Ole Miss Game Notes (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – Coming off a three-game road trip, the University of South Alabama women’s basketball team returns home Sunday afternoon to take on Ole Miss. 

The Rebels will be the fourth Southeastern Conference opponent for the Lady Jags this season and South Alabama head coach hopes that some lessons have been learned from those previous games.

“As we finish running this SEC gauntlet that we have been doing over the last two weeks, one of the things that we have found is the different level of speed and strength that we have to contend with when facing these elite level athletes,” Pietri said.  “Hopefully from our experiences that we have had in the prior three games, we will be able to come into this game versus Ole Miss with an understanding of the exceptionally high level of play that we will need to have a chance to win.  If we are willing to put life and limb on the line, as well as execute our game plan, then we will have a chance.”

Tip-off versus the Rebels is set for 4:05 p.m. at the Mitchell Center.  Live stats and video of the game can be accessed at www.usajaguars.com. 

South Alabama (3-4) enters the game versus the Rebels after seeing its late rally attempt at Auburn on Thursday night come up just short.  Twice, USA rallied back from double-digit deficits versus the Tigers and made it a one possession game with under a minute to play.  Auburn, however, was able to hold off the Jaguar charge and pick up the 75-70 win.

Making her first start in a Jaguar uniform, junior forward Taylor Ammons made the most of her opportunity, recording a career-high 17 points on 8-of-16 shooting, while also pulling down eight rebounds.  Ammons ranks third on the club offensively with 9.3 points per game.  The Vicksburg, Miss., native leads the club on the glass and ranks eighth in the Sun Belt with 7.7 boards per game.  Ammons is the lone Jaguar on the roster hailing from Mississippi.

Christian Shelter and Sarda Peterson continue to pace the squad at the offensive end.  Shelter leads the Lady Jags in both scoring (11.9 ppg) and three-point shooting (50 percent), while Peterson is right behind her in both categories with 11.0 ppg and shooting 44.4 percent from the three-point line.  USA leads the SBC, averaging 7.6 treys per game and shooting 38.4 percent from the arc.

Ole Miss comes into the match up versus the Lady Jags with a 5-2 mark thus far this season.  The game will be the first action for the Rebels in a week, as their last game came back on Nov. 28, a 70-61 win over Illinois at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Rainbow Wahine Showdown in Honolulu, Hawaii.  Ole Miss finished in third place at the tournament with a 2-1, picking wins over Illinois and Gonzaga, but falling in double overtime to Hawaii.

The Rebels are led offensively by freshman point guard Valencia McFarland, who enters the contest averaging 15 points per outing - sixth-best in the SEC - and 4.4 rebounds per game.  McFarland is Ole Miss’ top threat from outside, as she has connected on 21 of her 62 attempts from behind the arc.  As a team, the Rebels are shooting just 27.4 percent from long range. 

At the Hawaii tourney, McFarland was selected to the all-tournament team after posting a career-best 24 points against Illinois and sinking the game-winning basket versus the Zags with just four seconds remaining.  McFarland also leads the club with 14 steals this season.

Following McFarland is senior guard Kayla Melson.  Melson ranks second on the club and eighth in the SEC in scoring with 14.1 ppg.  She is shooting 44 percent from the field, while also pulling down 6.3 boards.  Melson is also dishing out 5.0 assists per contest, which leads the SEC.

Nikki Byrd paces the Rebels in the post, averaging 6.7 rpg.  As a team, Ole Miss is pulling down 44.4 rebounds and giving up just 38.9 to its opponents. 

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com.  Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

NOTES:  Sunday’s game will be just the fourth in the all-time series between South Alabama and Ole Miss, and the first since the 2001-02 season.  The Rebels picked up wins in the first two meetings of the series, but in the last meeting, South Alabama rallied back from a couple of large deficits and captured a 62-61 overtime victory over the Rebels at the Central Florida Holiday Classic in Orlando, Fla., back on Dec. 21 of the 2001-02 season.  USA is 1-0 against Ole Miss under Pietri. The meeting between Pietri and Ole Miss head coach Renee Ladner will be the first between the two coaches during their collegiate careers.  The game will also mark will the 103rd time USA has faced an opponent currently in the Southeastern Conference. South Alabama is 17-85 all-time versus SEC members, while is 4-13 against the league.  The Tigers will be the third of four SEC opponents for the Lady Jags this season.  USA fell 56-43 to Mississippi State (Nov. 23), 61-51 to Florida (Nov. 26) and a75-70 at Auburn on Thursday (Dec. 5).  USA’s last win against an SEC opponent came back on Dec. 30, 2005 versus Alabama (56-48) in Mobile.