Angel Baker, Rebel defense come alive in 61-50 win at Mississippi State

OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss women’s basketball team improved to 2-0 in SEC play with an impressive 61-50 win on the road against Mississippi State Sunday night.

The win, highlighted by a monster second-half defensive performance, marked the first time the Rebels have beaten the Bulldogs in Starkville since 2007.

(Click here for box score.)

Head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin has built her team on defending at a high level, and Sunday’s win was a defining performance for the development of her defense.

Down 29-26 at the half, the Rebels outscored Mississippi State 35-21 in the second half, including giving up a mere six points in the fourth quarter. Ole Miss held the Bulldogs to 27% shooting in the second half and 35% shooting for the game.

The Rebel defense also recorded 10 steals, leading to 18 fast break points. They also outrebounded the Bulldogs 37-36, including 30-26 on the defensive boards. This defensive rebounding margin was 16-8 in favor of the Rebels in the second half.

The Ole Miss offense started off slowly, including shooting 3-17 from the three-point line in the first half. The team had averaged 18 three-point attempts per game, so the commitment to the three-ball was unusual for the offense. However, the Rebel offense settled down in the second half.

The Rebel offense relied on the two-point shot in the second half, which allowed them to get into a better rhythm offensively. They shot 50% from the field (14-28) in the second half as opposed to 35% (11-31) in the first half. They also went 2-5 from beyond the arc in the second half.

Guard Angel Baker was the focal point on offense for the Rebels. She scored 22 points on 9-17 FGs, including 12 points in a third-quarter explosion. Baker continues to be the primary scorer for the Rebels. She also rounded out a double-double with 10 rebounds. 

And Baker says she’s got it, now with 20 points and an Ole Miss lead of 47-44! pic.twitter.com/gZJ9NjLbl7

— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) January 2, 2023

Forward Madison Scott was the other scorer in the double-digits for the Rebels with 15 points on 7-10 FGs. She was one rebound short of a double-double with nine.

Here are the updated SEC standings following Sunday’ games:

The Current SEC Women’s Standings: pic.twitter.com/sEYju0aecj

— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) January 2, 2023

Next Up:

The Rebels (13-2, 2-0 SEC) will be back in Oxford this Thursday (Jan. 5) against the Vanderbilt Commodores. Tipoff at the SJB Pavilion is set for 6 p.m. on SEC Network+.

(Feature image credit: Ole Miss Women’s Basketball)

Trevor Terminie

Trevor is a senior at Ole Miss pursuing a degree in Journalism with an emphasis in Sports Communication and Promotion. He has previous experience covering sports for another site, including a variety of Ole Miss sports. Growing up in New Orleans, La., he has the Pelicans and Saints running through his blood. He also grew up in an LSU family, but his love for Ole Miss continues to grow. Trevor hopes to cover sports back in his hometown after college. Laissez les bons temps rouler!