WBB2K22: Hoops Report 18

Ole Miss 75, Cincinnati 63

We travelled down to Cincinnati (4-4) on Sunday to get an up close look at Ole Miss (8-1) versus the host Bearcats. We wanted to see Shakira Austin, Ole Miss' 6-5 senior center with our own eyes. She didn't have her most dominating offensive day, scoring just eight points, while shooting 3-7, but we saw her value by being a long, agile player with diverse ability.

"Shakira's a unicorn," said Ole Miss' coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin. I don't know what position to put her in, I know that she can play the one through five."

Austin, a native of Fredericksburg, Virginia, contributed in multiple ways to her team's success. She pitched in with five blocked shots, three assists and two steals.

"She can bring the ball down," McPhee-McCuin said. "She creates for others and right now she's the focus. I'm not much concerned for the fact she had eight points, four rebounds — but six turnovers, I need her to be better with making decisions. I can tell you this, her presence allows everybody else to kind of do what they want to do because [the defense is] focused on her. When you have someone like that, they have to find other ways to contribute."

Austin found those ways by simply getting back on defense and being a shot blocking threat. She often made Cincinnati scorers think twice before driving to the basket or taking a midrange shot.

Austin's five blocks are a season high and continues her streak with two blocks or more in a game, which is now at five. She is averaging three blocked shots over that stretch.

Cincinnati had a lot of fight and made Mississippi had to battle for the win. The Bearcats began the night with a 21-18 lead after the first quarter. Over the next two quarters Ole Miss controlled things outscoring the Bearcats 35-30 to take a slim 53-51 lead into the fourth. Cincinnati looked to have the momentum when when Braylyn Milton tied things up with a shot by the basket, before Emerita Mashaire put the Bearcats ahead 55-53 with a layup at the 8:49 mark of the fourth quarter.

From there Ole Miss outscored Cincinnati 20-10 to earn its eighth straight victory. Madison Scott led the Rebels with 18 points shooting 8-8, with three steals, three assists and a block. Destiny Salary scored 15 points with eight rebounds, four assists and two steals. Mimi Reid shined for the Rebels defensively with five steals.

Cincinnati got a big game from Akira Levy, who shot 8-14 on her way to 21 points, six assists and four steals.

"I really like Levy," McPhee-McCuin said. The winning coach compared the guard to NBA guard PJ Tucker. "She's that player the defense doesn't want to go up against. Someone that's going to get in you and talk a lot of mess. It makes her who she is."

Milton had 19 points for the Bearcats. She and Levy combined to go 11-12 from the free-throw line.

Georgia Tech 55, No. 20 Georgia 54

Georgia Tech (6-2) put a stop to Georgia's (8-1) undefeated run as it beat the Bulldogs by one on the road. Center Nerea Hermosa shot 6-9 from the free-throw line as Georgia shot just 4-6 from the stripe as a team. Hermosa had 14 points, eight rebounds, two blocked shots and a steal. Georgia Tech forward Lorela Cubaj's struggles continue on when it comes to scoring the ball. She shot 5-14 (35 percent) and has shot less that 40 percent in all but two games this season. Despite that she is doing great things otherwise. This game she grabbed 15 rebounds to go along with 11 points, four assists and two blocked shots. This game was her fourth double-double of the season.

Guard Eylia Love also had 14 points and seven rebounds for Georgia Tech. Georgia was led by Que Morrison's 15 points and four assists.