Basketball

Ole Miss rolls to easy win over UAPB in record-setting home opener

Game never really in doubt as the Rebels give up just 24 points, blocking 12 shots against Golden Lions

Published

5 months ago

November 10, 2024

OXFORD, Miss. — No. 20/21 Ole Miss made history in its first victory of the season, allowing the fewest points in the history of the women’s basketball program, toppling Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 85-24, at the SJB Pavillion on Sunday in the home opener.

The Rebels (1-1, 0-0 SEC) had its best defensive scoring performance in program history, with 24 points allowed being the fewest ever. The next fewest also came in the head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin era, when the Rebels stumped Alabama A&M with 28 points in 2022. McPhee-McCuin’s teams now hold three of the top five spots with the fewest points allowed in Ole Miss history, including spots one and two.

Ole Miss’ first win of the season was a convincing one. By defeating UAPB by 61 points, it ties the third-widest win margin in program history, which the Rebels also accomplished in 2015 against Alabama A&M. It’s only the fifth instance of an Ole Miss team reaching the +60 mark, and is the largest margin in the McPhee-McCuin era.

Ole Miss rejected 12 shots as a team, which is a tie for the third-most in a game in program history, the last time of which came last season against Florida. Christeen Iwuala led the Rebels in that category, blocking a career-high four shots. UAPB failed to get a single player in double-digits, the first time an Ole Miss team has done that since 2022’s game against Alabama A&M.

The Rebels are now 10-0 against the Golden Lions, winning nine in Oxford.

Ole Miss quickly established dominance against UAPB, forcing a bad shot that turned into an Ayanna Thompson triple on the other end. Thompson’s first points of the season put the Rebels ahead 30 seconds into the game, a lead they would not relinquish.

Starr Jacobs guided the Rebels to an 11-0 lead in the first quarter against her former squad, scoring four of the points in that span. Freshman Sira Thienou became a monster on the boards, securing five rebounds in the first six minutes of the game. In her first career start, Thienou had six points, six rebounds, three rebounds and a block and steal a piece.

Ole Miss kept on the gas pedal by building a 20-6 advantage entering the second quarter. KK Deans entered the game in the second and immediately made her presence known. Deans drained a three for the first points of the quarter. She would go on to make another triple and grabbed three rebounds.

The Rebels ended the first half on a 29-4 run, bolstered by the emergence of Madison Scott, who scored six points in the quarter. Scott scored the final basket of the half, a midrange, uncontested jumper to give the Rebels a 36-point advantage at 50-14, marking the eighth-highest scoring margin going into the second half in program history.

With history in sight, the Ole Miss defense clamped down on UAPB, allowing them to score only 10 points for the rest of the game. The Rebels tied for the fourth-fewest points allowed in a half of play by Ole Miss, and the seventh time ever allowing 10 or less points in one half.

Meanwhile, Ole Miss’ offense remained on the attack. Along with the Rebels forcing a nearly scoreless third quarter, they boosted their advantage to over 50 points. Deans added 10 points in the second half, including an and-one layup and three-pointer to start the half of scoring. Deans ended the game with a team-leading 16 points and added seven rebounds.

UAPB scored its final field goal with over four minutes remaining, and its’ final two points from free throws with just over three minutes to play. Mariyah Noel scored an and-one before Thompson made a layup on the fastbreak, fashioning the final score, 85-24.

REBS! BY! 61! 🗣️🗣️ pic.twitter.com/g1468o5S51

— Ole Miss Women's BB (@OleMissWBB) November 10, 2024

Thompson ultimately ended the game with 11 points and three from beyond the arc, which ties for a career best. Iwuala and Noel each put forth career highs in points, having 12 and eight, respectively.

Kharyssa Richardson and Kennedy Todd-Williams led the way for Ole Miss in terms of rebounding, hauling in 11 and 10, respectively.

Ole Miss is back in action this week as it travels to take on Delaware State on Nov. 14.

Information from Ole Miss Sports is included in this story

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Basketball

Ole Miss takes advantage of turnovers to blow out Delaware State

Rebels score 30 points off 23 turnovers by Hornets and Starr Jacobs has big night in 80-42 win over Hornets

Published

5 months ago

November 14, 2024

All Hotty Toddy News

DOVER, Del. — Ole Miss reached the 80-point mark for the second consecutive game, stomping Delaware State, 80-42, at Memorial Hall Gym on Thursday evening.

