The University of Mississippi Athletics
Sunday, March 22
Minneapolis, Minn.
1 PM
Ole Miss
at
Minnesota
No. 19 Women’s Basketball Faces No. 18 Minnesota for NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Berth
3/21/2026 | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Fifth-seeded Ole Miss women's basketball is set to take on fourth-seeded Minnesota on Sunday, March 22 in Williams Arena. The Rebels will look to secure its third Sweet 16 berth in four years, taking on the Gophers at 1 p.m. CT on ESPN.
TEAM FACTS
No. 19/20 Ole Miss Rebels (24-11, 8-8 SEC)
Head Coach: Yolett McPhee-McCuin • 8th Season at Ole Miss (149-105) • 13th Season in Career (243-168)
No. 18/19 Minnesota Gophers (23-8, 13-5 Big 10)
Head Coach: Dawn Plitzuweit • 3rd Season at Minn. (68-35) • 19th Season in Career (433-176)
ON THE AIR
Television: ESPN
Play-by-Play: Krista Blunk
Color: Andrea Lloyd
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Graham Doty
REBELS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Appearing in its 22nd NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, Ole Miss reaches the big dance for the fifth straight season. The Rebels are one of only four teams that have been in the SEC the last five years to accomplish that feat.
The Rebels have made it past the first weekend of the tournament in over half of their appearances, making 12 Sweet Sixteens before moving on to five Elite Eights.
AS A NO. 5 SEED
The Rebels are seeded at No. 5 for the fourth time in school history and second year in a row. Prior to last season, it marked the first time since 1994 that Ole Miss was selected at No. 5. As a five, Ole Miss is 6-3 overall and advanced to the Sweet 16 during the 1989-90 and 2024-25 seasons.
SERIES HISTORY
The Rebels and Golden Gophers are set to face off for the first time ever. It marks the fifth time this season Ole Miss has faced an opponent for the first time in its 51-year history.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN GOPHERS
In just her third season guiding Minnesota, Dawn Plitzuweit has reestablished the Golden Gopher program as a powerhouse. In her first two seasons, she led Minnesota to a pair of deep runs in the WNIT/WBIT, including a championship run last season. The Gophers have reached the national tournament this season for the first time since 2017-18, where it reached the second round before falling to Oregon in Eugene.
The Gophers are entering Sunday's competition with an impressive 23-8 record, its third consecutive season north of 20 wins. Sophomore guard Tori McKinney has been a strong contributing factor for the Gophers after earning last season's Most Outstanding Player in the WBIT Tournament. This season, she's leading Minnesota with 13.0 points, 2.7 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game. The Gophers are well-rounded in their lineup, behind McKinney is four other players averaging at least 10 points a game.
Two of these players are Amaya Battle and Sophie Hart, who are the team's leading rebounders. Battle, just 5-foot-11, paces the team with 7.4 per game. She's also runs the point for the Gophers by averaging a team-leading 3.5 assists per game. Hart, standing at 6-foot-5, is just behind Battle with 6.6 rebounds per game. However, despite the height and the overall strong defense, Minnesota averages only 2.6 blocks per game, which ranks near the bottom of the conference. Minnesota's second-leading scorer, Grace Grocholski, is the team's most dangerous 3-point shooter. She shoots over 40 percent from long distance en route to a 12-point per game average.
Minnesota does excel at preventing scoring from opposing offenses, holding a 57.9 scoring defense. That mark ranks second in the Big Ten. The team also has one of the best assist/turnover ratios in the nation, dropping over 1.5 assists for every turnover it commits. Battle is the strength for Minnesota in this category, holding the conference's 13th best individual mark with 1.67. Ole Miss will need to focus on forcing turnovers to succeed against Minnesota, as the Gophers are one of the most protective teams in the country, giving up only 10 turnovers per game on average.
OLE MISS AGAINST THE BIG TEN
Ole Miss has a 20-17 overall record against teams in the Big Ten. This is the third time the Rebels have been slated against a Big Ten opponent. Ole Miss first faced Wisconsin earlier this season at the Coast2Coast Classic in November. The Rebels bested the Badgers, 65-56, marking their first victory over a Big Ten opponent since Nov. 20, 2023, when they beat Michigan, 60-49, in the title round of the Battle4Atlantis Tournament.
Ole Miss then faced Michigan State at the Cherokee Invitational in December. The Spartans handed the Rebels their second loss of the season with a 66-49 outcome. By adding Minnesota to the list of Big Ten opponents Ole Miss has faced, the Rebels will have played 17 of the conference's 18 members. The only team it has yet to face is Iowa.
