Third Quarter Rally Not Enough As Rebels Fall To Vanderbilt

February 19, 2017

NASHVILLE, TN. (WCBI / Ole Miss Athletics) – The Ole Miss women’s basketball team outscored the Vanderbilt Commodores 29-15 in the third quarter, but the Rebels couldn’t pull out the Southeastern Conference road victory.

The Rebels’ big third made it just a two-point game going into the final 10 minutes. The fourth quarter wasn’t for the faint of heart, but it was Vanderbilt that struck first, opening the quarter with eight straight points to regain a 10-point lead, forcing Ole Miss to call a timeout at the 7:34 mark. The Commodores’ lead ballooned to double digits. The Rebels got as close as 11 points but couldn’t mount a comeback, falling 85-67.

Madinah Muhammad (Chicago, Ill.) led the offense with 19 points for her 16th game in double figures this season.

NASHVILLE – The Ole Miss women’s basketball team outscored the Vanderbilt Commodores 29-15 in the third quarter, but the Rebels couldn’t pull out the Southeastern Conference road victory.

Madinah Muhammad (Chicago, Ill.) led the offense with 19 points for her 16th game in double figures this season. Shandricka Sessom (Byhalia, Miss.) was also in double figures with 16 points. Taylor Manuel (St, Louis, Mo.) added a season-high nine rebounds to go with eight points.

The Rebels came out of the halftime break a different team and opened with an 11-1 run, sparked by a triple by Sessom, to cut the Vanderbilt lead to 44-38 at the 7:33 mark of the third quarter. The Rebels forced the Commodores into three early turnovers and held them without a field goal until the 7:00 mark.

The Rebels’ hot shooting, including nine points in the third quarter from Sessom, made it a game as the Rebels took Vanderbilt’s once 19-point lead to just two points – 48-46 – at the 4:55 mark. Ole Miss shot 54.5 percent (12-of-22) in the third quarter. Ole Miss kept momentum as Alissa Alston (New Haven, Conn.) drilled a bucket as time expired to make it a one-possession game heading into the fourth and final quarter. The sophomore finished as the third Rebel in double figures with 11 points.

Ole Miss struggled late in the first quarter, closing the quarter without a bucket in the final 3:19 and going 0-of-7. The drought carried into the second quarter, as Vanderbilt took a 28-17 lead at the 6:57 mark, forcing head coach Matt Insell to call a timeout. Vanderbilt stretched its lead to 19 points – the largest of the game – before Ole Miss started chipping away from the free throw line. The Rebels were 11-of-18 from the stripe on the afternoon, compared to a 34-of-41 mark by Vanderbilt.

Both teams opened the game strong, but Ole Miss was clicking on the offensive side of the ball, particularly Muhammad, who had seven of the Rebels first nine points and 12 of the team’s 17 in the opening quarter as the two SEC squads played to a 17-all tie after one.

Rebel Sidelines
-The Vanderbilt game is a homecoming of sorts for several members of the Ole Miss staff. Head coach Matt Insell, as well as assistant coach Alex Simmons, are natives of Shelbyville, Tenn., just outside of Nashville. Additionally, freshman Shelby Gibson hails from Murfreesboro, also just outside of Nashville, while freshman Bree Glover had lots of family in town from Glasgow, Ky.

-Javonate Hill, who befriended the Ole Miss football team earlier this fall, was also in attendance to cheer on the Ole Miss women’s basketball team and hung out with the team in the locker room postgame.

-Madinah Muhammad was in double figures for the 16th time this season with 19 points.

-Shandricka Sessom posted double figures for the second straight game with 16 points.

-Bree Glover tied her career best with four rebounds.

Up Next
The Rebels will stay on the road as they travel to Columbia, Mo., for a matchup with the Missouri Tigers. The Rebels and Tigers will square off from Mizzou Arena at 7 PM CT on SEC Network+.

Next Five Games
Feb. 23- at Mizzou 7 PM

Feb. 23 – vs. Texas A&M 4 PM – Senior Day

March 1-5 – at SEC Tournament TBA