After a near thirty-point loss against the No. 1 ranked South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday, Feb. 4, the Lady Rebels attempted to bounce back against the 15-5 Texas A&M Aggies on Thursday, Feb. 8.
After a competitive first half, a woeful third quarter proved to be insurmountable for the Lady Rebels as the Aggies coasted to a 72-53 victory.
After two blowout losses, there are some key areas that need improvement as Ole Miss gets set to play Florida next week.
Rebounding
Crashing the glass is crucial to winning almost any match, but this especially stood out on Thursday night. The Lady Rebels struggled shooting from the field, cashing in on just 36% of their shots.
Shooting slumps like this are unavoidable for any team, but it is incredibly important to patch up bad shooting nights with other areas that are easier to control, such as rebounding. If the Lady Rebels want to survive the inevitable rough scoring patches, they need to shore up their work on the glass.
Limit the Opponent’s Possession
Ole Miss coughed up 15 turnovers and allowed 16 offensive rebounds, stats that would prove deadly on a night where the Aggies hit 45% of their field goals and a scorching 40% of their threes.
As stated, offensive slumps are part of the game, as well as times where the other team simply has the hot shooting hand. What is under the Lady Rebel’s control, though, is how many times the opponent will get a chance to score.
After allowing 20 points off turnovers and an untold amount of damage of offensive boards, Coach Yo will surely be emphasizing ball security heading into next week’s game.
Keep Up the Fight
One thing that can be said about The Lady Rebels is that they do not give up easily. No, even after a pitiful seven point third quarter, Coach Yo’s squad fought till the buzzer sounded. Notching 10 steals, seven blocks and playing overall scrappy defense with 13 fouls, the Lady Rebels gave all they had even on a dreadful shooting night.
As the Aggies seemed to make every shot they chucked up, the game plan remained the same for Ole Miss: Do all you can. While it did not end up mattering in tonight’s game, as the season wears on this attitude is vital for a 16-7 Rebels team that is still optimistic for things to come.