Ole Miss faced two new members of the conference last season, USC and UCLA, dropping both matches. The Rebels lost to the Trojans in the 2024-25 season opener at the Aflac Oui-Play in Paris, France, 68-66. Then, in the last game of the season, the Rebels fell to the Bruins in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, 76-62.
FIRST ROUND WIN!
No. 19/20 Ole Miss women's basketball led the entire way against Gonzaga en route to its first-round victory, 81-66, Friday afternoon to move on to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The Rebels rode three strong quarters to achieve victory, building a lead to as high as 33 points over the Bulldogs. Four Rebels reached double-digit points, including Cotie McMahon, who continues to make Ole Miss history with her scoring prowess.
The senior superstar recorded her 33rd game this season of double-digit points, which surpassed Ole Miss legend Peggie Gillom-Granderson, who did so in the 1979-80 season, for the most games of at least 10 points by a Rebel in a single season. She finished the day with 13 points paired with three rebounds, two assists, and a block and steal.
Ole Miss defensively dominated Gonzaga for the almost the entirety of the match. The Rebels rejected nine shots and committed 14 steals, both outdoing the Bulldogs numbers by more than double of both. Ole Miss' nine blocks is a program record for the most in a single NCAA Tournament game, the previous best was seven in round one of the 1995 tournament against Drake. Ole Miss dominance translated to lackluster offense from Gonzaga, whose 37 points through three quarters was a season low.
Additionally, seven 3-pointers ties for the most in a NCAA tournament game by a Rebel team. The feat ties with Ole Miss' last matchup against Gonzaga, when the Rebels dropped seven threes' in the first round on March 17, 2023.
Sira Thienou made a statement in her first game back from injury, scoring 12 points and leading the team in rebounds, blocks and steals with eight, four and three, respectively. Her block total is tied for the second most by an individual Rebel in a single NCAA Tournament game, matching the likes of Susan Byrd and Cynthia Autry. It's the most blocks by a Rebel in a tournament since 1995.
Latasha Lattimore and Denim DeShields reached double digits as well. Lattimore scored a team-high 15 points, which included a pair of threes. DeShields also added two 3-pointers and a clutch and-one at the tail end of the third quarter to keep Ole Miss' lead strong.
SECURE YOUR NEW SEASON TICKETS NOW!
Get ready for the next chapter of Ole Miss Women's Basketball by getting season tickets for the 2026-2027 season here. Your Rebels have made the tournament five years straight and continue to trend upwards.
New season tickets on-sale now. If you already have season tickets, renewals will begin later this summer on July 1.
STAY CONNECTED WITH THE REBELS
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.
TEAM FACTS
No. 19/20 Ole Miss Rebels (24-11, 8-8 SEC)
Head Coach: Yolett McPhee-McCuin • 8th Season at Ole Miss (149-105) • 13th Season in Career (243-168)
No. 18/19 Minnesota Gophers (23-8, 13-5 Big 10)
Head Coach: Dawn Plitzuweit • 3rd Season at Minn. (68-35) • 19th Season in Career (433-176)
ON THE AIR
Television: ESPN
Play-by-Play: Krista Blunk
Color: Andrea Lloyd
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Graham Doty
REBELS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Appearing in its 22nd NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, Ole Miss reaches the big dance for the fifth straight season. The Rebels are one of only four teams that have been in the SEC the last five years to accomplish that feat.
The Rebels have made it past the first weekend of the tournament in over half of their appearances, making 12 Sweet Sixteens before moving on to five Elite Eights.
AS A NO. 5 SEED
The Rebels are seeded at No. 5 for the fourth time in school history and second year in a row. Prior to last season, it marked the first time since 1994 that Ole Miss was selected at No. 5. As a five, Ole Miss is 6-3 overall and advanced to the Sweet 16 during the 1989-90 and 2024-25 seasons.
SERIES HISTORY
The Rebels and Golden Gophers are set to face off for the first time ever. It marks the fifth time this season Ole Miss has faced an opponent for the first time in its 51-year history.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN GOPHERS
In just her third season guiding Minnesota, Dawn Plitzuweit has reestablished the Golden Gopher program as a powerhouse. In her first two seasons, she led Minnesota to a pair of deep runs in the WNIT/WBIT, including a championship run last season. The Gophers have reached the national tournament this season for the first time since 2017-18, where it reached the second round before falling to Oregon in Eugene.
The Gophers are entering Sunday's competition with an impressive 23-8 record, its third consecutive season north of 20 wins. Sophomore guard Tori McKinney has been a strong contributing factor for the Gophers after earning last season's Most Outstanding Player in the WBIT Tournament. This season, she's leading Minnesota with 13.0 points, 2.7 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game. The Gophers are well-rounded in their lineup, behind McKinney is four other players averaging at least 10 points a game.