The Rebels (2-1, 0-0 SEC) turned defense into offense all night, taking advantage of 23 turnovers by the Hornets (1-3, 0-0 MEAC), and scoring 30 points off them. On the other side, Ole Miss played its cleanest game of the season, giving up only six turnovers. It’s the fewest by the Rebels since last season when they had the same amount in the win against Georgia on Jan. 21, 2024.

Four Rebels reached double-digit scoring, with Starr Jacobs having her best performance as a Rebel. She led the team with 18 points, six rebounds and a pair of assists.

Kennedy Todd-Williams also had an impressive all-around performance against Delaware State. She scored 13 points on a trio of three-pointers, her personal best in a Rebel jersey. The senior hauled in a team-leading nine rebounds, dished out five assists and punished the Hornets defensively with two blocks and a steal.

KK Deans had a season-high seven assists against the Hornets, the most by any Rebel in a single game so far this year. In her closest shot at a homecoming game, Madison Scott shined once again with 13 points, five rebounds and four assists.

With a hot start coming from Sira Thienou, the Rebels and Hornets kept pace with one another in the opening frame. The freshman tied her career-high of six points in just 10 minutes, guiding the Rebels to a 13-9 lead at the end of the first.

An early jumper from Thienou secured her career-high as the Rebels and Hornets continued to trade blows early in the second. Thienou ended the game with 13 points on an efficient 5-for-7 shooting.

After regrouping at the media timeout, Ole Miss came out blazing with a 12-2 run sparked by three jumpers from Scott and 12 turnovers by the hosts. Todd-Williams capped off the half with her second three-pointer of the day, giving the Rebels a 37-21 lead entering the break.

Shooting 50% from the arc after a trio of threes from three different Rebels, Ole Miss continued to extend their lead. The Rebels capitalized at the free throw line, as Christeen Iwuala and Jacobs combined for four in the final two and a half minutes to maintain Ole Miss’ double-digit advantage, 58-32.

With victory in sight, Jacobs showed her veteran status by draining four jumpers right out of the break. The Rebels built up their lead by as many as 40 in the final quarter to go on to defeat the Hornets, 80-42.

The Rebels are back at the SJB Pavilion for the annual Kids Day game against SWAC opponent, Jackson State on Monday. Tipoff is set for 11 a.m. CT and will be broadcast on SEC Network+.

Information from Ole Miss Sports is included in this story

Basketball

Beard adds two top recruits to Ole Miss’ basketball roster

Rebels add couple of recruits, including son of current assistant coach to roster for next season

Published

5 months ago

November 13, 2024

All Hotty Toddy News

OXFORD, Miss. — Chris Beard and staff continued to build for the future of Ole Miss, adding two top recruits on Wednesday’s National Signing Day in forward Tylis Jordan and guard Patton Pinkins.

Jordan is a consensus top-100 recruit for the class of 2025, owning a national ranking as high as No. 27 in the country by On3 and No. 28 by Rivals. Listed as a power forward, the 6-9 Louisville, Ga., native is an incredibly skilled big man who can easily play with the ball in his hands.

He has the ability to stretch the floor with his shooting and is able to knock down threes. One of the top-ranked players in his class in the always-talented state of Georgia, Jordan averaged a double-double last season at Shiloh as a junior with 21.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, and is currently playing his senior season at Wheeler.

Another top-100 recruit, Pinkins is ranked as high as No. 74 in his class nationally by ESPN and No. 78 by Rivals. A 6-5 shooting guard from Wolfforth, Texas, he currently plays at Frenship High School, where he’s described as an efficient player with a shooting percentage of over 60 percent from the field and over 40 percent from three.

Pinkins, the son of current Ole Miss assistant coach Al Pinkins, posses a high basketball IQ with strong passing ability. His ability as an on-ball defender pairs well with his prowess at scoring the basketball at all three levels.

Their two commitments in the 2025 class gives Beard and the Rebels a top-25 class across all major recruiting services, ranking No. 12 in the nation by Rivals, No. 16 by On3, and No. 25 by 247Sports.

Information Ole Miss Sports is included in this story.