.Ole Miss walked into Coleman Coliseum knowing this wouldn’t be easy. Alabama had been steady at home, and SEC games rarely leave room for mistakes.
The Rebels found that out the hard way Thursday night in a 64-63 loss that stayed tense until the final seconds.
The Rebs entered the night ranked No. 13/14 nationally and carried a 19-4 record. Alabama, ranked No. 21/23, matched Ole Miss punch for punch.
Neither team pulled away. Neither team blinked. One team just made one more play.
Ole Miss didn’t lose this game because of effort. It lost it because SEC road games have a way of shrinking margins.
Every missed free throw matters. Loose rebound hurt just as much. Every whistle matters.
ALL. GAS. 😮💨@thienousira x #HottyToddy x #Give pic.twitter.com/faP6cdz0HU
— Ole Miss Women’s BB (@OleMissWBB) February 6, 2026
The Rebels stayed close from the opening tip, even while the offense took time to settle in. Alabama led 18-14 after one quarter, but Ole Miss never let the gap grow.
Freshman Debreasha Powe gave the Rebs an early lift by knocking down two three-pointers in the first quarter.
Her second came just before the buzzer and helped Ole Miss stay within striking distance.
Cotie McMahon followed with steady scoring, attacking the lane and keeping pressure on Alabama’s defense. Ole Miss trailed, but the game felt far from decided.
By the second quarter, the Rebels began to find rhythm on both ends. Christeen Iwuala started asserting herself on the glass, and Latasha Lattimore controlled space in the paint.
Ole Miss briefly took the lead after back-to-back steals led to layups by McMahon and Lattimore. It didn’t last long, but it showed the Rebs weren’t backing down.
Alabama responded with timely free throws and defensive pressure. The Tide edged ahead again, sending the game into halftime with very little separating the two teams.
Ole Miss came out of the break knowing this would be about patience. The Rebels didn’t rush shots. They didn’t panic. They stayed physical inside and trusted their defense.
COUNT IT 😤@cotiemcmahon23 x #HottyToddy x #Give pic.twitter.com/PZQ550oVqx
— Ole Miss Women’s BB (@OleMissWBB) February 6, 2026
Numbers that kept Ole Miss alive
Iwuala delivered one of the strongest rebounding performances of her career.
She finished with 11 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, recording her 10th double-double of the season. That made her the first Rebel since Madison Scott in 2022-23 to reach that mark.
Lattimore matched her effort with 10 points and 13 rebounds. It was her third double-double of the season and her first in SEC play.
Together, the two controlled the glass and gave Ole Miss extra possessions when it needed them most.
McMahon continued to carry the scoring load. She finished with 22 points, six rebounds and five assists.
It marked her 14th game this season with at least 20 points, tying her with three others for one of the most 20-point games in a single season in program history.
The third quarter stayed tight. Sira Thienou added a pair of baskets, and Ole Miss briefly nudged ahead. Alabama answered again at the free-throw line, taking a 48-47 lead into the fourth.
The fourth quarter turned into a possession-by-possession grind.
Iwuala opened with a layup. Lattimore followed with a free throw. McMahon added an and-one that kept the pressure squarely on Alabama.
Ole Miss had chances late. Alabama had answers. The Tide leaned on free throws, and that’s where the game tilted.
The Rebels never stopped pushing, but the final horn sounded with Alabama holding a one-point edge.
Rebs gettin’ hot 🔥@thienousira x #HottyToddy x #Give pic.twitter.com/u2Z7AMgTVF
— Ole Miss Women’s BB (@OleMissWBB) February 6, 2026
What loss means going forward
This one stings because it was there. Ole Miss didn’t get overwhelmed. It didn’t fade late. It stood toe-to-toe with a ranked SEC opponent in a hostile building.
The Rebels will get a short reset before returning to action.
Ole Miss is set to host Arkansas on Thursday at 8 p.m. on SECN. It’ll be the team’s first game since Jan. 11.
Losses like this don’t erase progress. They sharpen it.
Ole Miss showed it can rebound, defend and score on the road in the SEC.
Now it has to turn close calls into wins.
