Lady Vols Suffer Blowout Loss to Ole Miss

No. 21 Tennessee falls to No. 17 Ole Miss 94-81 in SEC matchup

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Lady Vols basketball team suffered a blowout 94-81 loss to the No. 17 Ole Miss Rebels in an SEC matchup. Tennessee's defense struggled to contain Ole Miss forward Cotie McMahon, who had a dominant performance with 39 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists.

Why it matters

This loss continues a concerning trend for the Lady Vols, who have struggled on the road against ranked opponents this season. The team will need to address its defensive issues if it hopes to make a deep postseason run.

The details

Tennessee's defense was unable to slow down Ole Miss forward Cotie McMahon, who had a career night with 39 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. The Rebels took control of the game early and never looked back, leading by as many as 18 points in the second half.

  • The game took place on February 18, 2026 in Oxford, Mississippi.

The players

Cotie McMahon

A standout forward for the Ole Miss Rebels who led her team to victory with a dominant 39-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist performance.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

The takeaway

This blowout loss highlights the defensive deficiencies that have plagued the Lady Vols on the road against ranked opponents this season. If Tennessee hopes to make a deep postseason run, the team will need to shore up its defense and find ways to slow down dominant individual performances like the one turned in by Ole Miss' Cotie McMahon.