WACO, Texas – Mississippi head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin found comfort returning to a new arena in the Texas city where a tough chapter in Ole Miss history had unfolded three years earlier. This time, the atmosphere was different, and the Rebels sought and achieved redemption.
Starr Jacobs led the charge with 18 points and 11 rebounds, guiding the fifth-seeded Rebels to a commanding 83-65 victory over 12th-seeded Ball State in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament’s first round on Friday night. Ole Miss is set to face the fourth seed, Baylor, who secured a 73-60 win over Grand Canyon, in the second round on Sunday.
Kennedy Todd-Williams contributed 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Madison Scott matched her with 15 points, as Ole Miss (now 21-10) enjoyed a more favorable experience on Baylor’s home court. This was a stark contrast to their previous encounter in Waco when they were toppled in a tournament game by South Dakota.
The previous first-round setback occurred in 2022 at the old Ferrell Center, located about a mile from the newly opened Foster Pavilion. McPhee-McCuin expressed her preference for Foster over Ferrell and a sense of relief in not re-entering the former venue. “Once I realized that we wouldn’t be playing in the same building, I felt like the juju was lifted,” McPhee-McCuin explained. “We’re just such a different team now, and it was our first time going into the tournament, but it was a sigh of relief. It was in the back of my mind.”
Ally Becki scored 19 points for the Cardinals (27-8), who were marking their second NCAA appearance 16 years after their initial outing. Previously a 12th seed, Ball State caused an upset against Tennessee before losing to Iowa State, but this time, the team struggled to replicate such an upset, shooting just 31% in the first half and trailing 37-23. The margin remained significant well into the second half and only narrowed slightly in the final quarter.
Although Ole Miss hoped to host the early rounds under McPhee-McCuin’s tenure, they settled for their highest seed since 1994, matching that No. 5 position, and showcased their worthiness on the court in Texas. “We had been off almost two weeks, so it’s a long time,” McPhee-McCuin noted. “We just had to get some anxiety, some rust off. And I can tell because they were incredibly winded, and I don’t know how because we’ve been like on vacation for two weeks.”
The game saw Ole Miss lead by as much as a point when Scott’s jumper sparked a 12-0 run spanning the first and second quarters. Ball State struggled to reduce the deficit to single digits thereafter.
“We threw the first punch,” Cardinals coach Brady Sallee remarked. “With them, it always starts on the defensive end, and they turn their defense into offense. Once that snowball started, they settled in and became the team I’d seen on film, going and getting boards.”
Jacobs and Todd-Williams spearheaded a powerful rebounding performance, with Ole Miss claiming a 52-32 advantage, including 18-6 in offensive rebounds, leading to a 22-6 edge in second-chance points. “It was part of the game plan,” Todd-Williams mentioned. “I know I have to get on the glass. Starr is always on the glass, so it was really good for me to see that I was able to get those rebounds.”
Although not playing at home, Jacobs had the opportunity to return to Texas, being from the Dallas area and having attended college in Texas-Arlington. “I love being in Texas, but it’s a great feeling being back home and having people come out and support you,” Jacobs stated. “But like Scott said before, our defense travels. It was a great win for us, and no matter where we play, I think we’re going to play the same.”