By Ole Miss Athletics

Meeting for the 104th time, the rivalry between Ole Miss and Mississippi State in women’s basketball proves to remain strong yet the Rebels were unable to sneak out a win from Humphrey Coliseum on Sunday afternoon, falling 69-57.

In a game with ten ties and nine lead changes, Ole Miss (12-5, 2-2 SEC) could not surpass a fourth quarter surge from Mississippi State (15-4, 2-2 SEC) in the first of two meetings this season against its  in-state rival.

Once again and for the eighth time this season, Marquesha Davis paced Ole Miss with a team-leading 19 points.

Points came at a premium in the opening frame, as Ole Miss worked to wake up and find its groove offensively. Mississippi State jumped ahead with a 6-0 run, with Davis taking over for the Rebels with eight  points alone in the first quarter. A last second jumper from Singleton gave Ole Miss a slight edge at 14-12 over Mississippi State through the first 10.

Mississippi State regained its lead off a 9-0 run in the second quarter, while Ole Miss struggled to find its footing in the paint. With back-to-back buckets from Igbokwe on the inside, the Rebels worked their way back to cut into the deficit. Two straight three’s from Todd-Williams followed by Davis pushed the Rebels ahead by one, with two minutes remaining in the first half. The Bulldogs pushed back with a last second layup to go into the break up by one at 31-30.

The back-and-forth affair continued, with a narrow margin until seven straight points from the Rebels provided them a 43-39 advantage midway through the third. Providing a spark off the bench, Collins’ eight points in the quarter propelled Ole Miss to maintain its narrow advantage of 51-49 with 10 minutes remaining.

A 6-0 run from Mississippi State pushed it ahead over Ole Miss, as Jessika Carter began to take command of the game for the Bulldogs. Under seven to play, Mississippi State’s advantage of 60-55 marked the largest lead of the game for either team to date. Forcing three quick Bulldog turnovers, the Rebels pushed the ball yet found itself in a scoring slump. With the Ole Miss offense remaining stagnant, a 13-2 Mississippi State run sealed the victory in the Bulldogs favor with the Rebels falling, 69-57.

Ole Miss continues its road swing, visiting Georgia next Sunday (Jan. 21). The matinee match-up against the Bulldogs will air on SEC Network at noon CT.

Follow the Rebels on X at @OleMissWBB, Facebook at Ole Miss WBB and on Instagram at Ole MissWBB. You can also follow head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin on X at @YolettMcCuin