OXFORD, Miss. — On Sunday, Kirsten Deans contributed 16 points, leading the No. 20 Mississippi Lady Rebels to a dominant 85-24 victory against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Deans showcased her skills off the bench by sinking three 3-pointers and collecting seven rebounds for Ole Miss (1-1).
Another key player off the bench, Christeen Iwuala, added 12 points along with six rebounds. Ayanna Thompson also made an impact with three 3-pointers, scoring a total of 11 points. Additionally, Kharyssa Richardson recorded a game-high 11 rebounds, while Kennedy Todd-Williams struggled to find her shot, converting only 1 of 9 attempts but still managed to secure 10 rebounds.
For Arkansas-Pine Bluff, D’Arrah Allen was the top scorer with nine points, while Janiyah Tucker provided eight points after coming off the bench.
The game kicked off with Thompson hitting a 3-pointer, which sparked an 11-0 run for the Rebels, and they never looked back. By the end of the first quarter, Ole Miss had established a solid 20-6 lead, thanks to contributions from both Starr Jacobs and Thompson, each scoring six points.
The Lady Rebels continued to dominate in the second quarter, outpacing UAPB by 22 points to take a commanding 50-14 lead by halftime. In the third quarter, Mississippi limited UAPB to just three points, further extending their lead to 65-17.
In terms of shooting performance, Ole Miss achieved 43.5% from the field, making 9 of 23 attempts from beyond the arc and a solid 16 of 19 from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, UAPB struggled offensively, shooting only 14.8%, failing to make 20 of their 22 attempts from three-point range but converting all four free-throws.
This game marked the lowest number of points allowed by the Lady Rebels since their 74-28 victory over Alabama A&M in November of the previous season.
In their season opener, Ole Miss fell to No. 3 Southern California with a close score of 68-66 at the Aflac Oui-Play event held in Paris, France.
The Lady Rebels are set to face Delaware State on Thursday for their next matchup.