Ole Miss Rolls Past Mississippi State, Advances to SEC Quarterfinal Against No. 1 Texas
GREENVILLE, S.C. – With a balanced offensive attack and second half physicality, Ole Miss knocked off Mississippi State 85-73 in the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament to advance to the quarterfinal.
Had to let the people of Greenville know..
WE RUN THE SIP 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/Sw8WKfsmcc
— Ole Miss Women’s BB (@OleMissWBB) March 7, 2025
Ole Miss earned its fifth consecutive quarterfinal appearance under head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, now getting ready to take on No. 1 Texas for the second time this season. Coach Yo also reached 20 wins for the fourth consecutive season with the win.
Rebel Women’s Basketball 📈📈📈 https://t.co/qeQKxLCRHy pic.twitter.com/RpdAFydwXt
— Ole Miss Women’s BB (@OleMissWBB) March 7, 2025
First half
The Bulldogs won the opening tip and began the game on a 6-0 run. The Rebels missed their first four shots of the game before Tameiya Sadler got a layup to fall, drawing a foul and quickly cutting the Mississippi State lead to three.
Ole Miss proceeded to go on an 11-0 run that lasted nearly three minutes before the Bulldogs finally found an answer. However, Kennedy Todd-Williams gave the Rebels a 13-8 lead shortly after with a midrange bucket.
Bucket and one plz ☝️@Ktoddwilli | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/gHYhYIuJTl
— Ole Miss Women’s BB (@OleMissWBB) March 6, 2025
that’s ourrr freshieee 👌@ThienouSira | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/OpzTeHM5Jo
— Ole Miss Women’s BB (@OleMissWBB) March 6, 2025
Debreasha Powe cut the Ole Miss lead to two points near the end of the opening quarter, but it was Madison Scott scoring the final four points in the first to give Ole Miss a 19-15 lead.
KK Deans hit her first triple of the game to open the second quarter, giving the Rebels a seven point lead. Madina Okot answered on the next possession for Mississippi State, but it was the freshman Sira Thienou hitting another three-pointer for Ole Miss to make a 25-17 lead in a hurry.
Anotherrrr one.
Thank you.@ThienouSira | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/Y4L3Nt8MiV— Ole Miss Women’s BB (@OleMissWBB) March 6, 2025
The Bulldogs then went on a 12-2 run led by Destin McPhaul, Jerkail Jordan and Okot, taking a two-point lead before Todd-Williams tied things back up at the line for the Rebels.
The lead changed three times over the next two minutes of play and the game was tied at 35 before Scott scored her fifth straight point with a turn around jumper to give Ole Miss another lead.
TAM3IYA.#HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/1yHSOP2UDB
— Ole Miss Women’s BB (@OleMissWBB) March 6, 2025
The Rebels closed out the final two minutes of the first half on a 7-0 run, highlighted by a crisp bounce pass from Sadler to Thienou in transition. Moments later, the freshman picked off a pass on the other end, setting up Sadler’s second three-pointer of the quarter.
The save. The assist. The bucket. 😮💨#HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/Yuk8cvE4QR
— Ole Miss Women’s BB (@OleMissWBB) March 6, 2025
Mississippi State committed five turnovers in the final four minutes of the half, also ending on a two and a half minute scoring drought. Despite trailing 42-35, the Bulldogs were winning the rebound battle, having their way in the paint and creating second-chance opportunities on offense.
Sadler, Scott and Todd-Williams each scored nine points in the half for Ole Miss while Thienou added eight more points to the box score.
Second half
Mississippi State cut the Ole Miss lead to three two minutes into the half. That was before the Rebels went on a 7-2 run over the next three minutes of play, resulting in Scott and Thienou reaching double figures.
Picked her pocket and got the bucket 🪣@IAMMADISCOTT | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/VJBGMpgPzd
— Ole Miss Women’s BB (@OleMissWBB) March 7, 2025
Chandler Prater scored the next six points for the Bulldogs and cut the deficit to 53-49, leading to Mississippi State keeping the game within one possession for a while.
However, another bucket by Scott began a 10-4 run to end the third quarter for Ole Miss, giving the Rebels a 65-56. The senior had 14 points heading into the final 10 minutes.
Todd-Williams and Scott helped Ole Miss take a 13-point lead to open the fourth quarter, the largest lead of the game for either team. Jordan then knocked down a pull-up jumper for the Bulldogs, narrowing the gap to 69-58.
She’s just heatin’ up 🔥@IAMMADISCOTT | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/AKjavRpTY0
— Ole Miss Women’s BB (@OleMissWBB) March 7, 2025
Mississippi State continued to press, as Okot converted a second-chance tip-in and Eniya Russell knocked down a shot to cut the Ole Miss lead to single digits. Christeen Iwuala sank a turnaround sky hook of an assist from Thienou, but it was Okot at the charity stripe for the Bulldogs making it a 73-64 game with six minutes to play.
too much POWER 💪@ChristeenIwuala | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/CcjtiZN4F1
— Ole Miss Women’s BB (@OleMissWBB) March 7, 2025
Despite an effort from the Bulldogs, including a three-pointer by Russell that reduced the deficit to single digits again, Ole Miss remained dominant on offense. Scott’s jumper with three minutes to go and Starr Jacobs‘ bucket followed by a successful free throw pushed the Rebels’ lead to 81-69.
STARR AND ONE 😤@Starr7Jacobs | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/ic3DVX5LTh
— Ole Miss Women’s BB (@OleMissWBB) March 7, 2025
Deni DeSheilds cut the Ole Miss lead to single digits one final time with the final made field goal for Mississippi State, but it was Scott and Todd-Williams both pushing their game totals to 20 points in the final minutes.
The Rebels’ 85-73 win was the second win of the season over the Bulldogs, taking them down earlier in conference play in Starkville.
Scott and Todd-Williams combined for 40 points while Thienou and Iwuala added another 24 points for Ole Miss. Sadler led the Rebels with five assists and Iwuala grabbed a team-high seven boards.
Ole Miss lost the battle on the glass, but outrebounded the Bulldogs in the second half 18-15. The Rebels also used the charity stripe to help propel them to the victory, shooting 28 free throws and sinking 21 of them.
Up next
Coach Yo and Team 50 will play in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament against the No. 2-seeded Texas Longhorns on Friday, March 7 at 5 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.
Kameron Wicker
Kam is a senior at Ole Miss, currently pursuing a degree in Journalism. Even though he's from Delhi, Louisiana, that didn't stop Kam from growing up a diehard Ole Miss fan. He's a sports guru who watches and follows all sports at all times. He lettered four years in football and baseball in high school and is an avid Saints, Pelicans, and Astros fan. In his free time, you can find him watching sports or at the rec participating in them.
