STANFORD, Calif. – Appearing in her second straight NCAA Tournament, eighth seed Ole Miss practiced what she preaches on “We Defend” by fending off the nation’s top three-point shooting team in ninth seed Gonzaga, 71 -58 from Maples Pavilion Friday night. The Rebels earned their first NCAA Tournament victory since 2007 and advance to the round of 32 for 11e time in program history.
Ole Miss (24-8, 11-5 SEC) broke multiple marks in NCAA single-game tournament records, in a team victory consistent with three double-digit finishes in the 23-point win over Gonzaga . (28-5, 17-1 COE). Emerging from a shooting crisis, Snuda Collins led the team with 15 points on three triples and five field goals. baker angel And madison scott joins her with 11 points each. Scott listed her 11e double-double of the season by leading Ole Miss with 10 rebounds. Delivering a team record in assists was Mya Taylor with four helpers.
As a team, Ole Miss broke an NCAA Tournament program record for the fewest points allowed by holding Gonzaga at 48. It was the eighth time this season the Rebels had held an opponent within 50 points. Led by Collins, the Rebels drained an NCAA-best seven triples program with Baker, Taylor, Ayanna Thompson And Elauna Eaton join the mix. The 23-point win also tied Ole Miss’s biggest win in a game at the NCAA Tournament.
After the first bucket of the game for the Zags, Ole Miss started offensively on a 6-0 run led by Baker. Ole Miss went into a shooting slump, being held without a basket for over five minutes in the first frame. Between the line and a smooth jumper, Scott scored the Rebels’ final four points of the first quarter to take a tight 12-10 advantage.
Davis took command of Ole Miss, making it happen on every facet of the court. While carrying the Rebels out of the glass, she made sure Ole Miss stayed neck and neck with Gonzaga. Back-to-back triples from Collins provided Ole Miss with its biggest lead of the night yet, up eight in the final minutes of the second quarter. The Rebel attack continued to cook, racing ahead to lead 34-21 into the half.
After the break, the Rebels didn’t calm down at all as they scored their first four field goals to start the second half. Holding Gonzaga to multi-minute droughts provided Ole Miss with an opportunity to extend their lead as they went for a win. A quick 12-2 run gave the Rebels breathing room by 25 points at 53-28.
With his foot still on the gas, Ole Miss put a Round of 16 appearance in sight by staying hot beyond the arc. Defensively, Ole Miss locked Gonzaga in another scoring drought while continuing to land shots at his end of the floor. The Rebels had widened their lead enough to exit the Maples Pavilion with the 71-48 victory over Gonzaga.
The Rebels advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007, meeting No. 1 seed Stanford on Sunday at 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.
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
