Caleb Harris
Ole Miss (20-7, 9-5 SEC) could not complete the upset against No.1 South Carolina (27-0, 14-0) in front of a packed crowd in the SJB Pavilion on Sunday afternoon, coming up short in a heartbreaking, emotional 64-57 loss in front of the biggest crowd of the season.
“I don’t care what anybody says, my team is a Top 25 team in the country,” head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin said after the game. “Look at what we’re doing against Utah, Oklahoma, LSU, South Carolina. Look at what we’re doing.”
McPhee-McCuin went on to say, “We’re one of the best in the country…good times ahead.”
A matchup that one would think is the No. 1 team in the country versus No. 2 certainly had that feel in this game. From the opening quarter, it was very hard for both teams to establish any separation from the other.
Starting in the fourth quarter in the final minutes of regulation, the Gamecocks were leading the Rebels 54-50 with 3:41 left in the game. Angel Baker got fouled on a layup and knocked down a free throw which resulted in the margin getting down to 54-51.
A couple of plays later, Baker got a fast-break layup to bring the score to 54-53. With the Gamecocks still leading, Baker shot a dagger to give Ole Miss a 55-54 lead, their first since the first quarter.
Ole Miss fouled South Carolina superstar Aliyah Boston and sent her to the freethrow line where the home crowd roared and iced her. Boston got sent to the line again and missed a chance to take the lead but tied the game with 30 seconds left.
After a timeout by Ole Miss, there were 27 seconds remaining in the game with a chance to win it all. Baker missed a go-ahead score, but Marquisha Davis caught the rebound and tried to call a timeout but went out of bounds as she fell to the floor.
South Carolina jumped to a 59-55 lead, but Ole Miss’ Myah Taylor cut into the lead by hitting a jumper, after missing two free throws. The score was cut back down to two.
The Gamecocks outscored Ole Miss 9-2 in overtime.
The Rebels’ defense held South Carolina to a season-low 64 points and has only been the second team to take them into overtime this season. The Rebels forced the Gamecocks to shoot 37% from the floor, 27% from the three-point line and 68% from free throws.
Ole Miss will play its final home game against the Missouri Tigers for senior night in the SJB Pavilion on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. CST. The game will be broadcasted on SEC Network+.
