Women’s Basketball Looks to Extend Win Streak at Ole Miss

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri women’s basketball team looks to extend its winning streak with a trip to Oxford, Miss. on Thursday where the Tigers have a matchup against Ole Miss. First tip from the Sandy and John Black Pavilion is scheduled for 6 p.m., and the contest will be broadcast on SECN+ and KTGR.

Mizzou embarks on its last road trip of the regular season with a 17-10 overall record with a 6-8 standing in SEC play. The Tigers improved their record Monday night on the road against Texas A&M with a 61-35 win in College Station, Texas. Paired with a win last Thursday night against Mississippi State, Mizzou has won consecutive games for the first time since winning three straight against Kentucky, Auburn and Alabama to open conference play.

The Tigers collectively played stingy defense, as the Aggies’ 35 points were the fewest Mizzou has allowed this season. With Texas A&M shooting just 26.4 percent, the Tigers held their opponent’s field goal percentage to under 30 percent for the fourth time this season and the first time in conference play.

While the defense was stout for all 40 minutes, Mizzou played one of its strongest defensive halves ever in the first half, allowing just 10 points heading into the break. The Tigers only allowed four points in the opening quarter, the fewest points Mizzou has allowed in a quarter since permitting two first-quarter points against Auburn on Jan. 27, 2019.

On the offensive end, three Tigers netted double figures in the point column, led by freshman guard Ashton Judd. The first-year player dropped 16 to lead Mizzou in scoring for the first time in her career. Judd caught fire from the field, shooting 7-of-8, while pacing the team in rebounding with seven boards.

The West Plains, Mo. native earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors on Tuesday.

Joining Judd in scoring at the top of the Mizzou scoring leaderboard were senior forward Hayley Frank and graduate guard Haley Troup. The upperclassmen scored 11 points apiece while each shooting over 50 percent from the field.

With a 4-of-8 shooting performance, Frank has now made at least half of her field goals in five of her last six contests.

Mizzou holds a commanding all-time series lead over Ole Miss entering Thursday’s showdown. The Tigers are up 12-2 and won their first 12 games over the Rebels since joining the SEC in 2013. However, Ole Miss snapped Mizzou’s winning streak last year, taking a 61-45 decision in Columbia last February.

Last year’s win was part of a resurgence from the Rebels, who had one of their best seasons of the 21st century in 2021-22. Ole Miss won 23 games, its first 20-win season since 2006-07, and earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since that 06-07 campaign.

This year, the Rebels picked up where they left off and currently hold a 20-7 overall record alongside a 9-5 conference mark. Ole Miss is coming off the toughest week in its schedule, where it had to face No. 5 LSU on the road and host No. 1 South Carolina. While losing both contests, the Rebels only fell by single digits in both contests, falling in the latter matchup in overtime.

Head Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, now in her fifth season in Oxford, has orchestrated the recent turnaround. She has accumulated an even 73-73 record at Ole Miss and a 167-136 overall head coaching record. 

Three players on the roster average at least 10 points, with senior guard Angel Baker leading the charge with 15.1 points per game.

Ole Miss boasts one of the top defenses in the conference, as it ranks second in the conference with 55.6 points allowed per game. The Rebels also rank fourth in the conference in rebounding average, snatching 42.7 boards per contest. 

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