A four-game skid and a single-bye later, a banged-up Ole Miss women's basketball squad looks well rested to take on their first postseason opponents in Auburn.
The wheels started coming off in Coach Yo's squad right towards the end of the regular season and it definitely hurt the Rebels' seeding in the SEC tournament.
As the No. 7 seed, Ole Miss had to get their starters healthy within a single bye after losing four games back-to-back. Now, they finally kickstart their SEC Tournament at Greenville against the unexpected Auburn on March 5.
Ole Miss vs. Auburn preview
Auburn was the clear underdog heading into the match with Texas A&M. The Rebs were rooting for the Aggies to make an appearance instead because they wanted their revenge after the 66-58 loss to them in their final game of the regular season.
That said, Auburn is a team that Coach Yo's squad has previously played against and bullied them in the paint in the 71-45 showdown.
Although the Tigers have much improved since, and the Rebels are feeling the gaping absence of Sira Thienou in their squad, the familiarity with Larry Vikers' team could give them the upper hand.
However, it could backfire just as badly on the Rebs as Ole Miss is in a slump and the Tigers are on a roll. Plus, they will also have the need for revenge, fueling them.
Ole Miss scores 75.3 points, 12.8 more per game than the 62.5 Auburn allows. Whether they can continue averaging that much with Cotie McMahon losing her momentum and Theinou's absence is a serious concern.
Another concern for the Rebel nation heading into the game is Ole Miss losing all of their down-to-the-wire games in the recent history. The Rebels are 0-3 in games decided by less than 4 points.
It will be the game that decides if Coach Yo's squad has what it takes to host the Big Dance this season.