Preview: Tennessee Lady Vols at Ole Miss Rebels UNIVERSITY, Miss. (Interstat) — A pivotal Southeastern Conference women’s basketball clash is set for Tuesday as the Tennessee Lady Volunteers visit the Mississippi Rebels at The Pavilion at Ole Miss. The Rebels (20-6, 8-5 SEC), bolstered by a strong season, look to defend their home court and solidify their standing in the conference race. They enter having split their last four games, most recently a 74-57 loss at Kentucky on Sunday. Forward Christeen Iwuala has been a consistent presence, averaging 10.5 points over her last six contests. Center Latasha Lattimore is coming off a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double against the Wildcats. Tennessee (16-7, 7-6) seeks to rebound from a heartbreaking 65-63 home loss to Texas last Sunday. The Lady Vols’ fortunes often ride with guard Talaysia Cooper, who is in the midst of a stellar offensive stretch. Cooper poured in a career-high 29 points in the loss to Texas and has averaged 18.4 points over her last five games, including a 17-point effort in a 98-53 rout of Missouri on Feb. 12. This matchup features contrasting trajectories. Ole Miss has built its record with defensive toughness, while Tennessee has shown high-scoring potential but struggled for consistency against top-tier opponents, with recent losses to Texas, South Carolina and Connecticut. The Rebels won the season’s first meeting, 77-62, in Knoxville on Jan. 29. In that game, Mississippi stifled Tennessee’s offense, holding Cooper to 19 points on 6-of-17 shooting. Replicating that defensive focus will be key for the Rebels. A Tennessee victory would provide a crucial Quad 1 road win for its NCAA tournament resume and even the season series. For Ole Miss, a win maintains its position in the upper echelon of the SEC and completes a regular-season sweep of the traditional powerhouse. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.