to 25 turnovers that turned into a whopping 43 points. The last time the Rebels forced at least 25 turnovers was Jan. 6, 2022 at Florida.
The last time Ole Miss managed at least 43 points off turnovers was in 2015 versus Alabama A&M, where the Rebels converted 49 points from turnovers.
COMFORTABLE BEHIND THE ARC
The Rebels rained down from the arc against Southern Miss, downing nine total three-pointers -- the most threes made this season.
Snudda Collins is the sharp shooter for the Rebels and has put down 32 from behind the arc so far this season.
NOT IN OUR HOUSE
In Ole Miss' 10 home games of this season, the Rebels have blocked 51 shots at the SJB Pavilion this season.
Together Tyia Singleton (26) and Rita Igbokwe (21) have combined for over half of the Ole Miss' 82 blocks this year.
WE DEFEND ON THE ROAD
The Rebels packed their defense in their suitcase for their first road game of the season at Little Rock. Ole Miss only allowed Little Rock 40 points, the fewest yielded by Ole Miss since winning 59-37 at Hofstra last season.
The Rebels held the Trojans to a 37.8 field goal percentage, shutting down Little Rock to 17-of-45 overall.
TAYLOR KEEPS DEALING
As the SEC's active leader in career assists, Myah Taylor has no issue dishing out assists this season. With six helpers against Kennesaw State, after Taylor's SEMO performace she put up back-to-back games with five or more assists.
Last season down the road at Mississippi State, Taylor led the conference averaging 5.9 assists per game.
WELCOME TO THE PARTY RITA
Pitt transfer Rita Igbokwe made a statement in the second half against SEMO, tallying 10 points and three rejections as well as grabbing three rebounds.
The Jonesboro, Georgia, native ranks in the top-15 nationally in active career blocks with a total of 178.
As a team, the Rebels are averaging 5.1 blocks per game.
DANGEROUS DUO
When both Angel Baker and Madison Scott get going, the two are an unstoppable duo together.
Dating back to last season, when both score in double-figures the Rebels are 11-0 in those games.
Baker currently has 88 career outings in double-digits while Scott has 43.
MILESTONE-ACHIEVED
After hitting a milestone mark at Ole Miss with her 50th win at the helm of the Rebels coming against Texas A&M in February, McPhee-McCuin reached yet another career defining mark against SEMO.
The fifth-year coach of the Rebels hit the 150 win mark in her career and her 56th victory at Ole Miss. In her five seasons at Jacksonville State, McPhee-McCuin amassed a record of 94-63.
ANY TIME. ANY PLACE.
The Rebels were a powerful force on the road last season, as with the victory at Missouri, the Rebels moved to 8-1 on the road to set the most wins away from home for the program in the 21st century.
The win at Auburn tied the most road wins in a season since 1993-94 at nine.
BACK WHERE THEY LEFT OFF
In the season opening 72-60 win against Kennesaw State, four out of the five Ole Miss returners felt right at home in the SJB Pavilion as they each finished their night in double-figures.
Madison Scott pieced together her 11th career double-double off of 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Angel Baker matched her with 16 points off of seven field goals.
Snudda Collins contributed 14 points, after shooting 7-of-8 from the free-throw line, while Destiny Salary finished with 12 points for her fourth career game in double-digits.
THIS BLOCK PARTY AIN'T OVER
After breaking the single-season program record last season with a whopping 142 team blocks, Ole Miss proved that its defensive prowess isn't gone.
For the fourth straight outing, the Rebels blocked five or more shots as a team as they finished with a total of eight against the Owls. Madison Scott carried Ole Miss around the rim, with three rejections on her own.
HERE TO THRIVE
Coming off of a record-breaking season and its best winning percentage since 1993-94, the Rebels are back to prove that last season set the standard.
Highlighted by its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 15 seasons, Ole Miss returns five from last season's squad including the trio of Snudda Collins, Madison Scott and the reigning SEC-Sixth Woman of the Year Angel Baker.
WROTE HISTORY
The 2021-22 Rebels etched their names in the Ole Miss record books, shattering feats that few other teams had accomplished before.
• 13 game winning streak - third longest in program history
• 142 blocks - program single-season record
• 10 SEC wins - second-time in Ole Miss history
• 20th 20-win season, first since 2006-07
• Angel Baker named the SEC Sixth-Woman of the Year.
SET THE STANDARD
The Rebels 23-9 record for an .718 winning percentage marked the program's best winning percentage not only in the four seasons under McPhee-McCuin, but the best since the 1993-1994 season where Ole Miss went 24-9.
UP NEXT
Ole Miss returns to action next Sunday, Jan. 22 with a visit to The Plains to face Auburn for the second time this season. The Rebels defeated the Tigers in the SEC opener, 79-47. The nationally televised game will air on SEC Network at 4 p.m. CT.
