The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

WITH just two games remaining until the end of the NCAA Division 1 season, coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin and the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Rebels have turned it up a notch to reel off four straight wins.

The team’s latest victory came against the Missouri Tigers in a 66-45 blowout at the Mizzou Arena on Monday.

The seventh win of the last 10 games helped the Lady Rebels to claim their 20th win for the third consecutive season and a double-bye in next month’s Southeastern Conference Tournament.

“Coach Yo” and her team are also chasing history as no other Rebels team has earned 12 wins in the SEC and with just two wins separating the 10-4 (SEC record) team, they are locked in.

“We are on a mission. We knew tonight that if we won we would clinch a double bye and that’s like the golden ticket in SEC play and Missouri just happened to be on the schedule next. We had two really good days of great practice. We were focused on trying to get stops every possession and I didn’t have to really say much. Our team did most of the talking.

“Ole Miss hadn’t won 12 games in conference play in its history so that is what we are chasing and we have two more games.

“It’s gonna be tough, this is our three-game week but there’s no excuses, every team has it and this is our turn,” the Grand Bahama native said.

The 2023 Battle 4 Atlantis women’s champions meant business against the Tigers on the defensive end. The 20-7 (win/loss record) team has prided themselves on stingy defence and that was on full display Monday night.

Coach Yo’s team held Missouri to their lowest scoring half of the season with their 26-17 lead at the break.

After a low scoring second quarter by the Tigers, they managed to put up 16 to the Rebels’ 18 in the third.

However, a 22-12 fourth quarter surge by the Lady Rebels helped them to put their opponents away by 21 points.

McPhee-McCuin talked about the collective effort on defence displayed by the Southeastern Conference team.

“They make it very difficult to defend them. I was just really proud of our team. Two years ago we came here and did not allow them to make a three and we wanted to recreate that again and so our team was incredibly passionate about taking away the three and making them have to floor it. Holding them to 17 points in the half is beautiful basketball for a team that takes pride on the defensive end,” she said.

The Lady Rebels, who are just one win away from clinching the third seed, did not allow Missouri to hit any of their seven attempts from deep. Additionally, they outrebounded their opponents 42 to 28 and dominated the offensive glass 18 to 5.

The team collectively dished out 10 helpers and poked the ball away eight times on the night. The defensive masterclass against Missouri made it the fourth time Ole Miss held a power five team under 50 points this season.

Snudda Collins, who returned from injury, paced the team with a game-high 14 points.

Prior to Monday night, the Lady Rebels collected wins against the Florida Gators, Mississippi State Bulldogs and Georgia Bulldogs.

“Coach Yo” and the team will look to knock off the Kentucky Wildcats and Arkansas Razorbacks to make Rebels history.

They matchup against the Wildcats at 7pm on Thursday.