The Recap: Ole Miss WBB Advances to SEC Tournament Quarterfinals With Win Over Auburn

GREENVILLE, S.C. – A strong first half propelled No. 24/23 Ole Miss women’s basketball to a victory over Auburn in the second round of the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina, Thursday evening.

Christeen Iwuala was a dominant force for the Rebels (22-10, 8-8 SEC), scoring 18 points and a field-leading nine rebounds. She made all eight of her shot attempts, making her the first Rebel since Madison Scott to shoot and make eight shots in a single game. Scott accomplished her feat on Dec. 5, 2021, against Cincinnati.

Behind Iwuala, Cotie McMahon and Latasha Lattimore held down the offense with 13 and 12 points, respectively. McMahon has reached double-digit scoring marks 30 times this season, making her the most recent Rebel to have that many such games was Bianca Thomas in 2009-10.

Lattimore made history in her own right, securing three blocks to reach 71 for the year. In doing so, she became only the second Rebel in program history to reach at least 70 blocks in a single season, the other being Promise Taylor in 2017-18. Taylor also holds the record for single season blocks by a Rebel with 82 that season.

With the win over the Tigers (15-17, 3-13 SEC), the Rebels have advanced to six consecutive quarterfinal matchups in the SEC Tournament, dating to 2021. The Rebels have now won against the Tigers in the SEC Tournament for the first time since 1993, when Ole Miss defeated Auburn, 69-55, in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Ole Miss popped in the first quarter, scoring the first six points in rapid succession. In turn, the Rebel defense kept the Tigers quiet for most of the initial period, forcing bad shots and turnovers. Ole Miss blocked two shots, one each from Desrae Kyles and Lattimore, which translated into a pair of buckets in the paint from Iwuala. Auburn didn’t get its first field goal until fewer than three-and-a-half minutes in the quarter remained.

Ole Miss’ defense complemented its offense as it entered the second quarter with a 21-6 lead, Auburn’s point total being tied for the 10th fewest scored by any team in an SEC Tournament game in tournament history. Iwuala led the way for Ole Miss through 10, scoring eight points with six rebounds, which led the field and amounted to more than Auburn had as team throughout the quarter.

Auburn started the second quarter stronger, but it wouldn’t last for the entirety of the period. Iwuala reached double-digits on an open layup off a feed from Jayla Murray. Denim DeShields and Kaitlin Peterson drained a 3-pointer each, both off feeds from McMahon, to put the Rebels ahead by 20. Ole Miss wasn’t satisfied with that lead, as DeShields banked another triple off the glass. Ole Miss had doubled Auburn’s score with under three minutes in the quarter remaining. Lauren Jacobs made a pair of threes in the final minute of the half, her second one at the buzzer, to give Ole Miss a 48-20 lead.

McMahon and Iwuala paced Ole Miss’ offense with 21 points between them in the first half. The pair shot 9-for-11 on combined attempts, outscoring Auburn’s entire team in the process. Iwuala continued to lead the way in the paint, hauling in seven rebounds for the half and was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field. Lattimore furiously guarded the rim, blocking two shots to put her at 70 for the season.

The second half saw the roles reverse, with Auburn scoring quickly and frequently to start the third. Iwuala began attempting to break that streak, scoring two tough layups, including one off an offensive board. The Rebels didn’t find the momentum they did in the first half for the rest of the quarter, but they did enough to stay ahead by 21 points.

Cotie McMahon: Ole Miss Basketball. — Courtesy of Ole Miss Women's Basketball.

Jacobs kicked off the fourth by quickly initiating some offense, driving into the paint for a layup. Despite its good start, Ole Miss slowed again and allowed Auburn to go on a scoring run. Iwuala kept Ole Miss’ offense afloat with her eighth field goal of the day which resulted in an and-one. After Auburn made a three, Tianna Thompson responded with Ole Miss’ second and-one in two minutes to void the Tiger triple.

Lattimore complemented Thompson’s 3-point play with one of her own, made from long distance. McMahon would dish a beautiful pass to Lattimore in the paint to mount more momentum for the Rebels. That bucket would be Ole Miss’ last, but it allowed just three more points from Auburn before the buzzer sounded with the Rebels on top, 73-57.

Ole Miss is back at Bon Secours Wellness Arena Friday evening as it takes on No. 5/5 Vanderbilt, the second seed of the SEC Tournament. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on SEC Network.

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