.png&width=32&height=32&type=webp)
The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
7-5
McNeese State
7-4
Sessom's Double-Double Leads Rebels Past McNeese State
12/19/2015 | Women's Basketball
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss leading scorer, Shandricka Sessom (Byhalia, Miss.) picked up her second consecutive double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds as the Ole Miss women's basketball team (7-5) picked up a 96-56 win over McNeese State on Saturday. Oxford native Erika Sisk also added 23 points for her first 20-point outing of the season.
For the first time this season, Ole Miss had two double-figure rebounders; Sessom added 10 and freshman Jonell Williams (Palatka, Fla.) contributed 10 rebounds - her second game of double figure rebounds this season.
The Rebels hit the ground running and after a 31-point first quarter were on cruise control. McNeese State (7-4) made it interesting in the third quarter, but never got closer than 23 points. Sisk was the little engine that could and from the outset of the game was all over the place on the defensive end and tallied 13 first-half points en route to her eighth career 20-point game.
Ole Miss' bench was outstanding and added 24 points including nine from Kiara Golden (Olive Branch, Miss.) who was 3-of-5 from long range - which tied her career high for three-point field goals.
Despite the Rebels scoring the first points of the third quarter, McNeese State came out with a renewed energy on the defensive and used a 14-0 run to take some momentum from the home team and keep them off the board for over four minutes at the third quarter media timeout. The home team dug in on defense and used their own 7-0 run punctuated with a triple from Sessom to take the momentum back and took a 73-42 lead into the fourth quarter.
The home team kept the pressure on into the second quarter and opened with a 5-0 burst and kept McNeese State off the board until the 7:14 mark of the second quarter. Ole Miss got some valuable production off the bench from Madinah Muhammad (Chicago, Ill.) and Kiara Golden (Olive Branch, Miss.) and each tallied six first-half points with Golden nailing two triples. Ole Miss extended its lead to 34, it's largest of the game with 1:34 left in the half and held a 55-21 advantage at halftime.
Ole Miss opened up a 5-2 lead early but the Cowgirls tied the game at 6-6 at the 6:13 mark of the first quarter. With the game knotted at 8-8 at the media timeout, Ole Miss went to Sisk who promptly forced three turnovers and held spark a 6-0 run for the home team putting the Rebels up 14-8 with 4:08 left in the quarter.
A pair of free throws from Jaylen Johnson ended the Ole Miss run, but Ole Miss leading scorer Sessom countered with a triple and kept the momentum with the home team as Ole Miss took a 31-13 lead at the end of the quarter and saw Sisk score 13 points to lead all scorers.
From The Head Coach
On the game…
"These games are always tough because you don't really know what to expect because everybody is ready to go home. Every one of our players is going home. Shequila Joseph and Cecilia Muhate Pena are flying out at five today. Tomorrow, they'll be with their moms in London, England, and Madrid, Spain. You worry if they're thinking about that and if they're going to be focused on here. McNeese State is picked to win their league. They have a good team. Erika Sisk came out and set the tone right away. She just had a phenomenal game. We've got a good basketball team. We're improving every day. We'll be ready in January. We're starting to get there, and I'm happy about that."
On Erika Sisk…
"When she's locked in and ready to go, she's the best defensive player in the country. There's not one better. I'm really proud of her being locked in and keeping her focus. She came out and set the tone. The other night against Tulane, the one thing that got lost was that Erika Sisk and A'Queen Hayes played their butts off. I'm really proud of our basketball team."
Rebel Sidelines
-This is the seventh overall meeting between the teams. Ole Miss moves to 6-1 with the win this afternoon and 5-0 in games played in Oxford. Tonight's game was the first on an opponent's home floor since 2003-04.
-Shandricka Sessom extended her double-figure scoring streak to 13 straight games with 22 points in Sessom is leading the Rebels with 18.5 ppg and has led Ole Miss in scoring on eight occasions and posted back-to-back 20-point games for the second time this season.
-McNeese is the final of three straight opponents from the state of Louisiana for the Rebels. Ole Miss is 2-1 in the stretch.
-Ole Miss is 3-0 in games played in the early afternoon in the Matt Insell era. The Rebels are also 3-3 this season in day games.
-Ole Miss started the same lineup that it used for the last two games with Erika Sisk, Shequila Joseph, Shandricka Sessom, Torri Lewis and A'Queen Hayes. The five moved to 2-1 with the win.
-Erika Sisk picked up her sixth game in double figures with 23 points. It was her second game in double figures in the last three outings and her first 20-point game this season.
-Kiara Golden posted a new career high for three-point FG's with four. Her 12 points is a season-high.
Up Next
The Rebels will take some time off before closing the non-conference slate against Alabama A&M on Dec. 29. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. will be broadcast on SECN+ with Richard Cross and Armintie Herrington on the call.
Next Five Games
12/29/15- vs. Alabama A&M 6 p.m.
1/3/16- vs. Vanderbilt 2 p.m.
1/7/16 - at LSU 7:30 p.m.
1/10/16 - vs. Florida* 1 p.m.
1/14/16 -at Texas A&M 7 p.m.
*Pavilion Grand opening weekend
Keep Up With the Rebels
Keep up to date with the Ole Miss women's basketball team throughout the season on social media. For all Ole Miss women's basketball news and information, go to OleMissSports.com, and follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissWBB, Facebook at Ole Miss WBB and on Instagram at Ole MissWBB. Fans can also follow Ole Miss women's basketball head coach Matt Insell on Twitter at @minsell.
