Let the madness begin.
Ole Miss women’s basketball is set to begin its NCAA Tournament run Friday. The No. 5-seed Rebels will take on No. 12 Gonzaga at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN2. The Rebels hope to at least return to the Sweet 16 for a second-straight season, and maybe go even further, but they’re taking it one game at a time.
“You can’t look ahead. Our staff can look ahead, but my focus is Gonzaga and going 1-0. After that, we’ll worry about whoever comes next,” Ole Miss coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin said. “I told the team: four wins and we’re in Phoenix. Six wins and you win the whole thing. But you can’t think that far ahead because one loss sends you home. So the focus is Gonzaga and taking it one game at a time.”
Here’s everything to know about the first-round tournament game.
The Opponent: Gonzaga
Gonzaga is back in the NCAA Tournament, which is a pretty familiar spot for the program. The Bulldogs have made nine postseason trips and are returning to the big stage after playing in the WBIT last year. They have reached the Sweet 16 twice with Lisa Fortier on the bench, most recently in 2023-24 when they rolled through conference play at 16-0. This year’s group put together a solid 24-9 record and went 14-4 in the WCC before beating Oregon State in the league title game earlier this month. That win marked the program’s 11th conference tournament championship.
Redshirt freshman Lauren Whittaker has been the go-to scorer all season. She averages 19.4 points on 55.3 percent shooting and knocks down more than 37 percent of her threes. She also gives Gonzaga a steady presence on the glass with 10.2 rebounds per game and has stacked up 17 double-doubles, which ranks 14th nationally.
Allie Turner has been the team’s most accurate shooter from deep. She is hitting 46.7 percent from three, which is the third best mark in the country and the second highest among teams in this year’s NCAA Tournament. With Turner and Whittaker leading the way, Gonzaga has become one of the best three point shooting teams in the nation at 39 percent. Only UConn shoots it better.
Whittaker and freshman forward Jaiden Haile have also given the Bulldogs a strong presence inside. Their work in the paint has helped Gonzaga outrebound opponents by an average of 11.0 boards per game, which ranks sixth in the country. The Bulldogs also move the ball well. Eight players average at least one assist and the team sits at 17.0 assists per game, just outside the top 25 nationally.
How to Watch: Gonzaga vs. Ole Miss, NCAA Tournament 1st Round
- Who: No. 12 Gonzaga Bulldogs (24-9) vs. No. 5 Ole Miss Rebels (23-11)
- When: 2:30 p.m., Friday
- Where: Williams Arena, Minneapolis, Minn.
- TV: ESPN2
- Radio: Live Radio
- Stats: Live Stats
- Series History: Ole Miss leads the all-time series 2-1
- Last Meeting: Ole Miss 71, Gonzaga 48 (March 17, 2023)
- Last time out, Rebels: lost to Texas, 85-68 (SEC Tournament semifinals)
- Last time out, Bulldogs: def. Oregon State, 76-66 (WCC Championship)
Ole Miss Top Performers
- Points: Cotie McMahon, 19.9 ppg
- Rebounds: Christeen Iwuala, 8.4 rpg
- Assists: Cotie McMahon, 103 (3.0 avg.)
- Steals: Sira Thienou, 44 (1.6 avg.)
- Blocks: Latasha Lattimore, 73 (2.1 avg.)
Gonzaga Top Performers
- Points: Lauren Whittaker, 19.4 ppg
- Rebounds: Lauren Whittaker, 10.2 rpg
- Assists: Allie Turner, 114 (3.6 avg.)
- Steals: Inês Bettencourt, 47 (1.4 avg.)
- Blocks: Taylor Smith, 18 (0.5 avg.)
Odds, Spread, Totals
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
Spread
- Gonzaga: +13.5 (-110)
- Ole Miss: -13.5 (-110)
Moneyline
- Gonzaga: +570
- Ole Miss: -900
Total
- Over: 135.5 (-110)
- Under: 135.5 (-110)
