2021 WNIT Tournament
Nancy Mulkey and Rice defeated Ole Miss in the 2021 WNIT Final
Thanks for reading the Her Hoop Stats Newsletter. If you like our work, be sure to check out our stats site, our podcast, and our social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also buy Her Hoop Stats gear, such as laptop stickers, mugs, and shirts!
Haven’t subscribed to the Her Hoop Stats Newsletter yet?
Rice University captured its first-ever postseason WNIT title by defeating the Ole Miss Lady Rebels 71-58 in the tournament’s finale Sunday afternoon in Memphis, Tennessee. The Owls made history by becoming the first Conference USA team to claim the WNIT crown. Rice senior center Nancy Mulkey was named tournament MVP after posting a line of 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 blocks in Sunday’s championship game.
The Owls got off to a quick start and led 17-13 after the 1st quarter. They continued to pour it on in the second quarter and led Ole Miss 34-23 at halftime. Rice forward Lauren Schwartz had a huge impact in that second quarter and had 14 points at the half to lead the Owls. Meanwhile, Ole Miss struggled shooting from the field in the first half (25% in the 1st quarter, 15% in the second quarter and 0% from 3) and Ole Miss star forward Shakira Austin was held to nine points on 2/11 shooting from the floor (22 percent).
In the third quarter, it was much of the same story as the Owls were able to keep the Lady Rebels at bay thanks in large part to Nancy Mulkey, who scored 8 points in the quarter. Rice led Ole Miss 52-40 after the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Ole Miss mounted a comeback due in large part to an impressive defense attack that included a steal and two five-second violations against Rice. The Lady Rebels cut it down to just 4 points at 58-54 with less than five minutes to play; but could not get any closer. The Rice Owls were able to hold off Ole Miss by making free throws and Sydne Wiggins hit a three-pointer with 38 seconds left which sealed the win.
Afterwards, Rice head coach Tina Langley praised her team’s performance by saying that she felt like a proud parent with her kids. She said, “We’ve had so much adversity beyond COVID. We’ve had some deaths on the team, a lot of things happened this year. I’m just so proud of their resiliency and character. The young women on the team, how they stay together. They’re so selfless. I just love them. They’re just an incredible group of young women.”
Lauren Schwartz, who was key in helping Rice get the win, was named to the WNIT All-Tournament team. She said she was really happy with the win after Rice did not receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. “We did not win the conference tournament, so we really just wanted to prove ourselves and show them who we are. I think we did that this year. Took the next opportunity and did the next big thing.”
Nancy Mulkey, the MVP of the tournament, was asked about how she felt when her team was only up by four points late in the fourth quarter and she had to sit because of foul trouble. She said she was not worried: “I trusted my teammates. We stuck to the game plan. My teammates remained steady.”
She also said she had not yet decided if she was going to return for another year of college or go to the pros.
Meanwhile, Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, who was unavailable for most of the WNIT games because of a positive COVID test, had to say this about her team: “When I went out with COVID, some of my close friends told me we wouldn’t get out of the first round, just because my team depends on my effort and energy so much. Yet, we’re playing in the championship game against a Rice team that was ultra-experienced. Of course, we wanted to win, but in hindsight if we couldn’t win then I still feel like I got a victory for this program out of this. Obviously my team is heartbroken, but I talked to them about the good things that they did, and I am very appreciative of them.”
She also had positive things to say about her star forward Shakira Austin, who was named to the All-WNIT Tournament Team after finishing with 25 points and 9 rebounds in the final. “Shakira is special. We have one more year with her, so we definitely have to make it work for us. She’s going to go in the draft, hopefully top-three next year. There are some things we’re going to do to improve her game. I just told her I appreciate her.”
Rice was dominant throughout the WNIT Tournament and won each game by double digits. It was an impressive showing for the Owls, and they need to look no further than this year’s NCAA Tournament. Indiana and Arizona, the past two WNIT champions, advanced to the Elite Eight, so Rice can look to both Indiana and Arizona for inspiration to achieve higher goals.
Thanks for reading the Her Hoop Stats Newsletter. If you like our work, be sure to check out our stats site, our podcast, and our social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also buy Her Hoop Stats gear, such as laptop stickers, mugs, and shirts!