Two of these players are Amaya Battle and Sophie Hart, who are the team's leading rebounders. Battle, just 5-foot-11, paces the team with 7.4 per game. She's also runs the point for the Gophers by averaging a team-leading 3.5 assists per game. Hart, standing at 6-foot-5, is just behind Battle with 6.6 rebounds per game. However, despite the height and the overall strong defense, Minnesota averages only 2.6 blocks per game, which ranks near the bottom of the conference. Minnesota's second-leading scorer, Grace Grocholski, is the team's most dangerous 3-point shooter. She shoots over 40 percent from long distance en route to a 12-point per game average.
Minnesota does excel at preventing scoring from opposing offenses, holding a 57.9 scoring defense. That mark ranks second in the Big Ten. The team also has one of the best assist/turnover ratios in the nation, dropping over 1.5 assists for every turnover it commits. Battle is the strength for Minnesota in this category, holding the conference's 13th best individual mark with 1.67. Ole Miss will need to focus on forcing turnovers to succeed against Minnesota, as the Gophers are one of the most protective teams in the country, giving up only 10 turnovers per game on average.
OLE MISS AGAINST THE BIG TEN
Ole Miss has a 20-17 overall record against teams in the Big Ten. This is the third time the Rebels have been slated against a Big Ten opponent. Ole Miss first faced Wisconsin earlier this season at the Coast2Coast Classic in November. The Rebels bested the Badgers, 65-56, marking their first victory over a Big Ten opponent since Nov. 20, 2023, when they beat Michigan, 60-49, in the title round of the Battle4Atlantis Tournament.
Ole Miss then faced Michigan State at the Cherokee Invitational in December. The Spartans handed the Rebels their second loss of the season with a 66-49 outcome. By adding Minnesota to the list of Big Ten opponents Ole Miss has faced, the Rebels will have played 17 of the conference's 18 members. The only team it has yet to face is Iowa.
Ole Miss faced two new members of the conference last season, USC and UCLA, dropping both matches. The Rebels lost to the Trojans in the 2024-25 season opener at the Aflac Oui-Play in Paris, France, 68-66. Then, in the last game of the season, the Rebels fell to the Bruins in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, 76-62.
FIRST ROUND WIN!
No. 19/20 Ole Miss women's basketball led the entire way against Gonzaga en route to its first-round victory, 81-66, Friday afternoon to move on to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The Rebels rode three strong quarters to achieve victory, building a lead to as high as 33 points over the Bulldogs. Four Rebels reached double-digit points, including Cotie McMahon, who continues to make Ole Miss history with her scoring prowess.
The senior superstar recorded her 33rd game this season of double-digit points, which surpassed Ole Miss legend Peggie Gillom-Granderson, who did so in the 1979-80 season, for the most games of at least 10 points by a Rebel in a single season. She finished the day with 13 points paired with three rebounds, two assists, and a block and steal.
Ole Miss defensively dominated Gonzaga for the almost the entirety of the match. The Rebels rejected nine shots and committed 14 steals, both outdoing the Bulldogs numbers by more than double of both. Ole Miss' nine blocks is a program record for the most in a single NCAA Tournament game, the previous best was seven in round one of the 1995 tournament against Drake. Ole Miss dominance translated to lackluster offense from Gonzaga, whose 37 points through three quarters was a season low.
Additionally, seven 3-pointers ties for the most in a NCAA tournament game by a Rebel team. The feat ties with Ole Miss' last matchup against Gonzaga, when the Rebels dropped seven threes' in the first round on March 17, 2023.
Sira Thienou made a statement in her first game back from injury, scoring 12 points and leading the team in rebounds, blocks and steals with eight, four and three, respectively. Her block total is tied for the second most by an individual Rebel in a single NCAA Tournament game, matching the likes of Susan Byrd and Cynthia Autry. It's the most blocks by a Rebel in a tournament since 1995.
Latasha Lattimore and Denim DeShields reached double digits as well. Lattimore scored a team-high 15 points, which included a pair of threes. DeShields also added two 3-pointers and a clutch and-one at the tail end of the third quarter to keep Ole Miss' lead strong.
SECURE YOUR NEW SEASON TICKETS NOW!
Get ready for the next chapter of Ole Miss Women's Basketball by getting season tickets for the 2026-2027 season here. Your Rebels have made the tournament five years straight and continue to trend upwards.
New season tickets on-sale now. If you already have season tickets, renewals will begin later this summer on July 1.
STAY CONNECTED WITH THE REBELS
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.
Players Mentioned
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