In their latest outing on the hardwood on Thursday, Feb. 29, the Ole Miss Women’s Basketball team thrashed the University of Kentucky in a 30-point win during which the Wildcats never really had a chance. From start to finish, the Lady Rebels controlled the pace, physicality and flow of the game, leading up to their 75-45 win.
The Lady Rebels had already dominated the University of Missouri on the road earlier this week, winning 66-45, so they were more than ready for whatever the Lady Wildcats had in store.
The Rebels came into this matchup third in the conference at 20-7 overall and 10-4 in the SEC.
The Wildcats sat near the bottom of the conference at 11-18 overall and 4-11 SEC. Despite having a home-court advantage, Kentucky could not keep up, and they were outmatched in every facet of the game.
Offensive MVP: Madison Scott
Forward Madison Scott played impressively the whole game, scoring a total of 16 points. Scott also had six assists, which only added to the already massive point gap for the Rebels. She finished 8-for-16 when the clock hit zero.
Defensive MVP: Kennedy Todd-Williams
Guard Kennedy Todd-Williams helped the defense out tremendously, playing a key role in keeping the Lady Wildcats under 50 points. She had an impressive eight rebounds, five of those being defensive rebounds. Todd-Williams also had a steal, which was a product of the high energy she exhibited throughout the game.
Areas needing improvement: three-point shooting, turnovers and fouls
While the Rebels were efficient in scoring free throws and field goals, they struggled with their three-point shooting. The Lady Rebels only made 28.6% of their attempted three-pointers, which was a significantly lower percentage than the 35.7% they managed in their previous game against the Missouri Tigers.
The Rebels also had issues with turnovers, as they coughed up 13 in this match. This number needs to be reduced if Ole Miss wants a deep run in the postseason.
Fouls continued to be a problem. Ole Miss committed 20 fouls against the Wildcats, an amount that could spell trouble for the Rebels after the regular season. The team will need to ensure that none of its players are in foul trouble when it is time to either win or go home.
What’s next?
The Rebels will travel back to the SJB Pavillion to play their last game of the season on Sunday, March 3, at 3 p.m. CST, hosting the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks.
