Instant Takeaways: Ole Miss Women's Basketball Falls 85-48 to No. 3 South Carolina

The Rebels drop a clash to the Gamecocks to close out a chaotic week, four Top-25 matchups across short stretch.

Ole Miss forward Cotie McMahon (32) reacts to making a three-pointer against LSU in a NCAA women’s college basketball game at the Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss. on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. | Bruce Newman/Special to the Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 17/17 Ole Miss women's basketball fell to No. 3/3 South Carolina, 85-48, Sunday morning at Colonial Life Arena.

Christeen Iwuala led the Rebels (21-8, 8-6 SEC) with a double-double. She scored 12 points with 10 rebounds. It's her 11th double-double of the season, which a Rebel hasn't accomplished since Madison Scott did so in 2022-23.

Latasha Lattimore had three blocks for the Rebels. It marks 12 times this season she's had at least that many in a game this season. The last Rebel to have that many games with a trio of blocks was Promise Taylor, who had 14 in 2017-18.

South Carolina's Joyce Edwards (27-2, 13-1 SEC) led the Gamecocks with 21 points and six rebounds.

The Rebels hung with the Gamecocks throughout the first quarter despite an early deficit. Lattimore kept Ole Miss in in the balance by starting the game converting each of her first four shot attempts for eight points.

Cotie McMahon found Lattimore for two of those buckets and finished the quarter with three assists. Ole Miss forced six turnovers from South Carolina, finding itself down by just four points at the start of the second quarter.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Women's Basketball.

Iwuala made a tough layup at the start of the second after grabbing an offensive board. Like Lattimore, she started the day by making her first four shot attempts. She would be Ole Miss' leading scorer in the half with 10 points, six of which came in the second.

On the defensive end, Lattimore started the second by recording a pair of blocks to reach three for the day. South Carolina would make two 3-pointers, increasing its lead to 10 points. Those buckets gave the Gamecocks momentum they would ride until halftime, where they held a 41-25.

By the start of the second half, the toll of having played five games in 10 days had caught up with the Rebels.

South Carolina took a lead that it would not relinquish, as Ole Miss struggled to find offensive rhythm. The Gamecocks pulled far ahead and claimed the 85-48 win.

Ole Miss stays on the road for its final road SEC road test of the regular season as it faces Florida on Thursday, Feb. 26. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on SECN.

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