OXFORD — Get the basketball to the rim.
That’s the directive Ole Miss women’s basketball coach Matt Insell has given to his players. The first-year coach hopes that attacking mind-set becomes a habit on both ends of the floor, but Wednesday the Rebels showed they are picking up on Insell’s instructions on the offensive end.
Tia Faleru had a team-high 19 points to lead four players in double figures in Ole Miss’ 79-68 victory against Louisiana Tech before a crowd of 4,491 at the 11th annual School Kids Game at Tad Smith Coliseum.
Valencia McFarland (16 points, five rebounds, five assists, four steals), Diara Moore (13 points, six rebounds), and Danielle McCray (10 points, nine rebounds) also scored in double digits, while Kenyotta Jenkins added nine points and seven rebounds to help Ole Miss (6-4) win its fifth game in a row.
“We have been working in practice on finishing around the basket and taking contact,” Faleru said. “When you get it in the paint, they are high-percentage shots, and you just focus on making them.”
Faleru was 8 of 13 from the field to lead four players who shot 50 percent or better. Ole Miss shot 56.7 percent (17 of 30), its second-best shooting effort in a half this season to hold off a charge by Louisiana Tech (1-6). After leading by as many as 22 early in the second half, Ole Miss saw its lead cut to 69-58 with 5 minutes, 9 seconds to go, but the Lady Techsters didn’t get any closer than nine until the final 1:06.
Ole Miss’ aggressiveness helped it hold on. In addition to its ability to attack the basket off the dribble, Ole Miss’ offensive rebounding enabled it to get second and third shots that were key in its second-consecutive game shooting 50-percent or better from the field. Ole Miss was 32 of 64 (50 percent) against Louisiana Tech.
Faleru said “tempo” is a key to the Rebels’ success. She said takes off once the opponent scores and looks for guards McFarland and Moore to get her the ball in transition for easier shots. Earlier in the season, especially in a loss to Central Arkansas at home, Ole Miss had trouble against zone defenses and settled for outside shots. Louisiana Tech mixed and matched player-to-player defense with a 2-3 zone, but Ole Miss wasn’t fazed thanks in part to the attacking nature.
“We’re being a lot more aggressive in the paint area,” Faleru said. “We’re being low and calling for the ball. Our guards also are doing a good job getting it to us. We’re also doing well on the offensive boards.”
Jenkins’ 16 minutes epitomized the way Insell wants the Rebels to play. Four of her seven rebounds came on the offensive end, where she was a source of constant movement. At 5-foot-10, the senior forward gives Ole Miss an athletic presence off the bench who can provide a spark.
“I think I did pretty good,” Jenkins said. “My main focus was just basically being aggressive, being strong and not letting anybody pushing me around and just finishing everything around the basket, even if it was a layup or a rebound. I just wanted to go up strong.”
Faleru said the aggressive attitude has lifted the team’s confidence after it lost all three games at the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii, last month. Ole Miss dropped all three games by at least 14 points, but Insell, the former assistant coach at Kentucky, said the Rebels have responded since that trip. He feels the team will continue to grow in its next four non-conference games, which includes a game against nationally ranked Baylor on Dec. 18 in Waco, Texas. Ole Miss will play host to Missouri in its Southeastern Conference opener on Jan. 2, 2014.
“I think everybody is more confident. I think everybody has actually found themselves and is playing off each other’s energy and each person’s confidence,” Jenkins said.
Ole Miss had a 44-28 edge in points in the paint. It also forced 17 turnovers and scored 22 points off those miscues. The Rebels also had a 20-2 edge in fast-break points.
Insell said he was excited about the team’s effort, and that he feels his team is developing a better understanding of how to get the shots it wants to take. He said the “toughness” the team has played with since returning from Hawaii is the biggest reason it is riding a five-game winning streak. Insell said “getting to the basket” is one way the Rebels can show they are the toughest team on the court.
“When we get paint touches, if it is off the bounce or if we throw it inside, something good happens for Ole Miss,” Insell said. “We’re getting a lot better shots, we’re getting the shots we want, and we’re slowed down and people are shooting the shots they are successful at shooting.”
Ole Miss will play host to Mississippi Valley State at noon Saturday.
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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