Women's Basketball Takes Winning Streak to Cincinnati

			OLE MISS (7-1, 0-0 SEC) vs. CINCINNATI (4-3, 0-0 AMERICAN) Sunday, December 5 • 1:00 p.m. CT • Cincinnati, Ohio Fifth Third Arena
Watch • Live Stats • Listen  Ole Miss Game Notes •  Cincinnati Game Notes •  SEC Game Notes

OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss takes its seven games winning streak on the road to Cincinnati to face off agains the Bearcats Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. The game will be available to watch on ESPN +.

TEAM FACTS
 
Ole Miss Rebels (7-1, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Yolett McPhee-McCuin • 4th Season at Ole Miss (38-58) • 132-121 career record (9th Season)
 
Cincinnati (4-3, 0-0 American)
Head Coach: Michelle Clark-Heard • 4th Season at Cincinnati (58-140) • 236-120 career record (12th Season)
 
ON THE AIR
 
Television/Online: ESPN +
Play-by-Play: Anthony Mazzini
Color: Jackie Windon
 
OLE MISS RADIO
 
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Graham Doty
 

SERIES NOTES    

SERIES HISTORY vs. CINCINNATI
This is the first meeting in program history between the two schools. Ole Miss is 44-18 all-time against programs from the American Athletic Conference, with its last win against a school from the AAC coming in 2018 agaisnt Temple 62-55 in Oxford.

SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
The Bearcats enter the matchup sitting at 4-3 to start off the 2021-22 season after an 8-16 showing last season. Cincinnati is coming off of a five point victory 59-54 against Central Michigan Wednesday night, for its fourth home win this year.

Jillian Hayes carries the Bearcats, averaging 13.4 points per game and grabbing 6.6 rebounds. Akira Levy joins Hayes in double figures with 13.0 points per game. Levy was named the AAC Player of the Week after strong performances in the first two games of the season, recording 10 steals and adding 30 points.

LAST TIME OUT
The Rebels put on a show in front of a packed SJB Pavilion, defeating New Orleans 92-47 on their annual Kid's Day.

Four Rebels finished in double figures, led by a season-high 21 from Angel Baker. The Wright State transfer seemed as if she couldn't miss during the first quarter, going 3-of-3 from beyond the arc and adding 13 points.

For the sixth time this season, the Rebels held their opponents to under 50 points as UNO only converted on 13 field goals. Ole Miss continues to dominate on defense, ranking ninth nationally in scoring defense allowing 49.1 points per game.

STAYING HOT
Ole Miss is riding its longest winning streak since December of 2017, winning the last seven straight

This is the second longest streak of McPhee-McCuin's career, and her longest at Ole Miss.

As of Dec. 3, Ole Miss is only one of 15 teams in the nation winning their last seven or more games.

RUNNING DEEP
The Rebel bench has been instrumental this season, contributing 20 or more points in six games.

Against New Orleans, Angel Baker's 21 points were the most by a Rebel off the bench since Snudda Collins scored 23 against McNeese in 2020.

WE DEFEND
Defense is the name of the Rebel game and for the past three straight, Ole Miss has held its opponents to under 50 points.

The feat was last accomplished by the Rebels in January of 1991 holding Jackson State, Mississippi State and Prairie View A&M under 50 points each.

ALL OUT EFFORT
It was a total team effort from Ole Miss in the win at Cal, with four Rebels scoring in double figures for the first time this season.

Austin led all scorers with 14, followed by Madison Scott and Lashonda Monk with a season-high 12 points while Snudda Collins added 10 in her second double digit performance of the year.

SHE'S STOLEN OUR HEARTS
There's a reason why Lashonda Monk ranks second in the nation in active career steals with a total of 387.

The graduate transfer has a total of 12 so far this season, and is the only Rebel to record a steal in every game this year.

GOING STREAKING
Multiple Rebels are currently in a groove as Ole Miss continues to grind through the non-conference slate.

For the last six straight games, Shakira Austin has reached double figures in points, while Madison Scott has reached the mark in the last four.

Austin currently rides a four game multi-block streak, the longest by a Rebel this year.

From beyond the arc, Snudda Collins has knocked down a trey in her last five outings and has been the most consistent from deep throughout the first month of the season.

SHUTTING IT DOWN 
From the floor against Cal, Ole Miss held an opposing Power Five opponent to the lowest field goal percentage allowed within the past 10 seasons. 

