The Ole Miss Rebels faced a challenging contest against the ninth-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish, culminating in a 56-71 defeat. The Rebels entered the game with an aggressive stance, but despite their efforts, they fell short against the home team. The Fighting Irish improved their record to an impressive 9-0 while the Rebels now stand at 0-1.

Mar 25, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Sonia Citron (11) goes up for a shot as Ole Miss Rebels forward Tyia Singleton (22) defends in the second half of the NCAA Tournament second round game at the Purcell Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

From the opening quarter, it was clear that both teams were eager to establish dominance. The Rebels scored 9 points in the first quarter and ramped up their performance by adding another 17 points in the second. They continued to fight hard in the third quarter with 16 points and concluded with a final push of 14 points in the fourth quarter. Despite this consistent effort, they could not match Notre Dame's scoring pace.

The statistics reveal areas where Ole Miss excelled and struggled throughout this matchup. They boasted a commendable free throw percentage of 82 percent by sinking 9 out of their 11 attempts from the line. Their tenacity was also evident as they managed to score ten fast break points and capitalized on turnovers by adding another fourteen points to their tally.

Mar 25, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Ole Miss Rebels guard Ayanna Thompson (20) dribbles as Notre Dame Fighting Irish forward Maddy Westbeld (21) defends in the first half of the NCAA Tournament second round game at the Purcell Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

However, shooting accuracy proved challenging for Ole Miss; they finished with an overall field goal percentage of just thirty-nine percent compared to Notre Dame's fifty percent efficiency from the field. From beyond the arc, Ole Miss managed only twenty-five percent accuracy which paled in comparison to Notre Dame's forty-four percent three-point shooting success rate.

Rebounding was one area where Ole Miss held its own; they collected thirty-three rebounds over Notre Dame's twenty-seven but still faced difficulties converting these opportunities into second-chance points, managing only four compared to six by Notre Dame.

Mar 25, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Ole Miss Rebels forward Madison Scott (24) shoots as Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Hannah Hidalgo (3) defends in the second half of the NCAA Tournament second round game at the Purcell Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

Defensively, both teams were evenly matched with nine steals each; however, personal fouls committed by Ole Miss tallied up to eighteen which may have contributed significantly towards giving away scoring chances through free throws where Notre Dame excelled at eighty-eight percent accuracy.

As fans reflect on this game played at Purcell Pavilion before an attendance of seven thousand eight hundred eighty-two spectators at South Bend IN on March twenty-fifth scheduled for six o'clock Eastern Time Zone (ET), it is clear that there are takeaways for improvement as well as positive aspects that can be built upon moving forward.

Looking ahead without making any assumptions about future outcomes or performances – fans can tune into future broadcasts featuring Ole Miss as they continue their season journey seeking redemption and growth from each game experience.

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