There were about 9,000 screaming kids inside the SJB Pavilion on Monday afternoon, and for much of the first quarter, they might have provided more energy than either basketball team’s offense.
But that’s the beauty of a season opener. Not everything is going to look pretty, especially when you’re dealing with a largely new roster still trying to figure out how all the pieces fit together.
Ole Miss eventually settled in, turned up the defensive pressure and cruised to an 80-38 victory over Alcorn State to open the 2026-27 season.
DUBBBB CAM 👐 #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/nyYHRVVkWj
— Ole Miss Women's BB (@OleMissWBB) November 2, 2026
There was plenty to like about the Rebels’ performance. There were also plenty of things to fix.
The Rebels led just 10-6 after the first quarter, shooting 27.8% from the field and missing all seven of their three-point attempts.
The offense wasn’t particularly sharp, but the defense was already doing its job. Alcorn State committed eight turnovers in the opening quarter and struggled to find much of anything against the Rebels’ pressure.
Eventually, the offense caught up.
Ole Miss scored 26 points in the second quarter to take a 36-19 lead into halftime and never really looked back. The Rebels outscored Alcorn State 44-19 in the second half, eventually stretching their lead to as many as 44 points.
But offense isn’t where the Rebels live. They live on the defensive end of the court and that end was there from start to finish.
The Rebels forced 26 turnovers, recorded 14 steals and blocked nine shots. They turned those turnovers into 33 points and finished with 30 fast-break points.
That’s the kind of basketball coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin wants her teams playing.
.@JadeTillman10 giving the crowd what they want 🤷#HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/IuogQTxk1G
— Ole Miss Women's BB (@OleMissWBB) November 2, 2026
Doneelah Washington was particularly impressive defensively, finishing with seven blocked shots. Rachael Okokoh added three steals and a block, while Jaida Civil contributed four steals of her own.
Civil also led the Rebels offensively with 17 points, six rebounds and five assists, putting together arguably the most complete performance of anyone on the court.
Ole Miss dominated the glass, outrebounding Alcorn State 48-28 and collecting 20 offensive rebounds. Fourteen of those came in the second half, including 11 in the third quarter alone.
That helped the Rebels overcome some of their shooting struggles and turn what could have been empty possessions into additional scoring opportunities.
Of course, there’s a difference between doing that against Alcorn State and doing it against the bigger, more physical teams Ole Miss will eventually face in SEC play.
Fire us up Rachael 🗣️#HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/xgc0asixpp
— Ole Miss Women's BB (@OleMissWBB) November 2, 2026
But that’s not something Ole Miss needs to worry about just yet.
The Rebels are one game into a season that will be as much about figuring out who they are as anything else, particularly with a roster that has undergone so much change.
Monday offered a pretty good starting point.