The Bears shot 13-of-56 from the field, hitting 23.2 percent of their shots.

The 19 point win over the Bears was the largest margin of victory against a Power Five team since defeating Wisconsin by 25 points in 2016.

THANKFUL FOR NOVEMBER 
The month of November was good to the Rebels with six wins in their first seven games.

This marked the most wins in the month of November for Ole Miss since totaling six in 2017.

OFF THE LINE
Three-point defense has been a point of emphasis during the Coach Yo era, with 63 of 96 opponents being held to five or fewer.

1st Season (2018-19)
17-of-31 (54.8%)

2nd Season (2019-20)
21-of-30 (70.0%)

3rd Season (2020-21)
14-of-22 (63.6 %)

4th Season (2021-22)
6-of-8 (75.0%)

DEFENSE ON LOCK
The Rebels have been unstoppable on the defensive side, holding their opponents to an average of 49.1 points per game.

The 44 points allowed to the Lady Techsters was the first time since the 2011-2012 season that Ole Miss has kept its opponents under 50 points in back-to-back games. The Rebels followed this up again, keeping San Diego State and Cal under the mark as well.

The Lady Techsters were also held to just a mere 2 points in the second quarter, the fewest amount of points allowed by the Rebels in a quarter since the women's game moved to the format in 2015-2016.

SHARING IS CARING
The Rebels continue to drop dimes at a record pace, recording their fourth 20 plus assist game against New Orleans with a total of 24.

Lashonda Monk tied a career-high with nine against the Privateers, tying the most in a single-game by a Rebel in 2021.

Against Lamar and MVSU, the Rebels also racked up 24 assists. Against the Devilettes, Reid and Shakira Austin led the team with five a piece, while Austin set a new career-high.

All three outings tied the third most assists in a single game for the Rebels within the last four seasons. 

DROPPIN' DIMES
Only eight games into the season, the Rebels are on track to make history with four games already with 20 or more assists. 

Last season, Ole Miss dished out 20 plus assists in five games, while the program record for the most 20 plus assist games in a single-season is six.

CRASHING THE BOARDS
Powered by Shakira Austin, the Rebels have been absolutely dominant on both sides of the boards, outrebounding their opponents by an average of 20.5 rebounds against Lamar and LA Tech.

The last time the Rebels accomplished this feat was in 2008, out rebounding Alcorn State and Nicholls State by 21 and 22 rebounds a piece.

BACK IN BUSINESS
After scoring three field goals through the first two games, Preseason All-SEC center Shakira Austin found herself back in usual form scoring 20 points and adding 13 rebounds for her first double-double of the season against Lamar

Austin followed up her performance with her 29th career double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds against the Lady Techsters.

The Virginia native continues to lead the conference in active career boards with a total of 860 and ranks 13th nationally.

HOT HANDS x2
Coming off the bench against MVSU, Lashonda Monk and Caitlin McGee combined to go a perfect 10-of-10 from the field. 

Monk dropped a then season-high 11 points, while McGee tied her career-high with a total of 13.

The two are the first Rebels to be perfect from the field with five or more attempts since teammate Madison Scott shot 5-of-5 in the season opener against McNeese last season.

RIGHT ON TARGET
In her second game as a Rebel after transferring from Wright State, Angel Baker put on a show against MVSU with a total of 18 points and shooting 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.

Baker's 80% clip from three was the highest by a Rebel with five or more attempts since Shandricka Sessom went 5-of-6 for 83.3 percent against Delaware State in 2017.

Last season Baker knocked down 43 triples, including her career-high of six against Green Bay.

WE'VE GOT A THIEF!
Against the Bruins, Madison Scott was aggressive defensively finishing with a career-high six steals. This marked the most steals by a Rebel in a single-game since November of 2019 when Valerie Nesbit tallied six against Pitt.

FOCUSED FROM THE LINE
In the season opener against Belmont, the Rebels shot 12-of-13 from the line, their highest percentage with 10 or more attempts since making 15-of-16 against Florida in the SEC Tournament in 2019.

GROCERY LIST COMPLETE
Yolett McPhee-McCuin and Co. made sure to check everything off their list this off-season, scouring the transfer portal to bring in three new Rebel guards to Oxford. Bringing in more NCAA Tournament experience to the court, all three look to make a strong impact on the hardwood.

