GREENVILLE, S.C. — Ole Miss women’s basketball beat Auburn 73-57 Thursday night in the second round of the SEC Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. The Rebels (22-10, 8-8 SEC) secured their sixth consecutive quarterfinal appearance in the league tournament, extending their streak since 2021, according to team sources.
Christeen Iwuala led Ole Miss with 18 points and nine rebounds. She made all eight of her shot attempts, becoming the first Rebel since Madison Scott in 2021 to shoot and make eight shots in a game. Scott achieved the feat against Cincinnati.
Cotie McMahon and Latasha Lattimore contributed 13 and 12 points, respectively. McMahon has scored in double digits 30 times this season, a mark last achieved by Bianca Thomas in 2009-10. Lattimore’s three blocks pushed her season total to 71, making her the second Rebel in program history to reach at least 70 blocks in a season, behind Promise Taylor’s 82 in 2017-18.
The Rebels jumped out to an early lead, with six quick points and a strong defensive effort that limited Auburn’s scoring in the first quarter. Ole Miss led 21-6 after the opening period, with Iwuala leading the way with eight points and six rebounds. The team’s defense forced turnovers and blocked shots, including two from Lattimore and one from Desrae Kyles.
Ole Miss maintained its advantage throughout the game. The second quarter saw the Rebels extend their lead to 48-20 by halftime, with McMahon and Iwuala combining for 21 points on nine-for-11 shooting. Auburn responded in the third quarter but could not close the gap significantly, trailing 61-45 entering the final period.
In the fourth quarter, both teams exchanged baskets, but Ole Miss kept Auburn at bay, finishing with the 73-57 victory. The Rebels will face No. 5 Vanderbilt on Friday at 5 p.m. CT in the quarterfinals, broadcast on SEC Network.
Follow Ole Miss women’s basketball updates on X at @OleMissWBB, Facebook, and Instagram. Head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin also posts updates on her X account at @YolettMcCuin.
