Ole Miss women’s basketball has big weekend ahead in California at Raise the B.A.R. Invitational

While the Ole Miss Men’s Basketball team failed to capitalize on an opportunity to gain some quality wins for their postseason resume, Coach Yo and the ladies have an awesome chance this weekend in the Raising the B.A.R. Invitational.

The action kicks off Friday November 26 at 5pm as the 4-1 Lady Rebels take on the 4-1 San Diego State Lady Aztecs. Currently the Aztecs are about 100 spots ahead of Ole Miss in RPI, providing a great chance at a quality win for the girls.

Depending on the results of their Friday game, Ole Miss will play either Cal or Furman at 3 or 5pm. Cal is currently 32nd in RPI while Furman is 56th. Every game in this event is a great chance for Coach Yo to prove that her team is for real as they are currently the lowest ranked RPI team in the event.

A 2-0 weekend would immediately thrust Ole Miss into the post season conversation and certainly be a momentum builder as conference play quickly approaches. An 0-2 weekend would not be a backbreaker, but would kill some of the vibes that this coaching staff has worked hard to bring into this season.

You can find these games here, on the Cal live stream.

What to Watch For

Shakira Austin has been awesome so far this season, averaging 13 points and 10 rebounds in 24 minutes of play. No Lady Rebel has averaged a double double on the season since the 2004-05 season when Armintie Price did it with averages of 16.6 points and 10.4 rebounds per contest. Shakira averaged 18.6 points per game last season, so look for her to continue to find her offensive groove this weekend.

Senior guard Sophia Ramos for San Diego State is the biggest threat on Friday as she is the only player on the roster averaging 10+ points with 14 per night.

Furman (4-1) is led by the spectacular play of senior wing Tierra Hodges averaging 14.3 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. Furman also rosters a sniper in Tate Walters, shooting 42.9% from deep on the season.

Cal (4-0) has already quadrupled their win total from last season due in large part to freshman guard Jayda Curry averaging 22 points per game on 40% shooting from deep. Junior forward Evelien Lutje Schipholt has been great averaging 13.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.

I would say walking away 1-1 on the weekend is a more than favorable outcome. While 2-0 is obviously the goal, the Lady Rebs will have their hands full on Saturday regardless of the opponent. I believe the girls beat SDST on Friday and take on Cal Saturday at 5 pm in an excellent test for Coach Yo and her group.