Ole Miss senior Kaitlin Peterson guards a Gonzaga player in a NCAA Tournament first-round game. | Ole Miss Athletics
Ole Miss senior Kaitlin Peterson guards a Gonzaga player in a NCAA Tournament first-round game. | Ole Miss Athletics

Ole Miss Draws Minnesota with Sweet 16 on the Line

BY Taylor Hodges

Ole Miss is one win away from getting back to the Sweet 16, and now we know exactly when that chance arrives. The No. 5-seed Rebels (24-11) will face No. 4-seed Minnesota (23-8) at 1 p.m. Sunday on ESPN, looking to become the first lower seed to win a game in this year’s tournament.

So far, the NCAA Tournament has gone all chalk. No surprises. No drama. Not the most thrilling start, but that won’t last forever.

If Ole Miss is going to be the team that breaks the trend, it’ll have to do it in what amounts to a true road game. Minnesota is hosting the regional and drew about 10,000 fans for its first-round win over Green Bay.

Both teams handled their openers comfortably. Ole Miss beat Gonzaga by 15. Minnesota won 75-58. The difference is how they got there.

Minnesota had to dig itself out of a real hole. Green Bay led at the end of each of the first three quarters: up one after the first, three at halftime and four heading into the fourth.

The tournament’s streak of no upsets was about ten minutes from ending, and then Minnesota flipped the game with a 14-0 run.

That was the turning point. From there, the Gophers controlled everything. They kept stretching the margin and closed out the win by pounding the ball inside. Twenty of their 30 fourth-quarter points came in the paint.

Ole Miss has shown it can do something similar. The Rebels have dictated pace and controlled games for long stretches, especially in the SEC Tournament and again against Gonzaga.

The difference is Ole Miss tends to take control early and never give it back. Seeing the Bulldogs have to mount a fourth-quarter comeback has to give the Rebels some confidence heading into Sunday.

Expect a defensive game. Minnesota forced 17 turnovers, grabbed eight steals and blocked three shots. Ole Miss forced 21 turnovers, had 14 steals and blocked nine shots.

Both teams are comfortable winning ugly, and both can turn defense into momentum in a hurry.

How to Watch: Ole Miss vs. Minnesota, NCAA Tournament, Round of 32

  • Who: No. 5 Ole Miss Rebels (24-11) vs. No. 4 Minnesota (23-8)
  • When: 1 p.m., Sunday
  • Where: Williams Arena, Minneapolis, Minn.
  • TV: ESPN
  • Radio: Live Radio
  • Stats: Live Stats
  • Series History: First meeting.
  • Last Meeting: n/a
  • Last time out, Rebels: def. No. 12 Gonzaga, 81-66
  • Last time out, Gophers: def. No. 13 Green Bay, 75-58

Ole Miss Top Performers

  • Points: Cotie McMahon, 19.7 ppg
  • Rebounds: Christeen Iwuala, 8.4 rpg
  • Assists: Cotie McMahon, 105 (3.0 avg.)
  • Steals: Sira Thienou, 47 (1.7 avg.)
  • Blocks: Latasha Lattimore, 74 (2.1 avg.)

Minnesota Top Performers

  • Points: Tori McKinney, 13.0 ppg
  • Rebounds: Amaya battle, 7.4 rpg
  • Assists: Amaya Battle, 110 (3.5 avg.)
  • Steals: Tori McKinney, 56 (2.1 avg.)
  • Blocks: Mara Braun, 21 (0.7 avg.)

Odds, Spread, Totals

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Spread

  • Ole Miss: +4.5 (-110)
  • Minnesota: -4.5 (-110)

Moneyline

  • Ole Miss: +172
  • Minnesota: -215

Total

  • Over: 127.5 (-110)
  • Under: 127.5 (-110)

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