Women's Basketball Travels to Ole Miss for Sunday Showdown - Jacksonville State University Athletics

JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State women's basketball travels to the Magnolia State this Sunday for a massive test at SEC foe Ole Miss. This weekend's showdown, which will tip-off at 1 p.m., presents an opportunity for the Gamecocks to get back above .500 on the season while gaining a marquee road victory early in the 2022-23 campaign.

JSU (3-3) won back-to-back games against Life and Samford in late November before suffering a surprising 71-56 setback versus Davidson last Sunday. Head coach Rick Pietri and his are hoping that the week off will serve the team well as they prepare for an important matchup with the Rebels (7-2).

"We just need a really focused effort," Pietri said. "We're playing a team that, on paper, is better than we are, so we're going to have to find a way to close the gap. That's going to have to be done with effort, focus, and discipline, so hopefully we'll be up to the task."

Ole Miss is on track to possibly have their best season yet under fifth-year head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin. The Rebels went 23-9 in 2021-22, advancing to the SEC Tournament Semifinals and earning their first berth in the NCAA Tournament in 15 seasons. Ole Miss downed ASUN member Kennesaw State 72-60 at home on opening day and started 5-0 before dropping a 69-67 heartbreaker against Utah in the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship on Nov. 23. They rebounded with blowout wins at home against Texas Southern and Alabama A&M, then fell 69-59 at no. 23 Oklahoma last Sunday.

Several key pieces return for McPhee-McCuin this year including junior Snudda Collins and senior Angel Baker who lead the team with 13.4 and 13.3 points per game respectively. Ole Miss is shooting 42.5% from the field and scoring 73.4 points per game while holding opponents to just 51.8 points per contest.

"(Ole Miss is) just super athletic," Pietri said. "They like to attack the basket, however they also have the ability to make the three-point shot. They've got elite-level athletes and they'll provide us with a serious test."

Jax State lost a rare home game in their last outing at The Pete. Visiting Davidson, who entered with a 2-6 record, shot the lights out in the fourth period to claim a 15-point win in Calhoun County. Kyra Williams was JSU's most consistent shooting, finishing 4-of-10 from the field with a career-high 18 points on Sunday. She is the third-leading game scorer, posting 11.0 points per game. Their leading scorers are Imari Martin (14.3 points per game) and Shawnta Shaw (13.3 points per game). Kennedy Gavin leads Jacksonville State's rebounding efforts by averaging 7.2 boards per game.

JSU is 1-2 against Ole Miss since becoming a NCAA program in 1985. The Gamecocks lost in Oxford, Miss., in 2016 and 2016 before shocking the Rebels with a 60-49 triumph on Dec. 2, 2018, in the last meeting between the two teams. Jax State was slated to play at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss in Dec. 2020, but that game was canceled last minute due to player health and safety concerns.

Fans unable to attend Sunday's game in Oxford, Miss., can follow along with all the action via streaming or listening on the radio. Brenda VanLengen and Tamika Catchings will be on the call on ESPN+ while Logan Maddox covers the matchup on the Gamecock Sports Network.

Links to follow along with live stats or to watch or listen to Sunday's contest will be provided at JSUGamecockSports.com. Score updates and highlights will be posted on JSU women's basketball's Twitter account (@JSUGamecocksWBB).

To stay up-to-date with the Gamecocks, be sure to follow their Facebook (Jacksonville State University Women's Basketball), Twitter (@JSUGamecocksWBB), and Instagram (@JSUGamecocksWBB) accounts.

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Players Mentioned

Kennedy Gavin

Imari Martin

Shawnta Shaw

Kyra Williams

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