Tia Faleru shoots over Lousiana Tech’s Chrisstasia Walter during Wednesday’s game. Photo: Thomas Graning, The Daily Mississippian
Thousands of kids packed Tad Smith Coliseum Wednesday afternoon for the 11th annual School Kids Game, and their rowdiness made a difference, as Ole Miss notched their fifth win in a row by defeating Louisiana Tech, 79-68.
The Rebels used a big first half to take a 39-26 lead into the locker room at halftime to take control of the game and never look back.
“This is a big win for us,” Ole Miss head coach Matt Insell said. “(Louisiana Tech) is going to win a lot of basketball games this season. For us to come out in the first half and dominate the way we did, that’s a true credit to our team.”
Ole Miss (6-4) out shot 50 percent for the game, while Louisiana Tech (1-6) was just 37.1 percent from the floor. The Rebels dominated inside, outscoring the Techsters 44-28 in the paint. Ole Miss also outscored Louisiana Tech 20-2 on fast breaks.
Junior forward Tia Faleru led Ole Miss offensively with 19 points on 8 of 13 shooting. She also grabbed six rebounds. Senior point guard Valencia McFarland, senior guard Diara Moore and junior guard Danielle McCray also reached double figures, giving Ole Miss a balanced offensive attack.
Ole Miss’ five-game winning streak is the longest winning streak since the Rebels won five in a row in the 2010-11 season. They haven’t won more than five consecutive games since the 2008-09 season.
Insell credits the current win streak to his players buying into his program and giving it their all every day.
“I see it the way they go about their business every single day,” Insell said. “I don’t have to yell at them to get them going. They’re getting out there and going on their own. They’re getting themselves prepared every single day, and they’re starting to believe in themselves.”
The kids at the game were a part of more than an Ole Miss win. The announced attendance of 4,491 was the third largest crowd at Tad Smith Coliseum for a women’s basketball game.
Ole Miss returns to action on Saturday, as they host Mississippi Valley State at noon.
For continuing coverage of Ole Miss women’s basketball, follow @thedm_sports on Twitter.
— David Collier
thedmsports@gmail.com
