'Empty the Tank': Madison Scott Breaks Down Ole Miss' Upset Over No. 8 Kentucky

Madison Scott reflected on a major win for the Ole Miss women's basketball team.

Ole Miss Madison Scott (24) gets ready to shoot a ball near Florida forward Alexia Dizeko (9) and teammate Tyra Singleton (22) during the third quarter of the SEC Women's Basketball Tournament game at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C. Friday, March 8, 2024. | Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ole Miss women's basketball won a major matchup on Monday night, defeating No. 8 Kentucky 66-57 at the SJB Pavilion in Oxford.

The Rebels (17-7, 7-4 SEC) were coming off a tough loss to then-No. 15 Oklahoma 66-56 this past Thursday. But despite the difficult result, the Rebels showed resiliency and took down a top-10 team for the first time this season.

"The whole time in the timeouts, we're saying, 'We've been here before, we've been here before,'" said Rebels guard Madison Scott in an interview postgame. "Today we had to show we had learned from those losses before, and I could not be more proud of my team."

It would seem that the Rebels have, in fact, learned from past mistakes. Ole Miss never trailed in the fourth quarter, leading the entire 10 minutes. In last week's loss to Oklahoma, the Rebels took a 45-43 lead into the fourth quarter and were outscored 23-11 by the Sooners in the last 10 minutes of the game.

In lieu of Thursday's loss, Monday's game had a "must-win" energy surrounding it. With only a handful of games left in the season, the Rebels will need to finish strong in order to solidify their case as an NCAA Tournament team.

"This was a must for us," Scott said. "That's what I was saying, from the jump, this is a must-win. Honestly, this is our last ride. This is how we're treating every game moving forward."

"We know five conference games left, and we're trying to win each and every one of them, no matter who the opponent is. We're trying to play Ole Miss women's basketball for 40 minutes, every time we step out on the floor. We want no regrets, we want to empty the tank every time we step out on the floor."

While it may seem like a tall order, the Rebels have proven themselves more than capable of competing with the best the SEC has to offer. It's up to the team to execute and finish the season strong.

The Rebels are back in action on Thursday against Arkansas in Fayetteville. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised on SEC Network+.