No. 20 Ole Miss overcame a 15-point third quarter deficit Monday against No. 3 USC, taking a four-point lead with just under three minutes remaining in regulation and leading by two with 1:43 to play. The Trojans, who shot just 1 of 9 in the fourth quarter, hit four-straight free throws to close out the game — and all 14 of their attempts in the fourth — to take down the Rebels 68-66 in the Aflac Oui-Play game in Paris in the season opener for both teams.
Ole Miss (0-1) held USC (1-0) without a field goal the final 8:47 of the game. The Rebels hit four of their last five shots in the game — including a jumper from senior guard KK Deans that gave the Rebels a late 62-60 lead. USC outscored Ole Miss 8-2 to close out the game, however, with all eight points coming from the free throw line.
Deans finished with a team-high 19 points, with 14 coming in the second half. It was her first game since suffering a season-ending knee injury last January. Senior guard/forward Madison Scott finished with 14 points and senior guard Kennedy Todd-Williams scored eight.
The Rebels shot just 7 of 39 from the field in the first half and trailed by 11 at halftime. USC star Juju Watkins scored 16 of her game-high 27 points in the first half. USC increased the lead to 15 in the third, but a run for Ole Miss late in the quarter cut the deficit down to four early in the fourth and eventually down to one. Ole Miss senior guard/forward Madison Scott’s jumper with 5:22 to play gave the Rebels their first lead since early in the second quarter.
Deans’ 3-pointer with 3:11 to play combined with a layup from freshman guard Sira Thienou capped off a 5-0 Ole Miss run that gave the Rebels’ their biggest lead of the day. Following Deans’ late jumper to give Ole Miss a 66-64 lead, the Rebels turned the ball over on each of their final two possessions. Free throws from USC’s Talia von Oelhoffen tied the game at 66, and free throws from Kiki Iriafen with nine seconds to play sealed the Trojans’ win.
Ole Miss hosts Arkansas-Pine Bluff Sunday at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