Angel Baker - Sr.*- Wright State

• Two-time First-Team All Horizon League.
• 2021 Horizon League Tournament MVP.
• Dropped 26 points in the win in First Round of the NCAA Tournament against No. 4 Arkansas.
• Grabbed 12 boards against the Razorbacks for her second double-double of the year.
• Drained 43 3's in 2020-21, shooting 35.2% from beyond the arc.

Lashonda Monk - Gr. -  ECU

• Two-time AAC Defensive Player of the Year, the first player in conference history to win the award multiple times.
• Four-time All-AAC honoree.
• Set the ECU single-season steals record with 125 in 2019-20.
• Enters the SEC as the active career leader in steals.

Destiny Salary - So. - Tennessee

• Reached the Second Round of the NCAA  Tournament with the Lady Vols last season.
• Appeared in 24 games as a freshman.
• Became one of just 45 Lady Vols to score in double-digits in a debut, logging 10 points against Western Kentucky.
• No. 57 player and a four-star prospect by ESPN out of Jonesboro High School.

NOT A TYPO
Shakira Austin had herself quite the Tuesday on November 9, earning herself a spot on three national award watchlists by the time lunch rolled around. The center found herself on the Wade Trophy Watch List, The John R. Wooden Award Watch List and the Naismith Watch List as one of the top players in women's college basketball. 

Austin recently also earned a spot on the Lisa Leslie Watch List, awarded to the best center in women's college basketball at the end of the season.

HIGH RESULTS, HIGH EXPECTATIONS
With all five starters from last season returning, the coaches through SEC recognized the potential of this year's Rebs, picking them to finish sixth in the SEC in the preseason coaches poll. 

Sixth is the highest preseason ranking by the coaches since the SEC Coaches Poll began predicting order of finish in 2007-08, and the best overall since being picked fifth in the 2005-06 media poll.

Ole Miss was also picked to finish eighth in the SEC Preseason Media Poll, its best in that poll since 2015-16.

Austin also earned herself Preseason All-SEC honors in both polls, adding to her collection of preseason acclaim.

POSTSEASON RUN FOR THE REBS
Ole Miss rebounded from an 0-16 SEC season in 2019-20 in demonstrative fashion, putting the SEC on notice with an exciting 2020-21 season that saw the Rebels advance to the WNIT final -- the furthest postseason run in program history. Ole Miss ultimately fell to Rice in the title game, 71-58, but still made a lot of noise along the way in head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin's fourth season in Oxford.

WNIT Team Notes

• Advanced to the WNIT Semifinal and Final for the first time in school history

• First NCAA or WNIT semifinal or final in school history

• Outscored opponents +7.2 per game

• Shot 39.5 percent from the field

• Defense allowed just 56.6 PPG and .179 clip from beyond the arc

• Defense averaged 19.2 turnovers

• Out-rebounded opponents +9.0

• 16.4 free throws made per game

• 6.0 blocks per game

• Shakira Austin: All-Tournament and All-Memphis Regional

• Donnetta Johnson: All-Memphis Regional Team

WNIT Individual Notes

• Shakira Austin: 20.4 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 2.4 BPG, 1.2 APG, 1.2 SPG, .514 FG, .833 FT

• Donnetta Johnson: 10.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.6 APG, .365 FG

• Madison Scott: 9.4 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.6 BPG, .447 FG

• Mimi Reid: 5.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 4.6 APG

BRUTAL FINAL STRETCH
Ole Miss came up short of its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2007 after putting together a strong resume, particularly down the stretch in February. The Rebels ended with a NET of 43 and a strength of schedule of 82, which included a 4-8 record against the NET Top-50, a 3-6 record against ranked teams and a 5-6 record against current NCAA Tournament teams. Over their last eight games prior to the WNIT, the Rebels were 4-4 against an average NET of 16.8 (only two games at home), and over a brutal stretch of the last five games Ole Miss was 2-3 vs. an average NET of 13.4 (only one game at home).

EXCITEMENT BREWING IN OXFORD

Ole Miss captured imaginations during its spectacular late season run in 2020-21, ending with its first winning season in four years at 15-12 amid a slew of impressive team accomplishments along the way.

