The Lady Rebels defeated Mississippi State 85-73 on Thursday, March 6 in Greenville, S.C., in their first SEC Tournament action of 2025.

Head Coach Yolett-McPhee McCuin secured four consecutive 20-win seasons with Ole Miss. 

On Sunday, March 2, Ole Miss closed out the regular season with a big win against No. 7 LSU in Baton Rouge, La. Guards Tameiya Sadler and KK Deans combined for 36 points, and forward Starr Jacobs added 18 off the bench. 

The Lady Rebels SEC record of 10-6 earned Ole Miss a first-round bye in the SEC Tournament. As the No. 7 seed, they faced No. 10 seed Mississippi State, who beat No. 15 seed Missouri 75-55 in the first round.. Guard Jerkaila Jordan scored 21 points, contributing to a 31-0 Bulldog run in the second half.

First half

The first quarter was low-scoring. After the Bulldogs got out to a 6-0 lead, Sadler broke the seal for the Lady Rebels with an and-one. Guard Sira Thienou hit a three, and solid offense from guard Madison Scott helped Ole Miss to a 19-15 lead.

Deans opened the second quarter with a three-pointer , and on the next possession, Thienou hit her second three of the game. Jordan scored a three and a layup to tighten the Rebels’ lead. 

Mississippi state guard Destiney McPhaul scored five unanswered points to tie the game at 27, and just before the midpoint of the quarter, the Bulldogs had taken a two-point lead.

It was back-and-forth from there. Scott scored five straight for the Rebs, including an and-one finish at the rim. Jordan scored a contested lay-up for State, and Bulldog forward Madina Okot added an easy put-back.

At the end of the quarter, the Bulldogs got sloppy. Thienou was a defensive presence for the Rebs, snatching an errant Bulldog pass which led to a Sadler three-pointer in transition. On their last two possessions, the Bulldogs committed turnovers in their own backcourt. 

The Lady Rebels closed out the quarter on a 7-0 run, putting their lead at 42-35. 13 of those points came off Mississippi State turnovers.

Second half

In the second half, Bulldog guard Denim Deshields made a lay-up in the half court, then, on the inbounds pass, stole the ball from Rebel guard Kennedy Todd-Williams and scored again. The Lady Rebels made a few defensive plays as well: Scott stole a pass and tallied yet another and-one on the other end. 

State guard Chandler Prater cut the Rebel lead to four after a steal by Todd-Williams was whistled as a kicked-ball violation. But Thierou’s third three pointer in as many attempts kept the Lady Rebels in command.

By the end of the quarter, Ole Miss had climbed to their largest lead of the game, 65-56.

The Lady Rebels opened up the fourth quarter with a pair of baskets. Worryingly for the Bulldogs, Prater, Okot and Jordan all had four fouls. 

The final surge never really materialized for the Bulldogs. Okot had another put-back and tallied two free throws, and, with less than four minutes left, guard Eniya Russell banked in a three. But the Lady Rebels did not let the Bulldogs catch up. 

With four players in double figures – including forward Christeen Iwuala, who anchored the Lady Rebels on the interior throughout the game – Ole Miss remained on top and defeated the Bulldogs 85-73 to advance to the semifinals. Scott and Todd-Williams scored 20 apiece

Who’s next?

The Lady Rebels will return to action on Friday, March 7, at 5 p.m. against the No. 2 seed Texas Longhorns.