Ole Miss Women’s Basketball Cruises in Birmingham; Rebels Defeat Auburn 71-45
BIRMINGHAM — Ole Miss women’s basketball cruised to a 71-45 victory against the Auburn Tigers Monday night to wrap up their games in Birmingham, continuing to showcase how dangerous they are.
Ole Miss wins in dominating fashion!
Cotie McMahon notched 20 points along with Christeen Iwuala’s second straight double-double as she recorded 12 points and 11 rebounds. The No. 13 Rebels continue to roll! Hotty Toddy! pic.twitter.com/IRlKIa3igr
— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) February 3, 2026
Cotie McMahon led the way in terms of scoring, as she had yet another 20-point game, adding 7 rebounds and one assist to that total as well. Sira Thienou and Christeen Iwuala also reached double-digits. Thienou with 14 points and eight rebounds and an assist, while Iwuala secured her second straight double-double with 12 points and 11 boards. As a team, Ole Miss shot 49 percent from the field.
Every single player for Ole Miss got in the game, as the contest was in hand going into the fourth quarter. All around, it was a dominant performance for the Rebels, as they grabbed 51 rebounds to Auburn’s 23.
Ole Miss held the lead for all but four minutes, that coming at the beginning stretch of the game. The defensive stats won’t jump out at you, with only four blocks and nine steals, but the Rebels forced a lot of bad shots, as the Tigers shot 32 percent from the field.
Ole Miss’ Latasha Lattimore, who went down with an apparent ankle injury late in the game, and Debreasha Powe were the unsung heroes as they helped the Rebels weather the early struggles and kept the game close.
During the first five minutes of the first quarter, the Rebels looked like a much different team than usual. Within those first five minutes, Ole Miss committed three turnovers, putting them in a small hole early. Sloppy offense and lackluster defense in this span made it seem like the Rebels might fall for the trap game.
But Ole Miss quickly found its groove, as Powe and McMahon kept Ole Miss in it until they could retake the lead. They did just that, taking the lead with three minutes left to go in the first quarter. There was no looking back, as they ended the first quarter up 12. Iwuala struggled a bit in the first, but she picked it up in the second quarter. McMahon ended the first with 10 points, already showing her scoring prominence in this game.
Ole Miss started to move the ball around like they have in every other game and showed that they are clearly the more physical team. Iwuala began to make herself felt on the glass, grabbing 7 boards in the first half. McMahon continued to shine, with 15 points, five rebounds, and an assist at half.
As a team, the Rebels shot 50 percent from the field, while also grabbing 26 boards as a group. They went into the half up 16, by a score of 35-19. The game was getting out of hand by half.
The second half started the same way the first ended – with Ole Miss dominating the game. Ole Miss continued to play to its identity, with Iwuala dominating the glass while the offense continued to push the ball inside the paint. Auburn was able to get a few really good possessions, but the advantage for the Rebels was evident, as they would instantly strike back.
The third quarter was yet another dominant one, with McMahon reaching 20 points and some of the other starters like Sira Thienou scoring 11 points. The third quarter would end with Ole Miss up 22 with a score of 53-31.
With the outcome all but secured, the fourth quarter began with the Rebels continuing to grow their advantage. Iwuala reached double figures in the fourth, giving her back-to-back double-doubles. Auburn went without a double-digit scorer until the end of the game, as the Rebel defense was stifling. Three players reached double digits for the Rebels, as they would cruise to a 71-45 victory.
Interesting stat of the game: Ole Miss led in every offensive statistic, while Auburn led in every defensive statistic.
Next Up
The Rebels will stay in Alabama as they travel to Tuscaloosa for a Top-25 matchup against the Tide. The Game is Thursday, February 5 at 8 p.m. The game will be streamed on SEC Network.
Luke Dunavant
Luke Dunavant is a junior at the University of Mississippi, majoring in Journalism, with an emphasis in Sports Media and a minor in Sports Management. He is originally from Hernando, Mississippi, and graduated high school from Magnolia Heights. His favorite sports are basketball, football, and soccer. Growing up, he played baseball, football, and soccer at different points, immersing himself in the world of sports. He tries to always bring the same passion he had playing sports into covering them.
