No. 19 Ole Miss’ goal of hosting an NCAA Regional took a major hit Thursday night, and the Rebels didn’t do much to stop the slide in a 74-67 loss to unranked Florida.
The Gators controlled the paint, forced 14 turnovers and held Ole Miss to 39% shooting. It was the kind of performance that made it clear which team dictated the terms. For long stretches, Florida played with a sharper edge, and Ole Miss never fully matched it.
There were moments worth noting. Tianna Thompson’s 7‑for‑11 night from three kept the Rebels afloat early. Christeen Iwuala gave them stability inside when she was available. And Cotie McMahon did Cotie McMahon-like things.
That's 22 points for T tonight😮💨#Hottytoddy x #Give pic.twitter.com/gSkJbkMiWu
— Ole Miss Women's BB (@OleMissWBB) February 27, 2026
But none of it outweighed Florida’s urgency. The Gators had been close in several chances against ranked opponents this season, and they played like a team tired of letting those opportunities slip away. Ole Miss simply couldn’t pull them back to earth.
The night got worse when Latasha Lattimore exited with a leg injury midway through the third quarter and didn’t return. With Sira Thienou already sidelined, the Rebels can’t afford another hit to their starting lineup.
Here’s how the game unfolded, half by half.
First Half Reaction
Ole Miss led for much of the first half, even as the teams traded the lead several times, but Florida controlled the final stretch before halftime.
After a slow first quarter, both teams opened the second with more pace, and the Gators sustained that surge while the Rebels cooled off.
Florida’s offense ran through Liv McGill, who shot a video game-like 80% from the field and led all scorers with 19 points. The Gators shot 64% overall and did most of their damage in the paint.
Ole Miss forward Christeen Iwuala picked up early foul trouble and played limited minutes in the second quarter, removing one of the Rebels’ top interior defenders. Florida capitalized, outscoring Ole Miss 26-10 in the paint despite being outrebounded 12-11.
Turnovers became an issue late in the half after Iwuala went to the bench. Jayla Murray, who averages 7.4 minutes per game, scored three points but committed three turnovers in the final 90 seconds.
Tianna Thompson led Ole Miss with 14 points, including four straight three‑pointers that kept the Rebels within reach.
Ole Miss, which emphasizes defensive pressure, forced no steals and recorded just one block in the half. Florida committed six turnovers, but the Rebels did not generate them, an area they will need to address in the second half.
Second Half Reaction
Ole Miss made a late push in the fourth quarter, cutting a double‑digit deficit to six during a 9-0 run in less than two minutes. With the way Thompson was shooting from deep, a comeback didn’t feel out of reach.
All the way😤#Hottytoddy x #Give pic.twitter.com/tbukt6bHCz
— Ole Miss Women's BB (@OleMissWBB) February 27, 2026
That surge was fueled by four Florida turnovers, and once the Gators settled down, they rebuilt their lead. Florida pushed the margin back to eight with 62 seconds left, but Thompson’s seventh three‑pointer of the night trimmed it to five with 40 seconds remaining as Ole Miss began extending the game with fouls.
Florida closed it out at the free‑throw line and secured the 74-67 win.
Ole Miss Top Performers
- Points: Tianna Thompson, 25
- Rebounds: Latasha Lattimore, 7
- Assists: Debreasha Powe, 4
- Steals: Christeen Iwuala, 2
- Blocks: Latasha Lattimore, 2
Next Up
The Rebels have just one game left on their regular season schedule before the SEC Tournament tips off in Greenville, S.C. next week. Ole Miss will host Texas A&M on Sunday. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. on SECN+.