• Furthest postseason run in school history (WNIT Runners-Up, lost to Rice in title game)

• Went from 0-16 in SEC play in 2019-20 to first SEC Quarterfinal appearance since 2010 last season (and nearly beat Tennessee for first semifinal appearance since 1993)

• Largest win increase (+8) at Ole Miss since 1990-91 – 1991-92 (+9); went 7-23 in 2019-20

• Beat three top-25 teams in a month; season sweep of Kentucky, beat No. 13 Arkansas in First Round of SEC Tournament (nearly beat No. 14 Tennessee in Quarterfinal)

• Ended regular season with NET of 43, five top-100 wins, four top-50 wins and a 4-4 stretch in their last eight games against an average NET of 16.8

• Most All-SEC selections since 1991-92

WHO'S BACK FOR 2021-22?

• Five starters, 10 letterwinners

• Shakira Austin: Media Preseason All-SEC, Coaches Preseason First-Team All-SEC, Preseason Lisa Leslie Award Watch List

• Austin in 2020-21: WBCA Honorable Mention All-America, First Team All-SEC, WNIT All-Tournament, Lisa Leslie Award Top-10 List, Gillom Trophy Winner (best player in Mississippi)

• Madison Scott: 2020-21 SEC Freshman of the Year (first at Ole Miss since Armintie Price in 2003-04)

• Snudda Collins: 2020-21 SEC All-Freshman team

WHAT'S BACK FOR 2021-22?

• Points: 1,645 of 1,878 (87.6%) – Shakira Austin accounted for 503 of 1,878 (26.8%)

• Rebounds: 964 of 1,060 (90.9%)

• Assists: 291 of 384 (75.8%)

• Steals: 193 of 240 (80.4%)

• Blocks: 102 of 103 (99.0%) – Shakira Austin accounted for 48 of 103 (46.6%)

• 3-Pointers: 95 of 104 (91.3%) – Snudda Collins accounted for 43 of 95 (45.3%)

PROOF OF CONCEPT
A strong turnaround season for Ole Miss was rewarded thusly by the SEC coaches, with three Rebels earning all-conference honors following the conclusion of the regular season: Shakira Austin (First-Team All-SEC), Madison Scott (Freshman of the Year, All-Freshman) and Snudda Collins (All-Freshman). The three total team selections (All-SEC, All-Freshman) are the most by a Rebel squad since 1992, and trail only the 1988 team's five members and the 1990 team's four members since the All-Freshman team began in 1987.

Shakira Austin

• First-Team All-SEC (first Rebel since Tia Faleru in 2014-15)

• WBCA Honorable Mention All-America

• First Gillom Trophy winner in Ole Miss history (best player in Mississippi)

• Lisa Leslie Award Top-10 List member

• WNIT All-Tournament and All-Memphis Regional

• 18.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 1.6 steals, 1.3 assists and shot 51.9 percent overall and 75.9 from the free throw line

• 13 double-doubles, 13 games with 20+ points

• First Rebel to score 20 or more in four straight games since 2009-10 (Bianca Thomas), doing so in a stretch from Dec. 15 to Jan. 7

• First Rebel to record five straight double-doubles since All-American Armintie Price in 2006-07, doing so from Jan. 31 to Feb. 21

• Nearly averaged a double-double vs. ranked opponents at 18.1 points and 9.8 rebounds while shooting .513 in nine such contests

• Averaged 15.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and shot .476 on national TV

• Ended season as only active SEC player with 1,000 career points (1,171), 700 career rebounds (787) and 150 career blocks (178) 

Madison Scott

• SEC Freshman of the Year

• SEC All-Freshman

• Six-time SEC Freshman of the Week, one of three six-time winners in SEC history

• Led SEC freshmen in rebounding, averaging 7.1 boards per game

• Seven double-doubles

Snudda Collins

• SEC All-Freshman

• Two-time SEC Freshman of the Week

• Dropped a career-high 23 points in her collegiate debut against McNeese, draining five threes -- the most points by any Rebel in their freshman debut

• Nine games with three or more made threes

• Led all SEC freshman in the regular season at .425 from beyond the arc (fifth nationally)

• Led Ole Miss in threes per game (1.6)

OLE MISS EARNS PROGRAM WIN NO. 850
The Rebel win vs. Samford in the First Round of the WNIT marked the 850th win in program history. All-time, Ole Miss is currently 852-583 (.594) in 46 years of NCAA Division I competition. Entering the 2020-21 season, only 44 programs have eclipsed the 850-win threshold.

Follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissWBB, Facebook at Ole Miss WBB and on Instagram at Ole MissWBB. You can also follow head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin on Twitter at @YolettMcCuin