OXFORD — Shandricka Sessom had a game-high 26 points Thursday night to lead the Ole Miss women’s basketball team to a 63-59 victory against Auburn at The Pavilion at Ole Miss.
Sessom was 10 of 17 from the field for her first 20-point outing in Southeastern Conference action this season, and the 10th of her career.
For the second-straight game, Taylor Manuel was in double figures with 13 points, while Sessom and Shequila Joseph led the way with eight rebounds for Ole Miss (16-10, 5-8 SEC).
“We needed that. That’s a big win,” Ole Miss coach Matt Insell said. “Auburn’s got a great team. They’re a team right there in the bubble watch for the NCAA tournament, and we needed this win to keep pace. That’s a huge win for our basketball team. They embarrassed us down there, and we came back and beat them here. That’s a momentum win for us. If we win four in a row, we’ll be right back in the thick of this thing. I couldn’t be more proud of our team.”
Auburn kept the game within two possessions for the final three minutes, but Ole Miss went 8 of 9 from the free-throw line down the stretch. Alissa Alston was 6 of 8 to help seal the deal.
The Rebels started the fourth quarter strong, extending their lead to a game-high nine points at the 8-minute, 37-second mark with a free throw from Erika Sisk. The teams went back and forth all quarter and Auburn cut the lead to 50-45 with 3:23 left. Brandy Montgomery made it a two-possession game with 1:45 left, but Ole Miss sealed the win from the line with Alston’s career-best 12 free throws.
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