OXFORD, Miss. — Madison Scott delivered an impressive performance with 22 points as the Ole Miss Rebels overcame an eight-point deficit in the second half to secure a 66-57 victory against the No. 8 ranked Kentucky Wildcats on Monday night.
The Rebels, now standing at 16-7 overall and 7-4 in Southeastern Conference play, executed a remarkable 18-4 scoring run in the third quarter, propelling them to a 55-49 lead with 7:43 left in the game. Although Kentucky, which holds a record of 19-3 and 8-2 in the conference, attempted to narrow the gap, they were unable to get closer than six points in the last three minutes.
Scott posted a shooting line of 9 of 22 from the field while helping Ole Miss recover from a 37-31 deficit at halftime. The Rebels showcased their dominance on the boards, out-rebounding Kentucky 54-33, with standout performances by Sira Thienou, Starr Jacobs, and Kennedy Todd-Williams, each contributing nine rebounds.
Teonni Key stood out for Kentucky, leading the team with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while teammate Clara Strack notched a double-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and impressive eight blocks, a career high.
In terms of significant implications, Kentucky’s prospects for postseason tournament seeding may have significantly weakened, especially with a challenging schedule approaching. Their last six games feature heavyweights like No. 3 Texas, No. 5 LSU, and No. 15 Tennessee at home, concluding with a game against No. 4 South Carolina. Kentucky currently owns a 5-1 record against ranked teams this season.
For Ole Miss, securing victory against a top-10 opponent brings their record against ranked teams to 3-5. With only three weeks left in the regular season, they have tough road challenges ahead against Tennessee and LSU, along with a critical home game against South Carolina.
A pivotal moment in the game came when Ole Miss trailed 45-37. During their crucial 18-4 run in the second half, baskets by Todd-Williams and Scott helped shift momentum, culminating in a long-awaited 3-pointer by KK Deans that ended a shooting drought from beyond the arc (0 for 23) stretching over six quarters.
In a key statistic, even though Kentucky recorded 14 blocks, Ole Miss capitalized significantly on offensive rebounds, boasting a staggering 27-4 advantage in that category, which translated into a 16-5 edge in second-chance points.
Looking ahead, Kentucky is set to host Texas while Ole Miss prepares to visit Arkansas on Thursday night.
