Basketball
Rebels Travel Down to the Hump to Face No. 3 Mississippi State
Madinah Muhammad hit four crucial free throws in the second overtime period to lead the Rebels to victory over Florida earlier this week. Photo by Petre Thomas/Ole Miss Athletics
The Ole Miss women’s basketball team faces its toughest test of the season tonight as they take on No. 3 Mississippi State at the Hump in Starkville. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. on the SEC Network.
Ole Miss (11-5, 1-2 SEC) eked out a 78-75 double-overtime victory over Florida on Sunday. The Rebels led for 36 minutes of regulation and had a 15-point lead at the 5:37 mark of the third quarter, but Florida chipped away at the deficit until the final seconds of the fourth quarter, setting up a tumultuous ride throughout both overtime periods.
After a last-second Gator layup to force overtime, Ole Miss responded with its own last-second layup by Alissa Alston in the first overtime to force another period, when Madinah Muhammad hit four crucial free throws down the stretch.
Mississippi State (17-0, 3-0 SEC) enters the game after defeating LSU 83-70 in Baton Rouge. Junior Teaira McCown leads the Bulldogs, averaging a double-double with 20.8 points and 12.7 rebounds per contest.
The Bulldogs are averaging 87.6 points per game, which is fourth in the nation. MSU has scored 80 or more points in four straight games and 12 times this season, already matching the total number of games in which they scored 80-plus points last season.
Tonight will be the 94th chapter in this intense and storied rivalry. Ole Miss holds a 63-30 edge in the all-time series, winning 50 of the first 51 matchups from 1975-97. Ole Miss won 33 in a row from Jan. 23, 1982, until Feb. 19, 1997, but the tide has turned maroon since. The Bulldogs have taken 29 of the last 42 contests, including the last seven in a row.
In Starkville, Ole Miss holds the series lead at 25-17, but is looking for its first win at MSU since 2007 (86-84, OT).
Adam Brown is the sports editor of HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at adam.brown@hottytoddy.com.
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| Sat, Aug 31 |  | vs Furman | W, 76-0 |
| Sat, Sep 7 |  | vs Middle Tennessee | W, 52-3 |
| Sat, Sep 14 |  | @ Wake Forest | W, 40-6 |
| Sat, Sep 21 |  | vs Georgia Southern | W, 52-13 |
| Sat, Sep 28 |  | vs Kentucky | L, 20-17 |
| Sat, Oct 5 |  | @ South Carolina | W, 27-3 |
| Sat, Oct 12 |  | vs LSU | L, 29-26 (2 OT) |
| Sat, Oct 26 |  | vs Oklahoma | W, 26-14 |
| Sat, Nov 2 |  | @ Arkansas | W, 63-35 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Georgia | W, 28-10 |
| Sat, Nov 23 |  | @ Florida | L, 24-17 |
| Sat, Nov 30 |  | vs Mississippi State | W, 26-14 |
| Thu, Jan 2 |  | vs Duke (Gator Bowl) | W, 52-20 |
| Mon, Nov 4 |  | vs Long Island University | W, 90-60 |
| Fri, Nov 8 |  | vs Grambling | W, 66-64 |
| Tue, Nov 12 |  | vs South Alabama | W, 64-54 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Colorado State | W, 84-69 |
| Thu, Nov 21 |  | vs Oral Roberts | L, 100-68 |
| Thu, Nov 28 |  | vs BYU | W, 96-85 OT |
| Fri, Nov 29 |  | vs 13 Purdue | L, 80-78 |
| Tue, Dec 3 |  | @ Louisville | W, 86-63 |
| Sat, Dec 7 |  | vs Lindenwood | W, 86-53 |
| Sat, Dec 14 |  | vs Southern Miss | W, 77-46 |
| Tue, Dec 17 |  | vs Southern | W, 74-61 |
| Sat, Dec 21 |  | vs Queens University | W, 80-62 |
| Sat, Dec 28 |  | @ Memphis | L, 87-70 |
| Sat, Jan 4 |  | vs Georgia | 11:00 AM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 8 |  | @ 23 Arkansas | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 11 |  | vs LSU | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Tue, Jan 14 |  | @ 5 Alabama | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 18 |  | @ 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Jan 22 |  | vs 13 Texas A&M | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 25 |  | @ Missouri | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 29 |  | vs Texas | 8:00 PM ESPN2 |
| Sat, Feb 1 |  | vs 2 Auburn | 3:00 PM TBA |
| Tue, Feb 4 |  | vs 10 Kentucky | 6:00 PM ESPN |
| Sat, Feb 8 | | @ LSU | 7:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 12 |  | @ South Carolina | 6:00 PM SECN |
| Sat, Feb 15 | | vs 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Feb 22 |  | @ Vanderbilt | 2:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 26 | | @ 2 Auburn | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 1 |  | vs 12 Oklahoma | 1:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Mar 5 |  | vs 1 Tennessee | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 8 |  | @ 6 Florida | 5:00 PM SECN |