Pier Cummings
On Sunday, Feb. 4, Coach Yo and the Lady Rebels traveled into enemy territory — Columbia, S.C. — to take on the number one college women’s basketball team in the country. The South Carolina Gamecocks have bullied teams all season, and proved to be Ole Miss’ toughest competition yet.
In the heat of their three-game win streak, the Lady Rebels caught on fire during conference play. Ole Miss was evenly matched with South Carolina in the first half, the Rebels effectively utilizing their speed, length and defense as they have all season.
Sadly, whatever strengths the Rebels had, the Gamecocks had them in spades. South Carolina largely exhibited better execution and even utilized their bench better than the Rebels.
Many games are decided in the second half, and South Carolina exploded and never cooled down. Ole Miss fell to the Gamecocks 85-56 in an embarrassing show for the Rebels.
Forward Madison Scott and guard Marquesha Davis led Ole Miss in scoring with 17 and 10 points respectively. Scott nearly finished with a double-double in points and rebounds.
One issue that has plagued the Lady Rebels this season is turnovers, and it continued to haunt Ole Miss on Sunday. The Rebels committed an astonishing 21 turnovers to South Carolina’s 10. For Ole Miss to be able to compete against top teams, they must cut down on such errors.
This is unlikely to be the Lady Rebels’ last matchup against South Carolina this season. Both the conference and national tournament are still up for grabs, and Ole Miss has a solid chance to play in both.
The Lady Rebels are now 16-6 for the season and 6-3 in conference play. This match marks the end of their road stint, and they will return home to prepare for their next conference opponent, Texas A&M.
The Rebels and Aggies are set to face off in Oxford on Thursday, Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. Coverage will be available on SEC Network+ and play-by-play will be available on 105.1 FM.
