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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Thursday, January 8
Norman, Okla.
6 PM
Ole Miss
at
Oklahoma
Women’s Basketball Continues Conference Action on the Road Versus Oklahoma
1/7/2026 | Women's Basketball
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss women's basketball will travel to Norman for the first time since 2022 and fourth time in program history to take on Oklahoma on Thursday, January 8. Tipoff at the Lloyd Noble Center will be at 6 p.m. CT, streaming on SEC Network+.
TEAM FACTS
No. 18/17 Ole Miss Rebels (14-3, 1-1 SEC)
Head Coach: Yolett McPhee-McCuin • 8th Season at Ole Miss (139-98) • 13th Season in Career (233-161)
No. 5/5 Oklahoma Sooners (14-1, 2-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Jennie Baranczyk • 5th Season at OU (115-25) • 14th Season in Career (307-131)
ON THE AIR
Television: SEC Network+
Play-by-Play: Chad McKee
Color: Bryndon Manzer
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Graham Doty
SERIES HISTORY
For just the second time, Ole Miss and Oklahoma are set to share a basketball court as conference rivals, and only the seventh time ever. Despite that, the Rebels and Sooners have faced each other for the past three seasons. This is only the third time the Rebels have traveled to Norman.
Oklahoma holds a 4-2 series lead, and have claimed each of the last three meetings. The Rebels had solid performances from both the starting lineups and the bench in the last matchup, with four players reaching double figures. One of those players was Christeen Iwuala, who had 11 points off the bench.
Ole Miss' most notable victory over Oklahoma came on March 25, 2007, when the Rebels escaped with a 90-82 showcase in the Sweet 16 of the 2007 NCAA Tournament. Their win sent them to the Elite Eight for the fifth time in school history and first since 1992. The Sooners were coming off a Big 12 title, but were unable to overcome the Rebels, who thrived off the back of Ole Miss legend Armintie Price' 31-point double-double.
Ole Miss' 90 points is still a program record in the NCAA tournament, while Price' point total is the most by an individual in program tournament history. Price and the Rebels pickpocketed the Sooners all game, notching 16 total steals while Price tied the individual program tournament record with five on her own. Ashley Awkward added 25 points of her own while draining 12 free throws and Shawn Goff had three blocks off the bench.
SCOUTING THE SOONERS
Jennie Baranczyk leads Oklahoma as the ninth head coach in program history. She's compiled a 115-35 record in her five-year tenure with the Sooners. This season, she's guided Oklahoma to a 14-1 record entering Thursday's competition, 13 of which have come consecutively. Oklahoma's only loss this season came in its second game of the year against UCLA.
During their 13-game winning streak, the Sooners have averaged 98.1 points per game which includes a four-game stretch north of 100 points. In total, Oklahoma has dropped at least 100 points in six contests this season, the most being a 126-point stomping of NC Central on Dec. 22. Oklahoma ranks second in the national conversation in terms of scoring offense, averaging 94.5 points per game.
The starting five of Oklahoma have much to do with its high-scoring prowess, as each are averaging at least 10 points per game. Freshman guard Aaliyah Chavez and senior center Raegan Beers are the headliners of the offense, each complementing the other's game nicely. The duo are averaging 18.9 and 17.4 points per game, respectively. Chavez has become a more-than-capable point guard for Oklahoma, leading the team with 4.4 assists per game, which is second-most among SEC freshmen, with 1.9 steals.
Her favorite target, Beers, is one the premier rebounders and defenders in the conference, averaging 10.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. She averages the third-most rebounds in the conference and leads the country in double-doubles with 12.
As a team, Oklahoma is also one of the best nationally in disrupting opposing offenses, holding the top defensive field goal percentage in the country. The Sooners hold opponents to 29.8 percent shooting on average while having the most defensive rebounds in the NCAA at 36.5 per game. Their strong offense and defense has led to one of the best scoring margins, winning games by an average of 34.9 points.
LAST TIME OUT
Ole Miss fell to No. 2/2 Texas, 67-64, Sunday afternoon at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.
Despite an incredible fourth quarter turnaround which saw the Rebels cut a 19-point lead to as low as three, the Longhorns had enough juice in the tank to close out the game on top. Texas had a 15-point lead entering the final quarter of action, but a vicious effort from Cotie McMahon catapulted the Rebels to nearly completing the comeback. McMahon had 19 points, 12 of which coming in the fourth quarter alone, on top of four assists and five rebounds.
