No. 18 Ole Miss women’s basketball didn’t just win Thursday night, they made a statement.
Knocking off No. 5 Oklahoma 74-69 in Norman, the Rebels proved they belong in the SEC’s upper tier and are a team the nation should take seriously.
“Tons of respect for Oklahoma. What we just did is not easy. They don’t just let people come in and beat them,” Ole Miss coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin said.
This win marked Ole Miss’ fourth victory over a top-10 team under Coach Yo and the second against a top-five opponent, ending Oklahoma’s 13-game winning streak.
The Rebels held the Sooners to one of their lowest outputs of the season, under 70 points, their second-worst field goal percentage, and second-fewest rebounds.
“After we lost to Texas, I told my team, if they’re number two, then I guess we’re number three. We just never stopped believing in ourselves,” McPhee-McCuin said.
Star power led the way. Cotie McMahon poured in 22 points and dished four assists, continuing a streak of 18 straight double-digit games, longest in recent memory for the Rebels.
Sira Thienou added a season-high 20 points on 75 percent shooting, creating the first 20-point duo for Ole Miss this season. Latasha Lattimore chipped in 13 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks off the bench, extending her block streak to 12 games. Debreasha Powe became a late game hero, calmly hitting four clutch free throws in the final moments to seal the win.
Ole Miss set the tone early, holding Oklahoma scoreless for six minutes and forcing turnovers, while building a double-digit lead.
Even when Oklahoma surged in the fourth quarter and briefly took the lead, the Rebels responded with poise and precision.
“We just had to push through our breaking point and make sure that we don’t have a breaking point. We keep pushing, keep pushing, keep pushing,” McPhee-McCuin said.
With ten new players and two contributors in new roles, this was more than a win—it was a declaration.
“This is just the beginning. This is only our third game. We’ll continue to learn and grow,” McPhee-McCuin said. “The SEC is a gauntlet. After playing Texas, we faced another top-five team in Oklahoma on the road. That’s what players come to the SEC for: high-level basketball night in and night out.
“The league is unforgiving—you can feel high after a win, then lose to a team with fewer wins. You have to flush the highs and keep moving forward.”
Ole Miss is showing the SEC and the country that they’re not just competitors, they’re contenders.
This isn’t a fluke. This isn’t luck. This is Ole Miss announcing that it belongs among the nation’s elite.
