Dec. 16, 2012

Photo Gallery Box Score  

OXFORD, Miss. -  The Ole Miss women's basketball team stepped up defensively Sunday afternoon with a convincing 63-48 win over Belmont.

With the win, Ole Miss improved to 6-2 this season while Belmont fell to 5-6.

Belmont's 46 points marks the second time this season and 16^th time over the last four years that Ole Miss has held an opponent under 50 points in a game.

Ole Miss outrebounded Belmont 47-31 in the game and the Rebels recorded 15 second-chance points. Ole Miss also forced Belmont into 18 turnovers.

"It's always fun to get a victory and get a win no matter who you are playing or what the situation," head coach Brett Frank said.  "To closeout our 2012 home schedule with a win was really sweet. Belmont is a really good team and they are very well coached."

Tia Faleru led three Ole Miss players in double figures with 13 points, while Diara Moore and Valencia McFarland each added 12. Moore also had a career-high nine boards, four assists and two steals.

Ole Miss used a 7-0 run capped by a basket from Tia Faleru to push its lead eight, 17-9, with 7:55 left in the half. The Bruins responded to went up one, 18-17, with 4:46 to play. At the half, Ole Miss led 26-22.

Moore led Ole Miss with eight points at the half while Courtney Mabra led the Rebels with six boards. Ole Miss shot 32.3 percent from the floor (10-310) while Belmont shot 34.6 percent (9-23).

Ole Miss came out strong in the second half and used a 10-2 run to increase its lead to 38-30 with 16:16 left in the game.

The Rebels pushed its lead to 17, 49-32, on a free throw from McFarland with 11:18 to play.

Ole Miss will open a six-game road trip Tuesday at Cleveland State at 6 p.m. followed by two games in the New York Life Holiday Invitational against tournament host Hofstra on Friday at 6 p.m. and Northwestern on Saturday at 2 p.m.