Mississippi
Collins, Mississippi reach NCAA second round, beat Gonzaga
STANFORD, Calif. — Snudda Collins scored 15 factors and eighth-seeded Mississippi as soon as once more leaned on its stingy protection to get previous the primary spherical of the NCAA Event this time after final yr’s massive disappointment, beating No. 9 seed Gonzaga 71-48 on Friday night time.
Now, deliver on top-seeded Stanford on its house court docket.
Ole Miss will face the Cardinal (29-5) on Sunday for a spot on the Candy Sixteen in Seattle subsequent weekend. Stanford topped No. 16 seed Sacred Coronary heart 92-49 in Friday’s first recreation at Maples Pavilion.
Already examined twice by No. 1 South Carolina, coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin’s Rebels confirmed off their signature protection that has held opponents to simply 56.8 factors per recreation by shutting down one of many nation’s prime 3-point-shooting groups. The Zags (28-5) scored a season-low factors — and their solely loss with fewer factors was a 64-60 defeat to Portland within the West Coast Convention Event title recreation March 7.
This Ole Miss group is decided to take one other step towards erasing the reminiscence of final season’s 75-61 first-round loss to Tenth-seeded South Dakota taking part in as a No. 7 seed.
Madison Scott had 11 factors and 10 rebounds and Angel Baker added 11 factors and 5 boards for Ole Miss, which grabbed 24 offensive rebounds.
The Rebels earned back-to-back 20-win seasons for the primary time underneath McPhee-McCuin and it hadn’t been completed because the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons. Making consecutive NCAA appearances for the primary time since 2004-05, the Rebels held WCC Participant of the Yr Kaylynne Truong to 6 factors on 2-of-9 capturing.
Mississippi guard Myah Taylor (1) drives to the basket towards Gonzaga guard Kayleigh Truong (11) throughout the first half of a first-round faculty basketball recreation within the girls’s NCAA Event in Stanford, Calif., Friday, March 17, 2023. Credit score: AP/Josie Lepe
Yvonne Ejim led the Zags with 19 factors and eight rebounds however her star teammates had been stymied. Gonzaga got here in capturing 42% from 3-point vary and Brynna Maxwell held the second-best 3-point capturing share within the nation coming in at 49.43%, however the crew completed simply 1 for 17 and Maxwell scored 4 factors on 1-of-10 capturing lacking all 5 of her 3s.
The Zags missed six straight pictures spanning halftime and made a forgettable displaying of their sixth straight NCAA Event.
Ole Miss used a 9-0 run late within the first half to construct a 26-16 lead because the Zags missed 4 straight pictures. Collins’ three-point play 1:13 earlier than halftime helped put the Rebels forward 34-21 on the break.
A bodily, defensive recreation, each groups took some time to seek out any offensive rhythm and started 7 for 22. They mixed to overlook the primary 10 3-pointers earlier than Baker related on the 5:52 mark of the second quarter for Ole Miss.
Mississippi ahead Snudda Collins (5) shoots a 3-pointer towards Gonzaga guard Brynna Maxwell (22) throughout the first half of a first-round faculty basketball recreation within the girls’s NCAA Event in Stanford, Calif., Friday, March 17, 2023. Credit score: AP/Josie Lepe
BIG PICTURE
Gonzaga: Ejim picked up her third foul with 3:52 left within the second quarter. … Gonzaga’s three seniors — Truong, twin sister Kayleigh and Maxwell — and redshirt junior Eliza Hollingsworth all introduced after the ultimate regular-season recreation they plan to return for yet one more season.
Ole Miss: The Rebels improved to 21-0 when holding groups to 60 or fewer factors. … The Ole Miss bench outscored the Gonzaga reserves 33-6 and crashed the boards to carry a 51-36 general rebounding benefit.
UP NEXT
Ole Miss and Stanford have met simply as soon as beforehand, and that matchup additionally got here on the massive March stage. Tara VanDerveer’s Cardinal beat the Rebels 78-65 within the 1990 Candy Sixteen at Stanford on the way in which to this system’s first nationwide title.