On3 Things to Know: Vanderbilt next for Ole Miss, off to best SEC start in 15 years

Ole Miss women’s basketball, fresh off of its first win at Mississippi State in 15 seasons, returns home on Thursday to host the Vanderbilt Commodores at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network +.

The Rebels are 13-2 (2-0 SEC) on the season, while the Commodores are 9-7 (0-2). Ole Miss has won each of its first two conference games for the first time since 2007, the same year Ole Miss won 24 games and made an historic Elite Eight run.

Ole Miss has climbed to a projected No. 9 seed in ESPN’s most recent round of bracketology. The Rebels last season reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 15 years and just the fourth time in over 20 years.

“We’re just getting started,” Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin said earlier this week. “I think we’re on schedule. I think we’re right where we need to be.

“Defensively, we’re figuring out some things. As a team, identity-wise, our girls are like, ‘Oh, maybe we can be pretty special,’ and that’s good because first you have to believe it and then put in the work to kind of see it through.”

Let’s take a closer look at the matchup with the Commodores, with game notes provided by Ole Miss Athletics Media Relations.

SERIES HISTORY

Vanderbilt holds the all-time series advantage, but Ole Miss claimed the last meeting between the schools.

Ole Miss and Vanderbilt faced off last February, with the Rebels toppling the Commodores, 57-47, in a back-and-forth contest in Nashville. The win was the first for Ole Miss at Vanderbilt since 1987. Ole Miss was aided by its lopsided rebounding margin (+16) and smothering defense.

Ole Miss has 14 overall wins over Vanderbilt in Oxford. The Rebels took the last showdown in the Pavilion, 65-60, back in 2019.

SCOUTING THE COMMODORES

Vanderbilt is in its second season under head coach Shea Ralph. Graduate transfer Ciaja Harbison leads the Commodores as one of the top scorers in the SEC, averaging 18.5 points per game. She’s also tops in the conference in assists (5.23).

Sacha Washington is ranked ninth in the SEC and is her team’s leader in rebounds with 7.38 per game.

LAST TIME OUT

Ole Miss on New Year’s Day secured its second SEC win in defeating in-state rival Mississippi State, 61-50, in Starkville.

The Rebels outscored the Bulldogs in three out of four quarters, as well as held them to 34.5 percent shooting from the field, the lowest field goal percentage for MSU this season. Ole Miss notched a season-high nine blocks and held an opponent to 50 points or less for the seventh time in 15 games.

Angel Baker had 22 points and 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. She’s scored 20-plus points three times double-digits 10 times. Baker has three straight games of 10 points or more.

Ole Miss defensively held Mississippi State to 16.7 percent shooting and six total points in the fourth quarter. State’s 50 points were its fewest against Ole Miss since 2008.

500 AND COUNTING

First-year transfer Myah Taylor had two assists against Mississippi State, her former team, to eclipse the 500-career-assist mark.

Taylor, who now has 501, is one of just 16 active Division I players to do so. She currently leads the SEC in active career assists.

RELATED: Myah Taylor is where she probably should have been all along. “Coach Yo is a blessing for Ole Miss.”

RIGHT ON TARGET

Madison Scott is third in the SEC in shooting (70.6 percent) through the first week of SEC games. Scott leads all Rebels in field goal percentage on the season at 50.6.

Scott, a junior, was 5 for 7 from the field against Auburn for 13 points. She was 7 for 10 at Mississippi State for 15 points. She shot 48.6 percent on field goals in 32 games last season.

“It’s good to go 2-0 in our first two games,” Scott said this week. “What more could we ask for? It definitely is a great feeling and it definitely builds a lot of confidence.

“Looking forward to going 3-0.”

THE YO EFFECT

McPhee-McCuin is in just her fifth season but already responsible for two of the program’s best starts in the last 30 seasons.

Ole Miss started 14-1 in 1991-92 and again in 1994-95. The Rebels’ 13-2 start to the 2022-23 campaign is their second in as many seasons. They were 13-2 after 15 games in 2021-22.

SEC STATEMENT

Ole Miss held nothing back in its first SEC game of the season.

The Rebels on December 29 lead for the entirety against Auburn en route to a 79-47 win — their largest margin victory in SEC play since February 11, 2007 (Alabama, 84-43). 

Ole Miss held the tigers to 25 percent shooting from the field — the lowest for the Rebels against an SEC foe since January 6, 1990 (Alabama, 19.3 percent). Ole Miss limited the Tigers to a season-best 0 for 10 from three-point range. Three times last season Ole Miss held an SEC opponent to zero makes from distance. 

MY OH MY MADI

Scott had double-doubles in three straight games to finish the non-conference season.

First, she had 19 points and a career-best 17 rebounds against Jacksonville, followed by 18 and 19 against McNeese and 16 and 10 against Temple. The last Rebel to pull off the feat was Shakira Austin (Lamar, LA Tech) and Jackson State last season.

Scott has eight overall double-doubles. She’s also been Ole Miss’ single-game leader in rebounds, points and assists 10, four and two times, respectively, this season. Scott has five-plus rebounds in 13 of 15 games.

She secured her 500th career rebound against McNeese.

OFF THE BOARDS

Ole Miss is currently No. 19 in the country in offensive rebounds.

The Rebels have 234 offensive boards so far. They’re averaging 15.7 per game  Scott is the Ole Miss leader in rebounds (9.1 per game) and has secured double-digit rebounds in four out of her last six games.

#WEDEFEND

Ole Miss is catching national attention for its defensive efforts.

The Rebels are No. 8 in all of college basketball in scoring defense, holding teams to just 52.3 points per game, and they’re No. 11 in defensive field goal percentage (33.8 percent). 

Ole Miss is a perfect 13-0 when holding its opponent to 60 points or less.  

ODDS AND ENDS

Ole Miss has scored 312 points off its 275 cumulative turnovers this season, good for 20.8 points per game. … Baker currently tops all Rebels with 14.6 points per game, while Snudda Collins is second with 11.9 ppg. The duo has secured double-digit figures in at least seven games this season. … The Rebels on the year have already set two program records: points allowed (Alabama, 74-28) and fewest points in a half (Southern Miss, 48-7). Their 41-point margin of victory over the Eagles is tied for the fourth-highest scoring margin in a half in school history. … Ole Miss is 9-0 in games in which each of Baker and Scott score double-digit points dating back to last season. Baker currently has 86 career in double-digit-scoring games. Scott has 40. … Ole Miss will hit the road for a visit to Texas A&M in a nationally-televised game on Sunday. The Rebels earned their first ever victory in College Station last season.