On Sunday morning, the Ole Miss Rebels faced a challenging matchup against the No. 3 ranked South Carolina Gamecocks at Colonial Life Arena. The game concluded with an 85-48 victory for South Carolina, which secured them the regular-season SEC title
Strong Start but Tough Finish
The Rebels (21-8, 8-6 SEC) entered this game with high hopes but quickly found themselves up against a formidable opponent. Christeen Iwuala stood out for Ole Miss, contributing a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds—marking her impressive 11th double-double of the season. This feat is particularly noteworthy as it hasn’t been achieved by a Rebel since Madison Scott accomplished it during the previous season.
Latasha Lattimore also had a significant impact on both ends of the court, recording three blocks throughout the game. This performance marks her twelfth time this season achieving at least three blocks in a game—a milestone last reached by Promise Taylor in the 2017-18 season.
Despite their efforts, Ole Miss struggled to maintain momentum as they transitioned into the second half of play.
Competitive First Half
The first quarter saw both teams exchanging leads and battling fiercely for control. The Rebels managed to stay within striking distance despite an early deficit thanks to Lattimore’s hot start—she scored eight points right out of the gate after hitting her first four shot attempts. Cotie McMahon played a pivotal role in facilitating offense by assisting Lattimore twice and finishing the quarter with three assists overall.
Defensively, Ole Miss made notable strides by forcing six turnovers from South Carolina in that opening period, ending just four points behind as they headed into the second quarter.
Iwuala continued her scoring prowess into the second quarter with a tough layup after grabbing an offensive rebound. She emerged as Ole Miss’ leading scorer in that half with ten points—six coming during that crucial second period alone. However, as South Carolina began sinking more three-pointers and extending their lead to ten points midway through the quarter, momentum shifted decisively towards them.
At halftime, South Carolina led comfortably at 41-25.
Struggles in Second Half
As play resumed after halftime, fatigue seemed to set in for Ole Miss after playing five games over just ten days—a demanding schedule that likely took its toll on their performance. The Gamecocks seized this opportunity and quickly extended their lead beyond what Ole Miss could recover from.
Struggling offensively while facing increased pressure from South Carolina’s defense led to missed opportunities for scoring and disrupted rhythm on both sides of the court for Ole Miss.
Ultimately, South Carolina maintained control throughout the remainder of the game and closed out with an impressive victory margin of 37 points—an outcome that underscores their dominance this season.
Looking Ahead
With this loss behind them, Ole Miss prepares for another challenge as they head back on the road for their final SEC away test against Florida on Thursday, February 26th. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on SECN.
Looking forward to this next matchup, there’s hope that Iwuala and Lattimore can continue building upon their solid performances while rallying support from teammates to regain momentum heading into postseason play.