Ole Miss women’s basketball will rest up, ‘work on ourselves’ in week-long wait for Selection Sunday
The 40-year wait for Ole Miss women’s basketball to reach the SEC Tournament Finals was extended another year Saturday against No. 8 LSU.
The Rebels lost, 75-67. Of course, they have absolutely nothing to hang their collective heads about.
They’re all but a lock to earn a bid to their third straight NCAA Tournament. And they’ve arguably never been so well-positioned to make a run in six seasons under head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin.
Sure, Ole Miss is coming off its first Sweet Sixteen appearance since 2008. But the Rebels, in 2023-24, won 12 SEC games for the first time in program history. Their third-place conference finish was their best since 1991-92.
Marquesha Davis and Madison Scott were named first-team All-SEC.
“We take our wins together and we take our losses together,” McPhee-McCuin, who, earlier this season, sailed past 100 wins at Ole Miss, said. “I wish I could have a couple plays back; I would have done some things differently.
“But we’ll rest up, go home and get ready for the NCAA Tournament.”
Ole Miss had won seven games in a row before the semifinals loss.
Included was a win over Florida on Friday.
Ole Miss last reached the NCAA Tournament in three consecutive postseasons from 1994-96. The Rebels went into the weekend projected by Charlie Creme as a 7-seed in Albany Region 1 against 10-seed Miami.
Selection Sunday is set for March 17.
“Just working on things we need to work on,” Scott said of the week ahead. LSU was her 10th straight game scoring double-digit points. “Continuing to get better (and) grow. We don’t know who we play yet, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get better, Ole Miss can’t get better. That’s going to be our focus — working on ourselves, so that we can come and be ready to go against whoever.”
A scary scene unfolded in the fourth quarter of Ole Miss-LSU.
LSU junior guard Last-Tear Poa appeared to injure both her head and neck after hitting her head on the floor while attempting to take a charge.
Poa was helped up by her teammates but struggled to support herself once she made it to her feet. She had to lay back down and was ultimately stretchered off the floor.
However, LSU head coach Kim Mulkey later told the remaining Tigers Poa had movement in her limbs. She was provided a neck brace and taken to a local hospital for further evaluation.
“You’re not going to hear any crying from me about the officiating or anything like that,” McPhee-McCuin said. “I thought it was a well-officiated game for the most part. I do think something has to be done with this whole block/charge (rule). It was unfortunate to see Last-Tear go down. There needs to be a rule, and then people won’t slide under people, and I’ve seen it happen twice.
“If we’re trying to protect players, then why don’t we make the rule? Because that was dangerous, and she was trying to make a play. Right now, the rule says no matter where you are on the floor, attempt to get up under someone and take a charge. Something has to be done with that rule that’s simple if we’re trying to protect players. That’s not the officials’ fault; it’s the rule that’s wrong.”
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