Mississippi forward Tia Faleru (32) grabs a rebound past Southern guards Ashley Williams (10) and Britney Washington (21) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Oxford, Miss., Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014. (Photo/Thomas Graning)
Ole Miss finished the game on a 15-2 run, as the Rebels (3-0) pulled away for a 91-68 win over Southern on Thursday night. Four players finished in double figures, paced by the senior forward duo of Tia Faleru and Danielle McCray.
Faleru led all players with a season-high 29 points and a career-high 19 rebounds, two points shy of her career high in points. It was her second double-double of the season and the 21st of her career, moving her into sole possession of seventh place on the school’s all-time double-doubles list.
“I’m really excited about getting that win,” head coach Matt Insell said. “I know it was a grind there for a little bit, but we pushed it out there at the end because of our defense.”
McCray was a rebound shy of a double-double, finishing with a career-high 18 points and a season-high nine rebounds, while junior guard Gracie Frizzell and freshman guard Kiara Golden added 13 points and 11 points, respectively.
Faleru and McCray also helped Ole Miss to a 59-36 rebounding advantage, including 27-15 on the offensive glass, which helped the Rebels overcome a 41 percent shooting night and 22 turnovers.
“She brought intensity, and I came along with her,” said Faleru of McCray. “The more energy she had, the more energy I had, and that’s what led the team today. That’s what seniors do. They step up in crunch-time.”
Ole Miss jumped out to a 13-5 lead by the first media timeout, stretching the lead to 20-7, but Southern battled back, drawing to within four points and keeping the Rebels’ lead in single digits for much of the half.
The Rebels shot just 28 percent (12-of-43) from the field and committed 16 turnovers on the way to a 38-32 halftime lead. McCray led all players with 11 first-half points, while Faleru led the way with 11 rebounds.
“We got really sped up early on and we got careless with the basketball and turned it over,” Insell said. “We had 16 turnovers at the half and that’s not us. We don’t do that. I talked to them about slowing down and not playing so timid and scared, but playing relaxed, and they did that in the second half.”
Ole Miss battled foul trouble in the second half, as freshman guards Toree Thompson and A’Queen Hayes picked up their respective fourth personal fouls before the first media timeout. Without Thompson and Hayes, senior guard Amber Singletary stepped in at the point, and the Rebels leaned on Faleru, who responded with 24 second-half points.
Southern got to within one, down 51-50 with 14:46 left, and kept it close before Ole Miss pulled away late. The Rebels pushed the lead to 10, 74-64, on a pair of free throws from Faleru with 5:24 and led by double digits the rest of the way.
The Ole Miss women’s basketball team is back in action Sunday when they welcome Middle Tennessee State to the Tad Smith Coliseum. The Rebels and Blue Raiders will tip off at 3 p.m. in the first game of a doubleheader with the men’s team who will take on Northern Arizona.
