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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
4-1
Gonzaga
2-3
Women's Hoops Wins Thriller Over Gonzaga
11/26/2010 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 26, 2010
HONOLULU, Hawaii - Down by as many as 10 in the second half, the Ole Miss women's basketball team fought back to post a 53-52 win over Gonzaga in the first game of the Waikiki Beach Marriott Rainbow Wahine Classic.
Down 51-52 with 10 seconds left, the Rebels Valencia McFarland drove the length of the floor and scored with four seconds left to give Ole Miss the win.
With the win Ole Miss improved to 4-1 while Gonzaga fell to 2-3.
The Rebels took their first lead of the game, 48-46, on free throws from Melson with 2:33 to play. The lead went back-and-forth over the last two minutes of the game.
Kayla Melson scored 18 points and recorded seven rebounds while Nikki Byrd scored eight points and added 13 boards.
The Rebels ended the game shooting 32.8 percent (20-of-61) from the floor while Gonzaga shot 34.9 percent (22-of-63). Ole Miss outrebounded Gonzaga 48-29.
Gonzaga jumped out to a 12-0 lead with 14:15 remaining in the first half before Melson's layup cut the Bulldogs' lead to 16-9 with 9:24 to play.
Gonzaga pushed its lead to nine points, 20-11, but a fast-break jumper from Courtney Marbra cut the lead to six, 20-14, with just under five minutes left in the half.
The Bulldogs took a 26-18 lead at the half. Melson led the Rebels at the half with 10 points while Pa'Sonna Hope grabbed a career-high eight rebounds.
Ole Miss shot just 27.6 percent (8-of-19) in the first half while Gonzaga shot 38.7 percent (12-of-31).
The Rebels came out in the second half and cut the Bulldogs lead to four, 28-24, on a steal by McFarland and a fast-break layup from LaTosha Laws with 18:01 left to play. Gonzaga pushed its lead to 10 points, 39-29, with 12:28 remaining.
Ole Miss used an 8-0 run capped by a pair of free throws from Nikki Byrd to cut the lead to one, 42-41, with 7:19 to play.
The Rebels will play the winner of the Hawaii/NC Central game which is being played at 11 p.m. CT tonight. If Hawaii wins Ole Miss will play at 11 p.m. CT and if NC Central wins Ole Miss will play at 6:30 p.m. CT.
