The Ole Miss women’s basketball team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks 89-50 on Thursday, Feb. 13 in Fayetteville.
Ole Miss has been up and down in its past three games, beating AP No. 8 Kentucky on Monday and No. 23 Vanderbilt on Feb. 2 but also losing to No. 15 Oklahoma.
Arkansas entered the game looking to get back on track after a three-game losing streak to Florida, Mississippi State and Georgia. Against the Georgia Bulldogs, the Razorbacks lost by just one point following a Georgia free throw with only one second remaining.
After the Razorbacks scored the opening basket on Thursday, the Rebs scored nine straight, aided by steals on back-to-back possessions. A catch-and-shoot three-pointer by Arkansas forward Jenna Lawrence as well as free throws by guard Izzy Higginbottom after a questionable foul call kept the Razorbacks in the game.
But the Rebels kept scoring: point guard Tameiya Sadler hit a pair of jump shots, and the Rebel forwards were dominant in the paint. Guard KK Deans hit a jumper as the quarter ended to put the Rebs up 22-11.
Arkansas guard Karly Keats opened the second quarter with four straight points, and the Razorbacks cut the Rebel lead to just seven. But once the Rebels stopped settling on three-point shots and began driving, their scoring continued. Forward Christeen Iwuala continued to command the paint; Deans beat her defender off the dribble for an easy floater.
In what was perhaps the play of the game, Rebel forward Madison Scott blocked Razorback forward Danika Galea’s three-point attempt and scored a breakaway on the other end.
Sadler shot 3-4 on triples in the first half, scoring 13 points. The Rebels closed out the half on a 23-4 run, putting them ahead 48-23.
The Rebels did not let up after the half. Just under the four-minute mark in the third quarter, Scott buried a jumper in transition to earn a double-double in points and rebounds – the fourth of her career against the Razorbacks.
Rebel steals led to easy baskets on the other end. The Rebels played unselfishly, logging 17 assists by the end of the third quarter and creating good offensive looks. Going into the fourth, the Rebs had widened their lead to 71-33.
Ole Miss ended up winning 89-50. Four Ole Miss players finished in double figures; the Rebels made 10 three-pointers, a good sign for a team that has struggled to shoot beyond the arc.
Ole Miss will return to action against AP No. 15 Tennessee on Sunday.
