NORMAN, Okla. (Interstat) — The Mississippi women’s basketball team built a large early lead and withstood a late rally to defeat Oklahoma 74-69 on Thursday night at Lloyd Noble Center. The Rebels opened with a dominant 25-point first quarter and led by as many as 14 before the Sooners chipped away, closing to within three points in the final minutes. Mississippi sealed the game at the free-throw line. Cotie McMahon led Mississippi with 22 points. Oklahoma’s Aaliyah Chavez scored a game-high 26 points. The Rebels improved to 15-3, while the Sooners fell to 14-2.

NORMAN, Okla. (Interstat) — In a clash of surging women’s basketball powers, the Mississippi Rebels authored a statement victory on the road, holding off the Oklahoma Sooners 74-69 on Thursday night at a tense Lloyd Noble Center. The game, a non-conference showdown organized by the Southeastern Conference, pitted two teams with a combined 29 wins against just five losses entering the night. It was the Rebels, however, who delivered the more complete performance, surviving a second-half rally and a brilliant scoring display from Oklahoma’s Aaliyah Chavez to improve to 15-3. The Sooners, installed as a 10.5-point favorite and projected by analytics to win with a 75.9% probability, fell to 14-2. The most critical phase of the contest was its beginning. Mississippi came out with ferocious defensive intensity, disrupting Oklahoma’s rhythm and capitalizing on early mistakes. The Rebels forced four Sooner turnovers in the opening three minutes, converting them into a 9-0 run that set the tone. Oklahoma missed its first five shots and did not score until a Raegan Beers free throw at the 7:04 mark. By then, Mississippi had already built a 9-1 lead. That early cushion, built on a 25-point first quarter, proved vital as the game evolved. Oklahoma, led by the dynamic Chavez, slowly chipped away. The Sooners won the second quarter 19-10, cutting the deficit to 35-32 at halftime, and continued to apply pressure in the third. A Chavez three-pointer with 2:58 left in the third gave Oklahoma its first lead of the night at 48-47, capping a 16-7 run that sent the home crowd of 4,327 into a frenzy. The game’s pivotal sequence came immediately after Oklahoma seized that momentum. Mississippi’s Sira Thienou of Bamako, Mali, answered with a clutch three-pointer on the ensuing possession, assisted by Cotie McMahon, to put the Rebels back ahead. Following a defensive stop, Thienou struck again with another three, pushing the lead back to five and silencing the arena. Those consecutive baskets stemmed the Sooners’ tide and allowed Mississippi to carry a 54-52 edge into the final period. Oklahoma never led again, though they threatened until the final seconds. Chavez, the standout guard from Lubbock, Texas, finished with a game-high 26 points, including four three-pointers. Her step-back triple with 1:55 to play cut the Mississippi lead to 66-63. But the Rebels’ defense, which held Oklahoma to 34.3% shooting from the field and just 24% from beyond the arc, made key stops down the stretch. Mississippi was led by its star, Cotie McMahon of Dayton, Ohio, who scored 22 points and dished out four assists, consistently making plays in critical moments. She was supported brilliantly by Thienou, who added 20 points on efficient shooting. Latasha Lattimore of Toronto provided a major interior presence with 13 points and three blocks, anchoring a defense that recorded eight total blocks. Oklahoma’s Beers, from Littleton, Colorado, posted 15 points and four assists, while Sahara Williams of Waterloo, Iowa, added 12 points. The Sooners won the battle on the offensive glass, 15-7, and scored 28 points in the paint to Mississippi’s 24, but their overall shooting inefficiency and 17 turnovers proved costly. Mississippi sealed the game at the free-throw line in the final 13 seconds. Debreasha Powe of Meridian, Mississippi, calmly sank four consecutive free throws to extend a two-point lead to six, effectively putting the game out of reach. The Rebels’ victory, which saw the total score of 143 fall under the pregame over/under line of 147.5, showcased their resilience and defensive grit against one of the nation’s most potent offenses. They weathered Oklahoma’s best punch on the road and executed in the final minutes to secure a significant resume-building win. Mississippi returns to SEC play with a quick turnaround, hosting Missouri on Saturday. Oklahoma looks to rebound in another tough test, traveling to face Kentucky on Sunday.

Preview: Mississippi Visits Oklahoma in Top-10 Nonconference Clash NORMAN, Okla. (Interstat) — A marquee nonconference showdown awaits Thursday as the Mississippi Rebels travel to face the Oklahoma Sooners at Lloyd Noble Center. The matchup, organized by the Southeastern Conference, pits two of the nation’s top teams in a late-season test. Oklahoma (14-1) enters on a 10-game winning streak and boasts one of the country’s most potent offenses, averaging 94.1 points per game. Mississippi (14-3) seeks a statement road victory after a narrow 67-64 loss at Texas on Jan. 4 snapped its seven-game win streak. The Sooners have dominated at home, winning by an average margin of 53.8 points in their last five games in Norman. Their most recent outing was a 95-47 rout of Mississippi State, where guard Zya Vann recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Vann has been a consistent force, scoring in double figures in eight of her last ten contests. Mississippi will counter with forward Latasha Lattimore, who is coming off a 17-point, four-rebound performance against Texas. Over her last eight games, Lattimore has averaged 14.0 points and 4.6 rebounds while serving as a defensive anchor. She will need support from Cotie McMahon, who led the Rebels with 19 points in the loss to Texas. Oklahoma’s balance presents a major challenge. In the win over Mississippi State, Raegan Beers (15 points, 11 rebounds) and Sahara Williams (12 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists) also posted double-doubles, highlighting the Sooners’ depth and rebounding prowess. This game serves as a final major nonconference test for both programs before diving deeper into their respective league schedules. For Mississippi, it’s a chance to prove its resilience against an elite opponent on the road. For Oklahoma, it’s an opportunity to solidify its top-tier ranking against a ranked foe. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CST Thursday.