The No. 18 Lady Rebels took down in-state rival Mississippi State 93-68 in the Sandy and John Black Pavilion on Sunday, Jan. 11. This game marked the first time since 1997 Ole Miss defeated Mississippi State by 20 or more points.
The game got off to a hot start with the Bulldogs winning the tipoff, Christeen Iwuala stealing the ball and immediately returning it for a layup. This play set the tone for the rest of the game. The Lady Rebels ran a full court press which allowed them to take control of the court on defense. Mississippi State’s second offensive drive also resulted in a steal, leading to a jump shot by Cotie McMahon.
The Rebels scored 10 points in the first three minutes, seven which came from turnovers. This first quarter was the beginning of a dominant showing all around by Ole Miss, who did not trail at any point in the game.
The Ole Miss defense was firing on all cylinders. The Lady Rebels produced 13 steals, 28 defensive rebounds and four blocks.
Four players had double digit points. McMahon led with 21. Sira Thienou put up 20, Latasha Lattimore scored 17 and Iwuala charted 14. The Rebels put up 48 points in the paint and shot 55.6% overall.
The key stat in this game was the 21 assists from Ole Miss. The Lady Rebels worked well together and moved the ball around the court easily. With each player on the court being a contributor, this made them a much harder team to defend.
Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin and her team understood the importance of coming out on top in a battle with the Bulldogs.
“When I first came to Ole Miss, one of the things I understood was they want us to win and they want us to win big, and, second, we don’t lose to Mississippi State,” McPhee-McCuin said in an address to the fans. “One of the goals we had was to respect the rivalry … and I hope you saw we respect the rivalry enough to put some belt to a– today.”
This performance was yet another powerful showing for the Lady Rebels. Coach McPhee-McCuin’s team is clicking together at the right time. They are on track to be a top contender in the SEC and have a high seeding in the NCAA tournament.
Based on their performances against Texas, Oklahoma and Mississippi State, the Lady Rebels are expected to jump several spots in the polls when they are released next week.
What’s next?
The Lady Rebels will travel to Athens, Ga., to take on the Georgia Lady Bulldogs on Jan. 18. SEC Network will broadcast the game at 11 a.m.