Latasha Lattimore and Sira Thienou had strong outings for the Rebels throughout, picking up much of the offensive slack early on. Lattimore had 17 points, her seventh game with double-digit points in her last eight appearances, and five blocks. Thienou was the catalyst behind Ole Miss' strong first quarter, which kept the Rebels in the fight. She finished the game with 14 points, three rebounds and two steals.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM HONOREES
After her impressive showing at the Coast 2 Coast Classic, Christeen Iwuala was one of five student-athletes that were named to the All-Tournament First Team. In just this week alone, she led the SEC in rebounds with 26 and in field goals with 22, while also ranking third in most points in the conference at 55. Earning 21 points and 10 rebounds in the second game of the weekend against George Mason, Iwuala earned her third double-double of her career. She narrowly missed having another double-double in the first game against Wisconsin, falling just two rebounds short after earning 20 points and eight rebounds.
Iwuala earned All-Tournament honors again at the Cherokee Invitational, recording 23 points and 10 rebounds against Old Dominion to help secure a first-round victory. She finished the tournament with 31 points and 17 rebounds, placing her among the Top 10 All-Time performers in Cherokee Invitational history in both categories. Cotie McMahon joined her on the list, as she was Ole Miss's only player to score in double figures in both tournament games, finishing with a combined 32 points. She was also the Rebels' lone double-digit scorer in the Championship game versus Michigan State, contributing 13 points.
NO FLY ZONE
As a team, Ole Miss has rejected 85 shots so far this season for an average of 5.0 blocks per game. The Rebels are on pace for 155 blocks this season at their current pace, which would be the third most in program history. All 12 Rebels has earned at least one block so far this season.
Latasha Lattimore leads the Rebels with 38 total blocks, ranking third in the SEC and 16th in the nation. She is currently on an 11 consecutive game streak with at least one block, marking the longest such streak by a Rebel since Dominique Banks had a 17-game streak during the 2019-20 season.
SHE'S THE mcMAHON
Cotie McMahon has provided a spark to the Ole Miss offense in her first season in Oxford, She has scored at least 10 points in each of Ole Miss' first 17 games this season, surpassing Shandricka Sessom's 14-game mark set in 2015-16. McMahon has now tied Nikki Byrd for the longest such streak in recent memory, who started the 2011-12 season with 17 consecutive games of double-digit points. She could surpass Byrd next game and set her sights on Bianca Thomas, who scored at least 10 points in the first 19 games in 2009-10.
Eight of those double-digit games have been north of 20 points, which is the most by a Rebel through 17 games since the 2009-10 season when Bianca Thomas had 12. The last Rebel to have 20-plus points in eight games during a season was Angel Baker in 2022-23.
STAY CONNECTED WITH THE REBELS
Season and single game tickets for the 2025-26 campaign are on sale now. Click here to secure yours today or visit OleMissTix.com.
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.
TEAM FACTS
No. 18/17 Ole Miss Rebels (14-3, 1-1 SEC)
Head Coach: Yolett McPhee-McCuin • 8th Season at Ole Miss (139-98) • 13th Season in Career (233-161)
No. 5/5 Oklahoma Sooners (14-1, 2-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Jennie Baranczyk • 5th Season at OU (115-25) • 14th Season in Career (307-131)
ON THE AIR
Television: SEC Network+
Play-by-Play: Chad McKee
Color: Bryndon Manzer
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Graham Doty
SERIES HISTORY
For just the second time, Ole Miss and Oklahoma are set to share a basketball court as conference rivals, and only the seventh time ever. Despite that, the Rebels and Sooners have faced each other for the past three seasons. This is only the third time the Rebels have traveled to Norman.
Oklahoma holds a 4-2 series lead, and have claimed each of the last three meetings. The Rebels had solid performances from both the starting lineups and the bench in the last matchup, with four players reaching double figures. One of those players was Christeen Iwuala, who had 11 points off the bench.
Ole Miss' most notable victory over Oklahoma came on March 25, 2007, when the Rebels escaped with a 90-82 showcase in the Sweet 16 of the 2007 NCAA Tournament. Their win sent them to the Elite Eight for the fifth time in school history and first since 1992. The Sooners were coming off a Big 12 title, but were unable to overcome the Rebels, who thrived off the back of Ole Miss legend Armintie Price' 31-point double-double.
Ole Miss' 90 points is still a program record in the NCAA tournament, while Price' point total is the most by an individual in program tournament history. Price and the Rebels pickpocketed the Sooners all game, notching 16 total steals while Price tied the individual program tournament record with five on her own. Ashley Awkward added 25 points of her own while draining 12 free throws and Shawn Goff had three blocks off the bench.
SCOUTING THE SOONERS
Jennie Baranczyk leads Oklahoma as the ninth head coach in program history. She's compiled a 115-35 record in her five-year tenure with the Sooners. This season, she's guided Oklahoma to a 14-1 record entering Thursday's competition, 13 of which have come consecutively. Oklahoma's only loss this season came in its second game of the year against UCLA.
During their 13-game winning streak, the Sooners have averaged 98.1 points per game which includes a four-game stretch north of 100 points. In total, Oklahoma has dropped at least 100 points in six contests this season, the most being a 126-point stomping of NC Central on Dec. 22. Oklahoma ranks second in the national conversation in terms of scoring offense, averaging 94.5 points per game.
