STARKVILLE — The Ole Miss women took Part II of the weekend’s in-state basketball rivalry series against Mississippi State.
After Mississippi State men’s hoops topped the Rebels in overtime on Saturday, the Rebels’ women prevailed Sunday 71-63 at Humphrey Coliseum. Both teams held leads in the fourth quarter, but Ole Miss scored eight unanswered points in three minutes for the win.
Rebels guard/forward Madison Scott led the game with a career-high 30 points, followed by MSU’s Jerkaila Jordan with 19.
It’s the only time Ole Miss (13-5, 4-2 SEC) and Mississippi State (15-5, 2-4) are scheduled to play each other this season.
Mississippi State took control early but Ole Miss had an answer
The Bulldogs forced Ole Miss coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin to take a timeout five minutes into the game when they opened a 14-5 lead. Denim DeShields and Debreasha Powe both nailed 3-pointers that beat the shot clock buzzer. The lead ballooned to 18-8 before Ole Miss shaved the lead down to one at the first quarter’s end.
It was sparked by Scott, who scored five consecutive points in an 11-2 run. MSU made 1-of-6 field goal attempts in the final four minutes. Kennedy Todd-Williams scored the first bucket of the second quarter, which gave Ole Miss its first lead of the game.
Ole Miss allowed just nine points in the second quarter as it took a 34-29 halftime lead. Jordan scored seven of MSU’s nine points in the quarter.
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Ole Miss, Mississippi State traded lead back and forth in second half
Ole Miss commanded the early portion of the third quarter, building a 43-37 lead. However, MSU produced a 9-1 run to regain a brief lead.
Scott scored nine more points in the quarter, but Eniya Russell kept the Bulldogs in pace with nine points of her own, including two 3-pointers. Ole Miss took a 53-51 lead into the fourth quarter.
Ole Miss and Mississippi State were tied at 61-61 with five minutes remaining, but the Rebels gained separation on an 8-0 run. Four of the points were scored by Scott, who also blocked a Russell layup with one minute remaining.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.