The Ole Miss women’s basketball team upset the No.1-seed Stanford to move on to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament. The Rebels had a historic victory over Stanford, holding them to 33% shooting, and forcing 21 turnovers. The win was sealed with clutch free-throws from Scott, Davis, and Taylor. Coach Yo is ecstatic about the win and promised her team plenty of time to celebrate before preparing for their next opponent. The defense was the standout for the Rebels, and Coach Yo was elated that her defense was able to close out the game. Madison Scott credited the team’s ability to knock down crucial free throws to their composure and preparation for a hostile environment. Angel Baker said that the team’s defense was true to their overall identity. The Rebels’ expectations have skyrocketed, and Coach Yo is excited to see what her team can accomplish in the NCAA Tournament. Ole Miss women’s basketball will face either Texas or Louisville in the Sweet Sixteen in Seattle.
Ole Miss Women’s Basketball Secures Upset Over No.1-Seeded Stanford to Move on to the Sweet Sixteen of NCAA Tournament
In a stunning upset of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, the No.8 seeded Ole Miss women’s basketball team defeated the No.1 seeded Stanford team 54-49 in a wire-to-wire victory at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, California.
The Rebels’ win marked their first time advancing to the Sweet Sixteen since 2007 and, more impressively, resulted in the first loss by a one-seed in the NCAA Tournament’s first two rounds since Duke in 2009. Ole Miss will now face the winner of the Texas vs Louisville game this Friday.
Ole Miss Defensive Dominance
Ole Miss set the tone early on with their defense, holding Stanford to 38% shooting in the first half while only allowing one three-pointer. The Rebels also forced 12 turnovers, resulting in 10 points. Furthermore, despite Stanford recording eight blocks, Ole Miss blocked five shots of their own.
In the second quarter, the Rebel defense was at its best, allowing a mere seven points, with Stanford not scoring any points in the final 6:28 of the first half. During that period, Ole Miss forced five turnovers and eight missed shots.
Angel Baker Leads the Charge
On the offensive end, Angel Baker shone in the first quarter, leading all scorers in the opening frame with seven points, and finishing the first half with nine points.
Freshman guard Ayanna Thompson, coming off the bench, contributed to the Rebels’ five made three-pointers, with three of those made by her. She also matched Baker’s first-half scoring with nine points.
Ole Miss attempted 14 more shots than Stanford in the first half due to 12 offensive rebounds, compared to only two from Stanford.
Commanding Lead
Thanks to their stifling defense combined with a hot three-point offense, Ole Miss took a commanding 29-20 lead into halftime, marking Stanford’s largest halftime deficit of the season.
In the third quarter, the Rebels’ defense continued to dominate, holding Stanford to 3-15 shooting, while also forcing four more turnovers, leading to nine points. Ole Miss extended its halftime lead to 13 points, 38-25, with just over five minutes to go in the third.
Cardinal’s Comeback Attempt
However, Stanford was not willing to go down without a fight. In the fourth quarter, they cut the Rebel lead to three within the first minute-and-a-half. Despite an Angel Baker and Madison Scott-led 5-0 run that extended the Ole Miss lead to eight points, Stanford responded with an 8-0 run, tying the game at 49 with only 1:16 remaining.
Ultimately, Ole Miss held on to their lead, securing their spot in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.
Ole Miss Women’s Basketball Scores Historic Upset Over Stanford to Advance to Sweet Sixteen of NCAA Tournament
The No.8 seeded Ole Miss women’s basketball team pulled off a stunning upset against the No.1 seeded Stanford team with a 54-49 victory in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The game took place at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, California, where the Rebels secured their first Sweet Sixteen appearance since 2007.
Rebel Defense Shines
The Rebels established their defensive dominance early on by holding Stanford to 38% shooting in the first half and forcing 12 turnovers. Ole Miss also blocked five shots of their own, making it tough for Stanford to get into a rhythm. The Rebel defense remained formidable in the second quarter, allowing only seven points and forcing five turnovers and eight missed shots.
Angel Baker Leads Offense
On the offensive end, Angel Baker led the charge in the first quarter with seven points, finishing the first half with nine points. Freshman guard Ayanna Thompson also made an impact, contributing to the Rebels’ five made three-pointers. Ole Miss took a commanding 29-20 lead into halftime, thanks to their stifling defense combined with a hot three-point offense.
Victory by the Numbers
Three Rebels finished in double-figures, with Baker leading the way with 13 points on 5-18 shooting. Marquesha Davis added 12 points with four rebounds, while Madison Scott finished with 11 points and went 5-6 from the free-throw line.
Overall, Ole Miss shot 30% from the field and did not make a single three-pointer in the second half. However, their 11-14 performance from the free-throw line proved to be the difference late in the game.
Standout Defense and Emotions
Defensively, the Rebels held Stanford to 33% shooting for the game, 27 points below their per-game scoring average. They also forced 21 turnovers, leading to 24 points. The Rebels outrebounded the Cardinal 44-39 and 20-13 on the offensive boards, despite being outsized.
Rebel head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin was overjoyed after the win, expressing her love for her team and their ability to take down a historic program like Stanford.
The defense was the standout once again for the Rebels, and Coach Yo was elated that her defense was able to close out the game as opposed to a struggling offense. The Rebels’ disciplined defense showed that they could handle Stanford’s size and length, and Coach Yo was proud of how her team executed the game plan.
Taking down the all-time winningest coach in women’s basketball history in Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer was a special moment for Coach Yo personally.
Players’ Thoughts
Angel Baker credited the team’s confidence to the schedule they faced this season, saying that they were battle-tested and knew who they were from the start.
Madison Scott said that the team’s confidence to make free-throws down the stretch came from their coaches.
Up Next
The Rebels will face the winner of the Texas vs Louisville game in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.
After an upset win against No.1-seed Stanford, the Ole Miss women’s basketball team is heading to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament. Madison Scott credited the team’s ability to knock down crucial free throws to their composure and preparation for a hostile environment. Angel Baker said that the team’s defense was true to their overall identity. Coach Yo was ecstatic about the win and promised her team plenty of time to celebrate before preparing for their next opponent.
Celebrating the Victory
Coach Yo promised her team plenty of time to celebrate the historic upset win over Stanford. She said they will party like it’s 1999 and party again tomorrow before finding out their next opponent. The Rebels’ expectations have skyrocketed, and Coach Yo is excited to see what her team can accomplish in the NCAA Tournament.
Up Next
The Ole Miss women’s basketball team will face either Texas or Louisville in the Sweet Sixteen in Seattle. Tipoff time and TV information will be announced later.
Don’t miss interesting posts on Famousbio
