Dec. 4, 2009
Complete Game Notes in PDF Format
Game 6
Sunday, December 6th - 1:00 p.m. (EST)
Ted Constant Convocation Center (8,600) - Norfolk, Va.
Old Dominion University Lady Monarchs (0-5, 0-0 CAA) vs.
University of Mississippi Rebels (6-1, 0-0 SEC)
TV: None
Radio: ESPN Radio 94.1 FM
Online Audio: Monarch TV
Online Video: Monarch TV
NORFOLK, Va. -- The Old Dominion Lady Monarchs (0-5) seek the first win of the season this Sunday at 1:00 p.m. as they play host to the 6-1 Mississippi Rebels. ODU returns home after a two-game swing in Cancun, Mexico against a pair of teams receiving votes in the national polls, while Ole Miss stays out on the road for a fifth consecutive game.
Old Dominion has opened the season 0-5 for the first time in the 41-year history of the program, with four of the five games coming against teams at least receiving votes in the national polls. The Lady Monarchs most recently dropped a 7-point decision to defending national runner-up Louisville, 82-75. ODU got career-high performances from junior Shadasia Green (Paterson, N.J.) and sophomore Tia Lewis (Poulan, Ga.), each scoring 24 points in the game. Junior guard Jasmine Parker (Norfolk, Va.) also scored a career-high 24 points earlier this season against RV/#20 Maryland.
Parker continues to lead the way offensively for ODU, with Green and Lewis right behind. Parker is averaging 12.4 ppg while Green is adding 12.0 and Lewis 11.4 per game. On the boards, Lewis is the team leader with 7.6 and Green is right behind with 7.4 per game. Sophomore center Mairi Buchan has filled into the starting lineup nicely, averaging 7.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg and a team-leading five blocks this season.
Mississippi is led by senior guard Bianca Thomas, who joined the 1,000 point club in the last Rebel game. Thomas leads the team in scoring and is ninth in the nation with 23.6 points per game and is also the team-leader in rebounding with 6.3 per contest. Junior Kayla Melson is also in double figures for the year, averaging 11.8 points per game.
These teams have matched up just four times prior to Sunday's game, with the all-time series knotted up at two games apiece.
Today's Game:
All-Time Series -- Each team has won a pair of games in the all-time series, knotted up at 2-2. ODU won the first two games against Ole Miss in 1979, 79-58, and 1981, 58-46, before falling in the most recent matchups, including an NCAA Tournament loss in 1989 and last season's 79-72 setback. This will be just the fifth all-time matchup in history between the two programs.
About Ole Miss -- Bianca Thomas is leading a potent attack for the Lady Rebels that has seen the team to a 6-1 start. Thomas has nailed 29 three-pointers, shooting 44.6% from long range, while leading the team in scoring with 23.6 points per game. She currently ranks 9th in the nation in scoring. She also is the team-leader in rebounds with 6.3 per contest.
Thomas is joined in double figures by Kayla Melson, who is averaging 11.8 per game. Melson is also averaging 5.2 rebounds per game, second on the team.
As a team, Ole Miss is averaging 80 points per game while holding opponents to just 52.1 per contest. That ranks fifth in the nation for scoring margin at +29.1. The team also ranks eighth in the nation in assists per game (8.7) and fifth in the nation in assist to turnover ratio (1.23). Leading the charge is Shantell Black, currently 18th in the nation in assists with 6.3 per contest.