The Ole Miss Rebels ended their NCAA Tournament run in Spokane with a crushing loss in the Sweet 16 to No.1 seed UCLA Bruins 76-62.
The Rebels had three players enter double digits, and Tameiya Sadler led the way with 14 points. The other two players were KK Deans and Kennedy Todd-Williams, both of whom had 13 points.
First half
Both teams missed their first shots of the game, with UCLA striking first off free throws. The Rebels were unable to score for the first four minutes of the game, as a very strong UCLA team showcased their strength. Deans scored the first basket for the Rebels — a three to get them on the board.
As a whole, Ole Miss struggled to make shots, only making two halfway through the first half. The Rebels continued to play at a disadvantage, but they slowly made ground. The first quarter ended with Ole Miss being down seven against the No. 1 seed, a lead that was not insurmountable.
The Rebels started out the second quarter on a roll, cutting their deficit to four. The lead was then cut to two, and their offense was alive. The Bruins continued to hold a narrow four-point lead, with the Rebels staying close the entire time.
The Rebels finished the half off with a bang, closing the lead to a single point at the end of the half. Ole Miss went into the half down 30-29.
Second half
Ole Miss started out the second half on another scoring drought, much like the beginning of the game, allowing UCLA to push their lead further.
UCLA’s lead grew to double digits, spelling doom halfway through the third quarter for the Rebels. Ole Miss entered the fourth quarter down 11 points, a tough gap for the Rebels to return from.
UCLA continued to grow their lead, and it became too much for the Rebels. Ole Miss lost 76-62, thus eliminating them from the NCAA Tournament.
