Ole Miss Women’s Basketball Cruises to Victory Over Arkansas, 80-57

OXFORD, Miss. — The Ole Miss women’s basketball team, coming off a stretch of impromptu games on the road due to Winter Storm Fern, returned home to the SJB Pavilion Thursday night and defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks, 80-57. 

Four players for Ole Miss reached double figures with Sira Thienou recording 11 points, eight rebounds, and two assists, while Latasha Lattimore tallied 17 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. Cotie McMahon finished with 21 points, three rebounds, and five assists, and Denim DeShields notched 12 points, three rebounds, and two assists.

Overall it was just a dominant performance from Ole Miss. There are really not many notes to make as the game was never in doubt.

Arkansas struck first with an open layup. Lattimore instantly replied with a three for Ole Miss. The Rebels made a layup to take a three-point lead, but that wouldn’t last as Arkansas hit a three to tie the game. The Rebels started to pull away midway through the first quarter, but the Razorbacks weren’t giving up. Powe reached 1,000 career points in the first quarter, an amazing accomplishment. 

Ole Miss was clearly the dominant team for the first half, as the Rebels grew their lead even more. They ended the first quarter up 16 by a score of 26-10. The second quarter had a physical start, with both teams moving the ball in the paint. McMahon got the quarter going with a layup to score the quarter’s first points. It was definitely Ole Miss’ quarter, as head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin’s squad dominated every aspect of the game. It was pure team ball, as there were 10 assists and 20 rebounds in the first half for Ole Miss, giving shades of John Stockton with their passes and Shaquille O’Neil with their dominance in the paint.

McMahon had 12 points going into the half, looking like Demar DeRozan with her mid-range shots and layups. The Rebels went into the half up 40-27.

The third quarter started the same way that the first half ended, with the Rebels imposing their will. The entire quarter was about as close to perfection you could reasonably get with Ole Miss moving the ball like they had played together their whole lives. DeShields reached double digits to move the Rebels even farther away from Arkansas. Ole Miss went into the fourth with the game in hand, up 55-40. 

The Razorbacks started out hot, going on a little bit of a run to begin the fourth quarter. This wasn’t enough, however, as the talent disparity was extremely obvious. Lattimore reached double figures and notched a double-double on the night. The game was clearly in hand, and Coach Yo was able to play some of her bench players. Ole Miss ended the game in dominant fashion, winning 80-57. 

What’ s Next?

Ole Miss hosts Tennessee on Tuesday, February 17th at 6 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPNU.