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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
12-5,3-2SEC
Florida
11-8,2-3SEC
Sira Thienou Dominates in Women’s Basketball Victory Over Florida
1/16/2025 | Women's Basketball
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss women’s basketball and freshman Sira Thienou overpowered Florida, 94-69, as the Rebels showcased their most complete outing of the season on Thursday night at the SJB Pavilion.
The Rebels’ (12-5, 3-2 SEC) 94 points is tied for the most by the team this season. It marks the most against an SEC opponent in the head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin era, and the most by a Rebel team versus a conference foe since scoring 95 points against Arkansas on March 2, 2006. It’s also the second-most points Ole Miss has scored against Florida in the series history, the only game with more points was in the very first meeting between the two teams in 1979 when the Rebels scored 101.
Rebs were late night HOOPIN' :crescent_moon:
— Ole Miss Women's BB (@OleMissWBB) January 17, 2025
Our win against the Gators was the most points against an SEC opponent in the Coach Yo era!@YolettMcCuin | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/TUrtFuWGaE
Ole Miss’ victory marked seven in a row for the Rebels in the series, one win shy of tying the longest winning streak in the series. The 25-point victory is Ole Miss’ widest margin of victory against Florida (11-8, 2-3 SEC) in the two team’s series history.
Sira Thienou proved to be one of the top freshmen in the country with an immaculate 29-point career-high night. The freshman phenom exploded for 22 points in the first half alone, becoming the first Rebel to score 20 or better in a single half this season en route to her 12th double-digit scoring night of the season. Thienou, off the back of another career-high five 3-pointers, grabbed sole possession of the most points by a Rebel in a single game this season.
The Bamako, Mali, native converted on 12 of her field goals, becoming the first Rebel since Taylor Manuel against Grambling on March 16, 2017 to make that many shots.
Thienou’s all-time performance saw her not only lead the Rebels offensively, but she robbed the Gators blind the entire first half. She pickpocketed Florida six times in the first half, her second time reaching five-plus steals this season. She finished the day tying her career-high with seven steals. Additionally, Thienou added five rebounds as the Rebels outperformed the Gators on the boards, 32-27.
One of One.@ThienouSira | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/mYFCvCaBbK
— Ole Miss Women's BB (@OleMissWBB) January 17, 2025
Starr Jacobs provided valuable presence in the paint, shooting 8-for-11 from the court to record 19 points. Jacobs was a perfect 3-for-3 from the free throw line, increasing her streak at the charity stripe to 15 in a row across the past three games. She had a team-high six rebounds to go along with three steals.
Kennedy Todd-Williams and Kharyssa Richardson joined Thienou and Jacobs in double figures. Todd-Williams scored 12 points, her 12th game in double-figures on the year. The Rebels spread the wealth against the Gators, recording 25 assists, as Todd-Williams led the way with six on the day. Richardson added 10 points to the Ole Miss score off the bench. She’s reached double figures three times this season.
Thienou opened the scoring quickly for the Rebels, scoring eight points in the initial five minutes of the first. Thienou eclipsed the 200-point mark for the season after making two threes in the first, becoming the first Rebel to do so in the 2024-25 campaign. Todd-Williams, in her 50th game as a Rebel, joined the freshman in the 200-point club for the year with a pair of free throws in the waning moments of the quarter. Ole Miss held a 20-17 lead entering the second.
The second quarter belonged to Thienou, as she maintained the hot hand, draining her third and fourth 3-pointers of the day. Ole Miss and Thienou’s momentum continued throughout the quarter, as the Rebels were able to turn nine Gator turnovers into 11 points for the Rebel cause. Thienou scored 14 points in the second quarter, which accounted for over 60% of Ole Miss’ points in the period, while making six of her seven field goal attempts to will the Rebels to a 42-33 halftime lead.
Just a casual night for Sira :nail_care:
— Ole Miss Women's BB (@OleMissWBB) January 17, 2025
She makes her :four:th three pointer of the night, which is a new career-high! #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/vXvqkwdVph
The Rebels had their most productive quarter of the game in the third. Jacobs, Tameiya Sadler and KK Deans stepped up in the third quarter, catching fire from around the court. Jacobs and Sadler each converted on tough 3-point plays to further the Rebels momentum, while Deans made her first three of the day. Jacobs totaled nine points in the third, as the trio shot a combined 8-for-10. Ole Miss scored 29 points to Florida’s 17, to enter the final 10 minutes of action with a 73-50 lead.
Ole Miss coasted in the fourth quarter to its 25-point win. The Rebels opened the quarter with eight unanswered points in the first three minutes of the final frame to boost their lead to 31 points, the largest lead of the day. Florida committed six turnovers as the Rebels closed out the game with free throws from Starr Jacobs and Heloisa Carrera, fashioning the final score at 94-69.
Ole Miss is back in action on Sunday, Jan. 19, as it takes on in-state rival Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on SEC Network.
Single-game tickets for the 2024-25 Ole Miss basketball season are on sale now. To purchase or learn more about buying single-game tickets for women’s basketball, click here or contact the Ole Miss Athletics ticket office.
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Gallery: WBB vs. Florida
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