The starting five of Oklahoma have much to do with its high-scoring prowess, as each are averaging at least 10 points per game. Freshman guard Aaliyah Chavez and senior center Raegan Beers are the headliners of the offense, each complementing the other's game nicely. The duo are averaging 18.9 and 17.4 points per game, respectively. Chavez has become a more-than-capable point guard for Oklahoma, leading the team with 4.4 assists per game, which is second-most among SEC freshmen, with 1.9 steals.
Her favorite target, Beers, is one the premier rebounders and defenders in the conference, averaging 10.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. She averages the third-most rebounds in the conference and leads the country in double-doubles with 12.
As a team, Oklahoma is also one of the best nationally in disrupting opposing offenses, holding the top defensive field goal percentage in the country. The Sooners hold opponents to 29.8 percent shooting on average while having the most defensive rebounds in the NCAA at 36.5 per game. Their strong offense and defense has led to one of the best scoring margins, winning games by an average of 34.9 points.
LAST TIME OUT
Ole Miss fell to No. 2/2 Texas, 67-64, Sunday afternoon at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.
Despite an incredible fourth quarter turnaround which saw the Rebels cut a 19-point lead to as low as three, the Longhorns had enough juice in the tank to close out the game on top. Texas had a 15-point lead entering the final quarter of action, but a vicious effort from Cotie McMahon catapulted the Rebels to nearly completing the comeback. McMahon had 19 points, 12 of which coming in the fourth quarter alone, on top of four assists and five rebounds.
Latasha Lattimore and Sira Thienou had strong outings for the Rebels throughout, picking up much of the offensive slack early on. Lattimore had 17 points, her seventh game with double-digit points in her last eight appearances, and five blocks. Thienou was the catalyst behind Ole Miss' strong first quarter, which kept the Rebels in the fight. She finished the game with 14 points, three rebounds and two steals.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM HONOREES
After her impressive showing at the Coast 2 Coast Classic, Christeen Iwuala was one of five student-athletes that were named to the All-Tournament First Team. In just this week alone, she led the SEC in rebounds with 26 and in field goals with 22, while also ranking third in most points in the conference at 55. Earning 21 points and 10 rebounds in the second game of the weekend against George Mason, Iwuala earned her third double-double of her career. She narrowly missed having another double-double in the first game against Wisconsin, falling just two rebounds short after earning 20 points and eight rebounds.
Iwuala earned All-Tournament honors again at the Cherokee Invitational, recording 23 points and 10 rebounds against Old Dominion to help secure a first-round victory. She finished the tournament with 31 points and 17 rebounds, placing her among the Top 10 All-Time performers in Cherokee Invitational history in both categories. Cotie McMahon joined her on the list, as she was Ole Miss's only player to score in double figures in both tournament games, finishing with a combined 32 points. She was also the Rebels' lone double-digit scorer in the Championship game versus Michigan State, contributing 13 points.
NO FLY ZONE
As a team, Ole Miss has rejected 85 shots so far this season for an average of 5.0 blocks per game. The Rebels are on pace for 155 blocks this season at their current pace, which would be the third most in program history. All 12 Rebels has earned at least one block so far this season.
Latasha Lattimore leads the Rebels with 38 total blocks, ranking third in the SEC and 16th in the nation. She is currently on an 11 consecutive game streak with at least one block, marking the longest such streak by a Rebel since Dominique Banks had a 17-game streak during the 2019-20 season.
SHE'S THE mcMAHON
Cotie McMahon has provided a spark to the Ole Miss offense in her first season in Oxford, She has scored at least 10 points in each of Ole Miss' first 17 games this season, surpassing Shandricka Sessom's 14-game mark set in 2015-16. McMahon has now tied Nikki Byrd for the longest such streak in recent memory, who started the 2011-12 season with 17 consecutive games of double-digit points. She could surpass Byrd next game and set her sights on Bianca Thomas, who scored at least 10 points in the first 19 games in 2009-10.
Eight of those double-digit games have been north of 20 points, which is the most by a Rebel through 17 games since the 2009-10 season when Bianca Thomas had 12. The last Rebel to have 20-plus points in eight games during a season was Angel Baker in 2022-23.
STAY CONNECTED WITH THE REBELS
Season and single game tickets for the 2025-26 campaign are on sale now. Click here to secure yours today or visit OleMissTix.com.
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.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's BasketballPRESSER | Women's Basketball Postgame at Oklahoma (01-08-26)
Thursday, January 08
HIGHLIGHTS | Women's Basketball at Oklahoma (01-08-26)
Thursday, January 08
PRESSER | Yolett McPhee-McCuin (01-06-26)
Tuesday, January 06
PRESSER | Sira Thienou (01-06-26)
Tuesday, January 06