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Home > SECWB News & More! > SEC Teams > Mississippi > Mississippi v. Oklahoma Preview
Mississippi v. Oklahoma Preview
by LeAnne Harrington
Posted: March 24th, 2007 @ 1:22pm
When the Oklahoma Sooners face the Ole Miss Lady Rebels in the Dayton regional semifinal Sunday afternoon, their biggest concerns will be the Rebels’ trapping defense and pressing style of play. Trying to predict how it will unfold is a more pressing concern, since Ole Miss coach Carol Ross isn’t quite sure herself. Ross says, “"They've got the green light to make aggressive plays when they can and wherever they can. It's not always easy to predict whether you're the opponent or the head coach."
Ross’ trust in her team is well founded. The Rebels enter this game as the #7 seed in the Dayton region, and they’ve already been one of this year’s pleasant surprises in the NCAA Tournament, having knocked off Texas Christian and defending National Champion Maryland in their first and second round games. Playing the role of giant slayer suits this Rebel team well. They are playing loose and with confidence, which are two critical ingredients for success this time of year.
They will be facing another giant in Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris, who has drawn quite a few comparisons to another CP: Candace Parker. Paris is a force to be reckoned with, leading her Sooner team in scoring (23.3 ppg), rebounding (15.8 rpg) and blocked shots (3.4 bpg), which puts her in the top five in the nation in all three categories. She is currently on a double-double streak that is at 60 games and counting; quite an impressive stat for this sophomore All-America candidate.
Ole Miss is led by senior Armintie Price, an All-America candidate in her own right. Price’s stats are even more impressive, because she is a danger at both ends of the court. Price is the consummate player, averaging 18.5 points and 8.9 rebounds per game and needs just four more steals to become the second player in women's NCAA history (along with Cheryl Miller of USC) with 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 400 assists and 400 steals.
Ole Miss is ranked second in the nation in steals, averaging 13.7 per game. The Rebels also average 77.8 points per game, which ranks sixth in the nation. Ole Miss enters the game at 23-10; Oklahoma is 28-4. This is the Rebels’ first trip to the Sweet Sixteen since 1992. The Sooners are in the round of 16 for the second straight season and sixth time overall.
This game should be a fun one to watch no matter who you’re pulling for. Getting to see two of the finest players in the women’s game lead their respective teams into battle is what March Madness is all about. The game will be played Sunday, March 25 at 2:30 PM (EST) and will be televised on ESPN2.
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