Women’s Basketball Starts 6-0 Following Win Over Wisconsin at Coast 2 Coast Classic

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Defense headlined No. 13/13 Ole Miss women’s basketball’s 65-56 victory over Wisconsin (6-2, 0-0 Big Ten) in game one of the Coast 2 Coast Classic in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Friday evening.

The Rebels (6-0, 0-0 SEC) are undefeated through six games for the second time under head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin and for the first time since 2020-21. McPhee-McCuin joins former head coach Ron Aldy as the only coaches in the 21st century to lead the Rebels to 6-0 starts multiple times. Her, Aldy and Van Chancellor are the only Ole Miss women’s basketball coaches to lead their teams to that mark multiple times in program history. Ole Miss has only begun a season undefeated through six games 14 times in its 51-year history.

More history came individually for the Rebels as Christeen Iwuala and Cotie McMahon became the first players since the 2020-21 season to begin a year with at least 10 points through the first six games of a season, scoring 20 and 11 points, respectively. Additionally, they are the first Rebel duo to record double-digits through six games in the 21st century and the first since at least the 1998-99 season to do so. Iwuala also led the Rebels in rebounds for the second consecutive game, hauling in eight boards.

Dynamic Duo ??

Cotie and Christeen are the first duo of teammates to score at least 10 points in the first six games of the season in the 21st century. @cotiemcmahon23 x @ChristeenIwuala #HottyToddy x #Give pic.twitter.com/NTRXygpjVm
— Ole Miss Women's BB (@OleMissWBB) November 28, 2025

Kaitlin Peterson had another solid outing for the Rebels off the bench, scoring 12 points, grabbing five rebounds and hounding four steals. The senior has recorded at least 10 points per game in the past two outings, as well as having 11 steals in the same span. Peterson went 10-10 from the free throw line, becoming the first Rebel since Kennedy Todd-Williams (who also wore No. 3) to make double-digit free throws in a game. Todd-Williams accomplished her feat last season against Auburn on Jan. 2.

The first quarter began slowly for both teams, managing to put up only a combined 11 points in the first five minutes. Ole Miss was on the positive end of that scoring difficulty, holding a three-point lead. Much of the first quarter remained low scoring, with Wisconsin taking a 10-8 lead into the second quarter.

The Rebels amped the offensive intensity in the second quarter, as Debreasha Powe would score five of the first six points of the quarter, a two-point jumper followed by her first three of the game. Iwuala supported Powe with six points of her own on top of three rebounds in the period. The first half ended with Ole Miss ahead, 27-24.

The Rebels dominated the third quarter, outscoring the Badgers by 11 points. Ole Miss’ 19 points in the third is the most scored by Ole Miss in the game, and it came at a critical point. Iwuala, McMahon and Peterson were the highlights of the quarter, with all of the Rebel points coming from the trio. McMahon led the team with seven points while Iwuala and Peterson scored six apiece. After six made free throws that went unanswered, Ole Miss added nine additional points to their score before Wisconsin responded in the waning moments of the quarter. The Rebels led 46-32 entering the final quarter of play.

C'mon, Cotie! ??@cotiemcmahon23 x #HottyToddy x #Give pic.twitter.com/Bw0hZaj4V4
— Ole Miss Women's BB (@OleMissWBB) November 28, 2025

The script flipped in the fourth, as Wisconsin gained some early momentum. However, Sira Thienou and Peterson would once again flip that momentum to Ole Miss’ side. Thienou drained a 3-pointer before Peterson drew two fouls and converted on all four of her layups. Those points would become the dagger for Wisconsin. The Badgers would score a layup before fouling Peterson once again, who made both her free throws, to cement the final score of 65-56.

Ole Miss is back in action tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. CT to face George Mason in game two of the Coast 2 Coast Classic. The game will stream on BallerTV.

Flicks from Daytona Day 1??#HottyToddy x #Give pic.twitter.com/MWW8Lb7fgs
— Ole Miss Women's BB (@OleMissWBB) November 28, 2025

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Follow the Rebels on X at @OleMissWBB, Facebook at Ole Miss WBB and on Instagram at Ole MissWBB. You can also follow head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin on X at @YolettMcCuin.