Ole Miss drops game to Hogs at SEC Women’s Tournament
The Rebel Walk has the latest update on the Ole Miss Women’s Basketball team and its journey to Little Rock and the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament.
Wintry weather
The day started with the breakfast buffet at the team’s Wyndham Hotel in Little Rock. Afterwards, the players loaded the bus and made the short trip to the Verizon Arena. Fortunately, the trip was only four blocks; travel much farther than that would have been difficult because the winter weather had left an inch-and-a-half of sleet, covered by four inches of snow.
Not our day
Tip-off for the matchup with Arkansas was at 12 noon, but it just wasn’t meant to be for the Lady Rebels today, as they lost a 72-61 game to the Razorbacks.
Senior Tia Faleru led the way with 19 points, 12 of those coming in the second half. Danielle McCray posted a team-best five rebounds. A’Queen Hayes was also in double figures with 12 points and a career-best six assists, while Little Rock native Gracie Frizzell added 11 points for her fourth straight game in double figures.
Coach Insell: “It’s been a good year for Ole Miss.”
Following the game, Coach Insell met with the media and explained how proud he is of his team:
For where we were at to start the year, what a lot of people thought about us, to finish tied for seventh in the league, to do the things we’ve done this year, it’s been a good year for Ole Miss. It’s been a really good year for Ole Miss women’s basketball. We are proud Rebels up here. We’re not happy we lost. We win with class and we lose with class at Ole Miss. — Head Coach Matt Insell
Insell said the Rebels are not done, as they will play in the upcoming NIT Tournament. “I’m real proud of my basketball team,” he said. “When the game was over, we talked in the locker room we’re going to the NIT to win it.”
The journey continues
The Rebels head coach said his team will continue to improve–regardless of those who doubted them at the beginning of the season.
“We’ll get better from this. We’ll grow from this. We’ll take a couple days off. In terms of our process, in terms of where we’re going with our program, if you had a vote, you voted us 14th in the league. We were unanimous. We laughed at you guys then, and we are still laughing now. And the coaches who voted us 14th? We still laugh at them, too.” – Head Coach Matt Insell
After the loss, the team went back to the hotel to change clothes, before later returning to the Verizon Arena to watch more tournament games. They saw the Georgia vs. Missouri game and the Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt contest.
Weather delays
The team’s return to Oxford is being hampered by the ice and cold. Conditions were not safe enough to allow a trip home after the game, so the players are staying in Little Rock until the weather is better. The coaches and bus company will make a travel decision at noon Friday.
Hotty Toddy!
Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn's love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception.
