Ole Miss Dominates Auburn in SEC Showdown
In a commanding performance, No. 13 Ole Miss defeated Auburn 71-45 in a Southeastern Conference matchup held at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Monday evening. Cotie McMahon led the charge for the Rebels, scoring an impressive 20 points, along with seven rebounds, while shooting 53.8% from the field (7 of 13) and converting 6 of 8 free throw attempts.
Rebels’ Strong Performance
The Rebels, who now boast a record of 19-4 and 6-2 in the SEC, are on a roll with three consecutive victories and five wins in their last six games. Joining McMahon in the scoring was Sira Thienou, contributing 14 points and eight rebounds, while Christeen Iwuala recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, marking her ninth of the season. However, the game took a concerning turn for Ole Miss when Latasha Lattimore left the game in the fourth quarter due to an apparent ankle injury after scoring six points, just one shy of reaching the milestone of 1,000 career points.
Auburn’s Struggles
On the other side of the court, the Tigers have been struggling, suffering their fourth consecutive defeat, all of which were against ranked opponents, and now hold a record of 13-10. Harissoum Coulibaly was the standout for Auburn, scoring 11 points. Mya Petticord helped the Tigers get off to a 10-4 start, but the team faced difficulties after that, missing their last ten attempts during the first quarter as Ole Miss seized control of the game with an 18-point scoring run, capped by McMahon’s offensive prowess.
Game Highlights
By the end of the first quarter, the Rebels had established a significant lead at 18-6. Auburn managed to score only nine points over the final 13 minutes of the first half, resulting in a halftime score of 35-19, with McMahon already having amassed 15 points.
In the third quarter, McMahon continued her strong performance, scoring five further points to surpass the 20-point mark for the third consecutive game and extending the Rebels’ lead to 50-31. Struggling offensively, Auburn has been the lowest-scoring team in the SEC this season, averaging just 54 points per game, and they were unable to find their rhythm early on, missing their first 11 attempts from beyond the arc before Kaitlyn Duhon finally connected from three-point range late in the fourth quarter.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, Auburn is set to face Florida this Thursday, while Ole Miss will take on No. 21 Alabama on the same day.
