Ole Miss women's basketball rolling into January after emphatic win in SEC opener

Ole Miss women’s basketball head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin did not expect her team to be playing its best basketball until a month from now. Her players might not have gotten that memo.

Opening up Southeastern Conference play on Thursday Ole Miss dominated Auburn with a 79-47 win, marking the largest margin of victory in SEC play by the Rebels since 2007.

Since suffering its first loss of the season on Nov. 23 to then No. 17 Utah, Ole Miss (12-2, 1-0 SEC) has gone 7-1 and the win over the Tigers capped a December where the Rebels won five of its six games.

Heading into January this Ole Miss team is on a roll that could arguably be better than the early season hot streak last season’s squad went on.

Ole Miss is getting production from three of its key players with Angel Baker, Snudda Collins and Madison Scott all averaging double figures.

Baker is leading the way with 14.1 points per game followed by Collins (12.4) and Scott (10.9). On Thursday the senior scored 18 points for her second straight game with at least 10 points.

“I think it was a shock factor when one time we were in a team meeting and I said (to Baker), ‘You got three months.'” McCuin said after Thursday’s game. “I saw the expression on her face. She was in total like, reality hit. I just think seniors have a sense of urgency and she’s playing with a sense of urgency. The game comes easy to her.”

As Ole Miss continues to rack up the wins the resume for a second straight NCAA Tournament berth grows stronger.

Coming off Thursday’s victory Ole Miss is sitting inside the Top 40 of the NET rankings currently at No. 37, moving up six spots. The Rebels are 9-0 at home which is a strong start to the season but are 2-1 on the road and 1-1 in neutral site games.

The RPI is steadily improving with Ole Miss sitting at No. 64 with a combined record of 5-0 against Quadrant 2 and 3 opponents. The Rebels are 0-2 against Quadrant 1 opponents but more chances to improve that record lie ahead as the SEC schedule gets tougher.

In the latest NCAA Tournament bracketology projections by ESPN’s Charlie Creme released on Tuesday, Ole Miss is one of the Last Four Byes and a No. 11 seed in the Chapel Hill bracket of the Seattle region. If Creme’s projection was accurate and the tournament started tomorrow the Rebels would play No. 6 Seed Baylor.

Two months of the regular season remain, leaving room to better the potential tournament bid, starting in Starkville.

Ole Miss returns to the road and travels to Mississippi State (12-2, 1-0) for a New Year’s Day showdown inside ‘The Hump’ at 1 p.m. CT on SEC Network.

Last season the Rebels split its season series with the Bulldogs with both teams holding serve at home.

Sunday’s game will mark the return to Starkville for Myah Taylor. The Ole Miss guard transferred from Mississippi State this season and will be playing her former teammates for the first time.

Through her first 14 games with Ole Miss Taylor is averaging 6.2 points per game, 2.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists. She leads the team in assists with 54.

“We’re going to have to fight,” McCuin said of the Mississippi State matchup. “We’re going to have to be aggressive and block out the noise. I’m sure it’s going to be a lot of anxiety for Myah. So, we’re going to have to have her back. It’s tough to win games on the road in the SEC. Last year we had to do it and sometimes we barely got out alive.”

Watch McCuin’s full postgame press conference from Thursday below. Video courtesy of Ole Miss Sports Production.