Ole Miss women’s basketball ‘runs the ‘Sip’ with 85-73 victory over State in SEC Tournament
GREENVILLE, S.C. —“We meet. We beat.” That has been the agenda for the Ole Miss Rebels all season when facing their in-state rival, Mississippi State. Only one team can “run the SIP,” and the Rebels made it clear who that is by securing their second victory against the Bulldogs with an 85-73 win in the second round of the SEC Tournament in Greenville, South Carolina.
First-half action
Winning the tip, Mississippi State came out strong, starting with an easy lob and layup by Madina Okot, which sparked a quick 6-0 run. On the other hand, Ole Miss struggled to find their rhythm early, missing their first four shots from the field. However, a transition and one by Tameiya Sadler helped them find their spark, shifting the momentum and helping them get things started on the offensive end.
What followed was a 13-2 run, highlighted by Sira Thienou’s three-pointer that gave the Rebels their first lead of the game at 9-6. While Ole Miss began to click, Mississippi State’s offense struggled, going cold during a four-minute scoring drought. Ole Miss took full advantage, finishing the quarter with a 19-15 lead.
Back-to-back threes from KK Deans and Thienou is how the second quarter started for Ole Miss. Mississippi State responded with a layup from Okot and a corner three from JerKaila Jordan, keeping the game close. The Bulldogs then increased their defensive pressure, switching to a full-court man defense. After a few traded buckets, Mississippi State’s Destiney McPhual hit a wing three to tie the game at 27 with six minutes left in the quarter.
The game continued to go back and forth, with both teams scrambling for steals, diving for loose balls, and making key plays. One of the most notable highlights from this quarter came when Madison Scott converted a tough and-one for Ole Miss, while State’s Jordan split two defenders to score a layup, their last score before halftime. Ole Miss ended the quarter on a 7-0 run, taking a 42-35 lead over Mississippi State into the break.
Second-half action
Coming out of the locker room, Mississippi State showed signs of life with Jordan sinking two free throws to start and Denim DeShields adding back-to-back layups, cutting Ole Miss’ lead to just three points. Christeen Iwaula responded with key free throws, offensive putbacks, and a crucial block on the defensive end, keeping Ole Miss in control.
Still fighting back, Chandler Prater went on a 6-0 run, attempting to lead Mississippi State’s comeback with less than five minutes remaining in the third. However, Ole Miss responded with timely baskets, whether coming from the free-throw line, midrange, inside, or beyond the arc, extending their lead to 65-56 by the end of the quarter.
As the final 10 minutes of the game began, it was clear that Ole Miss controlled the tempo, but the Bulldogs continued to fight. Ole Miss’ balanced attack was too much to handle, with shooters ready to catch and shoot from the outside, and their posts dominating the paint.
Mississippi State struggled to get key stops, could not find their rhythm offensively, and were forced into more turnovers, ultimately unable to get within striking distance. The Rebels closed out the game with an 85-73 victory, shooting 53% from the field, 75% from the free-throw line on 28 attempts, while also forcing 21 turnovers from Mississippi State.
Four Rebels finished in double figures: Scott and Kennedy Todd-Williams each scored 20 points, while Thienou and Iwaula added 13 and 11 points off the bench.
For Mississippi State, Okot recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Jordan also scored 14. McPhaul finished with 11 points, and both Prater and Enyia Russell scored 10 points each.
During her post-game interview, Coach Yo expressed how proud she is of her team’s performance and their execution of the game plan.
“We talked about being the aggressor, mushing, driving to the rim. This game was personal. We knew we had to win because Charlie (ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme) said we’ve got a chance to host, and we want to bring that to Oxford.”
Coach Yo after defeating Mississippi State
She also highlighted the poise her players showed late in the game, particularly the leadership of Scott, who was the voice in their last two timeouts of the game.
Next Up:
Looking ahead, Ole Miss will face Texas for the second time this season in the third round of the SEC Tournament today at 5:00 p.m. It is sure to be an exciting matchup in Greenville! Go Rebs!
Nya Stewart
An emerging, vibrant figure in sports media, summa cum laude graduate Nya Stewart brings both personal and professional experience to her role. With a degree in Media Communication and having played and student-coached collegiate basketball, Nya developed a deep connection to sports. Her previous work as a show host and sports broadcaster confirmed her passion for the field and solidified her commitment to sports journalism. Her reporting offers insightful and engaging perspectives that captivate and inform her audience. In her free time, Nya enjoys spending time with her daughter and family, as well as watching sports.
