Defense powers women’s basketball to scrappy 57-38 win at Texas A&M
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin and the women’s basketball Rebels found the win column again in a scrappy 57-38 road victory over the Texas A&M Aggies in College Station Sunday afternoon.
In a game where the offense was not at its productive, Coach Yo’s trademark defense showed out, willing the team to its eighth straight win and a 4-0 start to SEC play.
The victory was not easy, but Coach Yo was grateful for that.
“We needed to win a game like that,” McPhee-McCuin said.
“We have been smooth-sailing for a while. These types of challenges are good for us because we get to find out who we are. This was a really good game for us to have a lot of lessons.”
Coach Yo on the win over A&M
If there is one thing that everyone knows about the 2022-23 women’s basketball team, it is that they are great on defense, and it showed Sunday. The Rebels held the Aggies to 34% shooting and forced 24 turnovers, leading to 25 points on the offensive end.
“Every time we got a stop, we were adamant about getting out on the floor and running,” McPhee-McCuin said.
The Rebels were quite successful in running the floor, outscoring the Aggies 24-4 in fastbreak points. However, Coach Yo believes there is still room for improvement in that area.
“I didn’t think we did a good job figuring out what to do after we ran. That is when we have to move the ball and find the best shot. That is something that we are just going to continue to work on.”
Coach Yo
The offensive stats were not what has been typical for the Rebels, as they shot 35% from the floor and 19% from the three-point arc, but a series of offensive runs, including a 19-2 run to end the first half, kept the Aggies out of the game.
However, Coach Yo consistently reiterated that the successes of those runs hinge upon the defensive efforts, especially coming out of halftime, where the Rebels scored only eight points but held the Aggies to 12.
“What I am proud of is even though we were awful offensively like in the third quarter, we still held them to the goal of 12 points or less defensively. You don’t have to have talent to guard. That is a toughness and character thing.”
Coach Yo on the Ole Miss defense
The Rebels were still able to have three scorers in double-digits, as guard Marquesha Davis, forward Snudda Collins, and forward Madison Scott each scored 11 points.
Guard Angel Baker, who has been hot on the offensive end lately, struggled in the scoring column with six points. However, she filled up the stat-sheet with eight assists, six rebounds, and five steals.
“She was off, which is fine,” McPhee-McCuin said about Baker. “One: we need to learn how to win when our ‘scorer’ is off. Two: six points, eight assists, five steals, that is pretty solid. Anytime Angel is on the floor, you have to worry about her.”
Up Next
The Rebels (15-2, 4-0 SEC) will look to extend their SEC and overall win streaks this Thursday (Jan. 12th) in Athens against the Georgia Bulldogs. Tipoff on SEC Network+ is set for 6 p.m. CT.
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!
