Back Dancing: Ole Miss women's basketball earns second straight NCAA Tournament bid
The Ole Miss women’s basketball team knew they were bound for March Madness but Sunday’s announcement made it official.
For a second straight season Ole Miss will be putting on its dancing shows and competing in postseason basketball, earning an at-large bid into this year’s NCAA Women’s Tournament.
The Rebels (23-8) were named a No. 8 Seed and will play in Palo Alto Bracket as part of the Seattle 4 Regional. Ole Miss will play No. 9 Seed Gonzaga (28-4) on Friday. Tip off times and television designations will be announced later.
Stanford is the No. 1 seed and will play the winner of Southern University -Sacred Heart First Four game in the other First Round game on Friday.
For the first time since 2004 and 2005 seasons Ole Miss is playing in consecutive NCAA Tournaments. The Rebels got back to the tournament last year after a 15-year absence.
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Despite knowing it was in the Field of 68, Ole Miss had to wait for the final region to be unveiled.
“Just to see our name get called, I was just joyful for our team and our staff members that had never experienced it and the ones that had,” said Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin.
Ole Miss continued making history under McCuin with another 20-win season.
For a second straight season Ole Miss finished as one of the top four teams in the Southeastern Conference, racking up 11 SEC wins for the first time since the 1991-92 season.
Two years removed from a 0-16 SEC record the Rebels have since won 21 total conference games.
In last year’s NCAA Tournament Ole Miss was a 7-Seed and played South Dakota in Waco, Texas. The Rebels fell in last year’s First Round.
“Last year when we went to the NCAA, honestly, we were just glad to be in,” McCuin said. “It was our first time as a program since I’ve been the head coach and we were incredibly excited and I think kind of immature as far as the way our approach was. I know I won’t have to talk to my team about respecting their opponent.”
