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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
2-1
Arizona
3-0
Arizona Tops Ole Miss, 72-70
11/18/2010 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 18, 2010
OXFORD, Miss. - Despite three players scoring in double figures the Ole Miss women's basketball team fell to Arizona, 72-70, Thursday night.
With the loss Ole Miss fell to 2-1 on the year while Arizona improved to 3-0. Valencia McFarland scored a career-high 20 points while Kayla Melson added 19 and LaTosha Laws scored 14.
Arizona jumped out to a six-point lead, 14-8, before Ole Miss' Shae Nelson hit a three to cut the Wildcats' lead in half, 14-11. The Rebels went up by six, 22-16, with 8:08 left in the first half on a layup by Nikki Byrd.
Arizona cut the lead to two before Ole Miss went up by seven on a three pointer by McFarland with 5:06 left in the half. The Wildcats tied the game at 33-33 with 43 seconds remaining in the half as Arizona went into the half leading 38-35.
McFarland led Ole Miss at the half with 15 points. As a team Ole Miss shot 41.2 percent (14-of-34) from the floor while Arizona shot 41.7 percent (15-of-36).
Ole Miss opened the second half on a 12-3 run to go up 41-47 on Laws' three pointer with 17:01 left in the game. Laws' layup with 12:42 left put Ole Miss on top, 57-47.
The Wildcats went on a 13-5 run to tie the game at 64-64 with 4:17 to play. Arizona went up 66-64 with 3:35 remaining but the Rebels weren't able to get closer than two the rest of the game as the Wildcats posted the 72-70 win.
"This was a game we let get away," head coach Renee Ladner said. "I am extremely proud of the effort and intensity tonight. Take away two turnovers and a missed put back late and we walk away with a win for a young team. Tonight we took a big step in the right direction."
Nikki Byrd recorded a team-high eight boards for Ole Miss while Pa'Sonna Hope recorded seven. McFarland also recorded a team-high seven assists to tie her career high.
The Rebels ended the game shooting 44.8 percent (30-of-67) from the floor while the Wildcats shot 43.5 percent (30-of-69).
Ole Miss will host Nicholls State on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
