Ole Miss (19-6, 7-5 SEC) picked up its second win over Texas A&M this season (14-11, 4-9 SEC) Thursday night in the SJB Pavilion. The Rebels defeated the Aggies 74-54 and stayed ahead the entire game. This was Ole Miss’s first regular season sweep over Texas A&M in program history.
The Rebels showed a full team effort against the Aggies, with three players scoring in double digits. Hitting four of its first five shots, Ole Miss came out ready to play. The Rebels’ lockdown defense, along with its strong play on the boards, kept the offensive rhythm flowing the entire game. The Rebels outrebounded the Aggies 10 to one halfway through the first quarter. Three different Rebels hit shots from beyond the arc before half, putting them ahead 35-19 heading into the locker room. The Rebels outshot the Aggies 41% to 29% at the half.
The Aggies did not let up, coming within 10 points with seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. However, the Rebel offense stayed hot, draining five shots on seven attempts to secure the 74-54 victory.
Along with a huge win and season sweep, it was also a monumental night for both Shakira Austin and Head Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin. Austin earned her 1000th career rebound and Coach Yo earned her 50th win at Ole Miss.
Lashonda Monk had a great night as well, leading the Rebels with 19 points and pulling down seven rebounds. Madison Scott gained her fourth double-double of the year with 13 points and 14 rebounds. Austin came out with 12 points, her 18th game in double-figures this season. Red-shirt senior Mimi Reid also contributed nine points to the win and an SEC-best six assists.
“I didn’t know that I had 50 wins,” Coach Yo said. “This is why I came here. I told my team a couple of days ago I wanna win a national championship at Ole Miss. We can’t skip steps. Fifty wins has been a long journey, it has been tough with highs and lows. I am thankful for people like Maddy, Monk and Kira, all my coaches for believing in my vision and being a part of that cause I could not do it without them. That means a lot.”
Ole Miss will travel to Nashville, Tennessee, on Sunday (Feb. 20) to face off against the Vanderbilt Commodores. Game time is set for 2 p.m. CST and will be available to watch on SEC Network+.
