PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas, November 19, 2023 — For the second straight day, Ole Miss has kept fans in Imperial Arena on the edge of their seats in yet another come from behind win, defeating Arizona 56-47 on Sunday. With the victory, the Rebels advance to tomorrow’s Battle4Atlantis Championship game.
Facing an 11-point deficit toward the end of the second quarter, Ole Miss (4-1) came out hot in the second half to hand Arizona (5-1) its first loss of the season.
Three Rebels pieced together double-figure performances, with Marquesha Davis leading all scorers with a season-high 17 points. Davis also snagged a season-high six rebounds. Starting point guard KK Deans dropped 13 points with two assists and two steals. With her 24th career double-double and third of the year, Madison Scott tallied 10 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.
Both teams found it difficult to wake up offensively, as Ole Miss struggled to hold onto the ball early. The Rebels turnover troubles gave Arizona the advantage to grab an 11-7 lead through the first quarter.
A defensive battle between both teams ensued, as Arizona continued to gain on Ole Miss going up by as many as 11 in the second quarter. The Rebels refused to quit, ending the quarter on a 7-2 run to trail by six at 22-16 heading into the second half.
Ole Miss came out at the start of the third quarter ready to cook, with an 13-0 run providing the Rebels their first lead of the game. Defense travels, with the Rebels locking down the Wildcats restricting them without a field goal for over six minutes. Davis remained hot, continuing to run up the scoreboard for the Rebels to take a 41-33 advantage through three.
The Wildcats proved that they would not go away, bringing the game within three at 47-44 with less than six minutes remaining. This ignited a fire for Ole Miss, with Scott knocking down clutch shots at the free throw line and a Deans jumper to secure the Rebels hold. Back-to-back Rebel layups proved to be icing on the cake as Ole Miss toppled Arizona, 56-47.
Ole Miss advances to the Battle4Atlantis Championship tomorrow against the winner of Michigan vs. South Dakota. The final from Paradise Island is set for 11 a.m. CT on ESPN2.
Follow the Rebels on X at @OleMissWBB, Facebook at Ole Miss WBB and on Instagram at Ole MissWBB. You can also follow head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin on X at @YolettMcCuin
