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Ole Miss
11-4,2-1SEC
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14-3,1-2SEC
Women’s Basketball Cruises Past Vanderbilt Behind Kennedy Todd-Williams’ Career Night
1/9/2025 | Women's Basketball
OXFORD, Miss. – Kennedy Todd-Williams fueled Ole Miss women’s basketball past Vanderbilt in a convincing 87-59 win on Thursday night at the SJB Pavilion to open conference play at home.
Ole Miss (11-4, 2-1 SEC) held Vanderbilt (14-3, 1-2 SEC) to fewer than 60 points for the first time this season and 30 points below its average, as the Rebels surpassed the 80-point mark for the ninth time this season, marking the first time a team has achieved this feat since the 2009-10 season.
For the fourth time this season, five Rebels scored 10-or-more points, and for the third time this year, all five of Ole Miss’ starters were the ones to do so. Prior to this season, an Ole Miss starting lineup hadn’t accomplished that feat since 2018. Four of the five Rebel starters shot 50% or better from the field, and combined for 71 total points for Ole Miss.
Todd-Williams had a career night for the Rebels, as she set a career-high 25 points. Her point total is the highest by any Rebel this season, thanks in part to her five 3-pointers, which also marked a career best. She became the first Rebel since the 2022-23 season to hit that many from behind the arc in a single game. The Jacksonville, North Carolina, native also went a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Todd-Williams now has two games north of 20 points as a Rebel, and 31 points in double figures in the Blue and Red.
Outside of her scoring prowess, Todd-Williams led the team with six rebounds and had a season-high seven assists. In total, Todd-Williams accounted for 40 points for the Rebels against the Commodores.
Make that FIVE three pointers...
— Ole Miss Women's BB (@OleMissWBB) January 10, 2025
This admin literally can't keep up ??@Ktoddwilli | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/iKWzhC69iB
Freshman phenom Sira Thienou added 16 points for the Rebels, her seventh-straight game in double figures. She backed up Todd-Williams with 70% shooting from the field, including a 3-pointer. She contributed four assists and rebounds, each.
Can't stop Sira :shushing_face:
— Ole Miss Women's BB (@OleMissWBB) January 10, 2025
She is leading the team with 11 games in double digit scoring and is currently on a seven game streak :bangbang:#HottyToddy | #NoCeilings pic.twitter.com/k4zz08J7KD
Tameiya Sadler, Starr Jacobs and Madison Scott each scored 10 points to reach the double figure mark. Sadler fell one assist shy of a career high, having dished out a sneaky seven dimes in only three quarters. Scott had seven assists of her own, marking three Rebels at the seven-assist milestone for the day.
Jacobs reached 1,300 points for her overall career after a pair of free throws early in the first quarter. Jacobs and Scott quickly scored the first eight points of the game for the Rebels and led the team in the period. It was the Ole Miss defense that headlined the first quarter, as it held Vanderbilt to just 11 points. It’s the fewest points scored by the Commodores in the first quarter this season
:red_circle::white_circle:?:white_circle:?:white_circle:?
— Ole Miss Women's BB (@OleMissWBB) January 9, 2025
Rebs held Vandy to the fewest points scored in the first quarter this season and the fewest in any quarter in an SEC game! #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/GoqbAK9jXz
Todd-Williams caught fire from 3-point range early in the second quarter, draining three before the media timeout. Scott, Christeen Iwuala and Kharyssa Richardson maintained the hot shooting for the Rebels, adding two field goals from the post each. Todd-Williams connected on her fourth triple of the quarter with Ole Miss’ final play of the half, effectively giving Ole Miss a 44-25 halftime lead.
Ole Miss’ 19-point advantage forced Vanderbilt into its largest halftime deficit of the season. The Rebels caused 14 first half turnovers as they held the Commodores leading scorer, Khamil Pierre, to two points in the first two periods.
Ole Miss rode its first half momentum into the final two quarters. Todd-Williams got the train rolling after blocking Pierre at the baseline before dropping a cross-court dime to Thienou, who converted an and-one layup. Afterward, Sadler amped the packed home crowd with her first 3-pointer of the day. Ole Miss increased its lead to as many as 35 points over Vanderbilt with just over half of the third quarter remaining, the largest deficit the Commodores have faced this season. The Rebels outscored the Commodores 27-12 in the third quarter.
With a 31-point lead entering the final 10 minutes, Ole Miss played it safe to conclude the game. Jacobs and Sadler reached the double-digit scoring mark after a six-point and three-point quarter, respectively. Thienou added five to the mix, which included her first three-pointer of the day. Richardson banked a layup with under a minute remaining for Ole Miss’ final bucket. Vanderbilt added a pair of baskets of their own before the buzzer sounded, setting the final score at 87-59.
Ole Miss will remain at home and look to ride its momentum for the next matchup, where it gears up to face No. 18 Alabama on Jan. 12. Tipoff is set for 3 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. Vanderbilt
