OXFORD, Miss. — Sania Feagin delivered an outstanding performance with 22 points, while Chloe Kitts added a triple-double, consisting of 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists, helping No. 6 South Carolina secure a 75-59 victory over Mississippi on Thursday night.
This triumph maintains the Gamecocks’ (26-3, 14-1 SEC) position tied with No. 1 Texas at the top of the league standings. Feagin showcased her shooting precision, hitting 10 out of 13 attempts from the field. South Carolina widened a halftime advantage of 37-33 and closed the game with a strong 20-12 push in the final stretch.
Sira Thienou stood out for Ole Miss (18-9, 9-6) with 15 points, while Christeen Iwuala contributed 10 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Despite forcing 15 turnovers and blocking nine shots, the Rebels only achieved a 37% shooting percentage from the field. On the other hand, South Carolina managed a 45% shooting percentage, improving to 13 of 25 in the latter half of the game.
Lessons learned from the game include South Carolina’s ability to clinch a challenging road victory in front of an enthusiastic crowd against a potential NCAA Tournament contender. This victory ensures South Carolina secures one of the top four seeds and earns a double-bye in the upcoming SEC Tournament. After experiencing two losses out of three games in mid-February, the reigning national champions seem to be regaining form.
For Ole Miss, the defeat places them in a competitive five-team race for the four single-bye spots available in the SEC Tournament. While the defense remained robust for most of the game, offensive consistency persists as a challenge.
A pivotal moment arrived when South Carolina established a 44-35 advantage with a pivotal 14-4 run spanning the second and third quarters. This surge, sealed by a short jumper from Raven Johnson, ensured Ole Miss could not close the gap to less than seven points.
Statistically, South Carolina excelled in painting, outscoring Ole Miss 46-32 while effectively converting 17 out of 28 layups. Ole Miss, in contrast, struggled with layups, completing only 11 out of 27 attempts.
Looking ahead, South Carolina will conclude their regular-season schedule on Sunday by hosting No. 15 Kentucky, whereas Ole Miss is set to visit No. 7 LSU.
