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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
7-3
Mississippi Valley State
2-6
Ole Miss Tops Mississippi Valley State
12/15/2010 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 15, 2010
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss used a 17-7 run over the final 4:40 of the game to pull away from Mississippi Valley State as the Rebels beat the Devilettes, 68-57 Wednesday night.
With the win, Ole Miss improved to 7-3 while Mississippi Valley State fell to 2-6.
Nikki Byrd led Ole Miss with a season-high 16 points and seven boards while Pa'Sonna Hope recorded her first career double-double with 11 points and a career-high 15 boards. Kayla Melson and Kenyotta Jenkins each added 10 points and eight rebounds for Ole Miss. Melson also added eight assists and three steals.
The Rebels went up by nine, 18-9, on a putback from Pa'Sonna Hope with 10:11 to play but the Devilettes cut Ole Miss' lead to two, 23-21, with 6:34 left in the half.
The Rebels pushed its lead to six on a free throw from Nikki Byrd with 5:03 remaining but Mississippi Valley State used a 6-2 run to close the gap to two at the half, 29-27.
Ole Miss shot 35.5 percent (11-of-31) from the floor in the first half while Mississippi Valley State shot 36.7 percent (11-of-30).
Byrd scored Ole Miss' first six points of the second half as the Rebels went up eight, 35-27. The Devilettes cut the lead to one, 38-37, with just over 14 minutes to play.
Ole Miss went on a 9-0 run capped by a pair of free throws from LaTosha Laws to go ahead 49-40 with 8:27 to play.
After having its lead cut to one with 4:40 to play, Tori Slusher's jumper put the Rebels on top seven with two minutes to play.
The Rebels shot 35.3 percent (24-of-68) from the floor for the game while the Devilettes shot 38.5 percent (25-of-65). Ole Miss outrebounded Mississippi Valley State 49-38 marking the ninth consecutive game the Rebels have recorded at least 40 rebounds in a game.
"We didn't play well or consistently," Ole Miss head coach Renee Ladner said. "Mississippi Valley State can shoot the ball very well and we were gambling. Part of it was probably not having good chemistry with how many lineups we had in. Tonight we tried to find a bright spot and we need to get healthy again. When Valencia came in it moved Kayla from the point to the two and it changed the game."
Ole Miss will play at Central Michigan on Saturday at 1 p.m. followed by a home game on December 21 against Miami at Noon. Admission to the Miami game is free.
