By Joshua J. Darling, Sports Information Director
OXFORD, Miss. – Stepping up the competition in non-conference action, Alabama A&M (0-6, 0-0 SWAC) could not keep pace with Ole Miss (7-1, 0-0 SEC) as they fell by a score of 74-28 in an NCAA Division I women’s basketball game on Tuesday, November 29.
Graduate guard Toni Grace (Fishers, Ind.) led the way with eight points and three boards while graduate forward Amani Free (Clay, N.Y.) finished with five points and four rebounds. Sophomore guard Amiah Simmons (Osawatomie, Kan.) added six caroms to round out the top performers.
Following a put back by Madison Scott, A&M would take an early 3-2 lead against the Rebels as Free nailed a three from the wing at 8:54. From there, however, it would be all Ole Miss as they went on a dominant 12-0 run to go up 14-3 by the 4:27 mark.
After a nearly two-minute scoring drought for both teams the Bulldogs would snap out of it as they hit 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to stay within 11 points, 19-8, at the end of the opening frame.
A bucket to open the second cut it back to nine but the Rebels would extend to a 17-point margin three times, the last at 31-14 with 3:29 on the clock. The basket that got them there sparked a 7-0 burst to close the first half and sent the teams to the break at 36-14.
Ole Miss would then open the fourth with 11 straight points as part of a 21-3 run that spanned the first 7:45 and put the score at 57-17. They would go on to close the period up 60-19 before the clubs each scored five points over the first 2:04 of the fourth to put it a 65-24. From there, however, the Rebels would go on to close out the 74-28 victory just over eight minutes later.
Snudda Collins paced Mississippi with 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting and Scott hauled in a double-double of 11 points and 10 boards along with five assists. Tyia Singleton added10 points, seven caroms, three blocks and three steals and Ayanna Thompson chipped in with eight boards. Destiny Salary paid dividends with a game-high eight assists to cap the Rebels top performances.
With the finals break, A&M is now off until Saturday, December 10 when they travel to Tennessee Tech. That game is set for 1 p.m. in Cookeville, Tennessee.
