No. 5 seed Ole Miss women’s basketball takes down No. 4 Baylor on the road; Rebels advance to Sweet 16

OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss women’s basketball knows how to show, not just tell!

Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin made it clear that she wanted the Rebels to host the NCAA Tournament and bring the energy and excitement of March Madness to Oxford. However, not receiving that opportunity, the Rebels found themselves in Waco, Texas, facing the No. 4 seeded Baylor Bears on their home court in the second round. In a 69-63 victory that came down to the final minute, Ole Miss sent the host packing, securing a spot in the Sweet 16 for the second time in three seasons, with the last time coming in 2023.

The opening quarter set the tone for a physical and fast-paced game. Ole Miss opened the scoring with an early jumper from Madison Scott, followed by intense full court zone pressure. The Bears answered each basket in the early stages until Ole Miss went on a 6-0 run, which was quickly matched by a 6-0 run from Baylor. This 4th vs 5th seed matchup was living up to the hype, with both teams clearly coming ready to play. The Rebels ended the first on top by four, 20-16, separating themselves by knocking down jumpers off second-chance opportunities.

Less than 30 seconds into the second quarter, Sira Thienou put the Rebels on the board with a quick bucket to start the period. Baylor struggled early, turning the ball over on their first three possessions, and Ole Miss capitalized, pushing their lead to the largest of the game at 24-16. Then, the momentum began to shift as Baylor tightened their defense and Ole Miss ran into foul trouble, with key players like Scott and KK Deans sitting out for stretches. A 13-2 run followed, allowing the Bears to end the quarter and head into halftime with a 29-26 lead. A key factor in the first half was that no three pointer was made by either team.

All season, Ole Miss has been a strong third quarter team, and once again, they scored their highest points of the game in this period. Both teams came out swinging to start the half, trading buckets early, and then Starr Jacobs got involved, putting her team on the board from the free throw line, putting them down by one. A steal and an easy breakout bucket for Thienou tied the game.

Almost halfway through the third, the three pointers began to fall for both sides, with Sarah Andrews hitting one, followed by Kennedy Todd-Williams answering right back. Back and forth, both teams exchanged leads and ties, with the third quarter ending at 48-48. With just 10 minutes left in regulation, it was clear that both teams wanted this game.

In the final period, Ole Miss took control early with a 6-0 run, forcing the Bears to call a timeout. Baylor went nearly three minutes without a score before converting on a clear-out play designed for Aaronette Vonleh’s layup. On the other end, Jacobs continued to make her presence felt, while Thienou, Deans, and Scott kept knocking down shots from the outside.

For Baylor, Jada Walker, Andrews, and Vonleh made timely buckets to tie the game with 1:05 left. After an Ole Miss timeout, with just 40 seconds remaining, Madison Scott hit a midrange jumper to give Ole Miss a two point lead, 63-61. Baylor had one final chance to answer, but they could not convert, and Deans sealed the game by knocking down six clutch free throws in the final seconds, giving the Rebels a 69-63 victory.

Statistically, both teams struggled with consistency at times, but Ole Miss’ aggressive defense and fast-break opportunities made the difference. Thienou finished with 16 points and was a force all over the court, while Deans added 13 points and showed her go-get-it mentality in clutch moments. Scott contributed 14 points, and Jacobs chipped in 8 points, making it a balanced team effort. For Baylor, Vonleh led the way with 16 points, followed by Walker’s 15 points, Andrews’ 14 points, and Darianna Littlepage-Buggs’ 10 points.

I said it before, and I will say it again: the Ole Miss Rebels are headed to the Sweet 16 in Spokane, Washington! There, they will face the number one overall seed UCLA on Friday, March 28th at the Spokane Arena. Time and TV to be determined.

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