UCLA Basketball Coach Reveals Unique Ole Miss Relationship Ahead of Sweet 16
The Ole Miss women's basketball team has a difficult matchup looming in the Sweet 16 against the No. 1 overall seed UCLA. Bruins reporter Spencer Brown asked Cori Close, the team's head coach, if she had watched much film of the Rebels yet, to which she responded that she and the team had, for one specific reason.
"We have actually watched Ole Miss a lot because Christeen Iwuala is on their team, and we love her, even though she used to be a Bruin," said Close. "But we are 'Wually' fans, as we call her, and we just think she's spectacular. So, we've tuned in, as a team, to a lot of games."
Iwuala spent two seasons in Los Angeles playing for the Bruins before making the trek back east to play for coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin and the Rebels. After averaging just 3.3 points per game at UCLA, she has more than doubled that output for Ole Miss, contributing 6.8 points per contest as well as 4.4 rebounds.
The Rebels will have their hands full against the Bruins, who won the Big Ten Conference Tournament after losing only two games during the regular season. Center Lauren Betts, a National Player of the Year finalist, will be difficult for Ole Miss to contain, as will their trio of skilled guards and wings.
Coach McPhee-McCuin and her team have proven this season, however, that they can compete with anyone in the entire country. They'll have a chance to dethrone the top overall seed when the game tips off on ESPN at 10:00 p.m. EST on Friday, March 28.
Related: SEC Basketball Program Makes History on Sunday
Related: Former Ole Miss Basketball Coach Has Perfect Response to Sweet 16 Berth
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