For Ole Miss, the NCAA.com Team of the Week, it’s been 15 years since the school last made an NCAA tournament appearance. That string of seasons spent on the outside looking in could end this year as the Rebels improved to 17-2 with wins last week on the road at Texas A&M and Kentucky.
Unbeaten on the road this season at 6-0, Ole Miss is off to its best Southeastern Conference start in 12 seasons at 5-1. On Monday the Rebels moved into the Associated Press Poll at No. 24, the first ranking for Ole Miss since the Rebels came in at No. 22 on January 22, 2007.
In the first-ever program win on the road at Texas A&M on Jan. 20, Ole Miss was able to pull away for an 80-63 victory as Lashonda Monk led five Ole Miss double-figure scorers with 16 points, her fifth consecutive game in double figures. With her 10th multi-block game of the season, Shakira Austin totaled four rejections and added 11 points, grabbing eight rebounds. Key to the win was the Ole Miss defense which forced 17 Texas A&M turnovers which led to 25 points.
On Sunday, Ole Miss fought through a tough 40 minutes against No. 23 Kentucky to come away with its second win over a ranked team this season, 63-54 at Rupp Arena. Austin pieced together her sixth 20-point outing of the season, leading the Rebels with 24 points as four players finished in double-figures. Snudda Collins tied a season-high with four 3-pointers in a 12-point performance, while Madison Scott scored seven of her 10 points in the final quarter.
Ole Miss next faces an important SEC week. The Rebels will head to South Carolina on Thursday, Jan. 27 for its first test as a ranked opponent against the No. 1 ranked Gamecocks. On Sunday, Jan. 30, Ole Miss will host Georgia.
