Ole Miss stuns No. 2 Vanderbilt in SEC tournament

Rebels advance to semifinals after decisive victory over Commodores

Published on Mar. 7, 2026

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The No. 24 Ole Miss Rebels defeated the No. 5 Vanderbilt Commodores 89-78 in the quarterfinals of the SEC women's basketball tournament. Latasha Lattimore led the Rebels with 28 points and 8 rebounds, while Cotie McMahon added 27 points. Ole Miss raced out to a 25-6 lead after the first quarter and never looked back, expanding the margin to 49-17 at halftime. Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes scored 24 points in the losing effort.

Why it matters

This upset victory for Ole Miss over the highly ranked Vanderbilt squad is a significant result in the SEC tournament. The Rebels, who had lost four straight games to end the regular season, have now defeated two higher-seeded opponents to advance to the semifinals, showcasing their ability to pull off big wins in the postseason.

The details

Ole Miss dominated from the opening tip, racing out to a 25-6 lead after the first quarter. They continued to extend their advantage, leading 49-17 at halftime. Vanderbilt was unable to mount a serious comeback, as the Rebels maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half. Lattimore and McMahon were the driving forces for Ole Miss, combining for 55 points.

  • The game was played on Friday, March 7, 2026 in the quarterfinals of the SEC women's basketball tournament in Greenville, South Carolina.

The players

Latasha Lattimore

A standout player for the Ole Miss Rebels, Lattimore led the team with 28 points and 8 rebounds in the upset victory over Vanderbilt.

Cotie McMahon

The second-leading scorer for Ole Miss, McMahon poured in 27 points to help the Rebels defeat the highly ranked Vanderbilt squad.

Mikayla Blakes

The leading scorer for Vanderbilt in the losing effort, Blakes tallied 24 points.

Vanderbilt

The No. 5 ranked Vanderbilt Commodores were upset by the No. 24 Ole Miss Rebels in the SEC tournament quarterfinals.

Ole Miss

The No. 24 Ole Miss Rebels pulled off a dominant victory over the highly ranked Vanderbilt Commodores to advance to the SEC tournament semifinals.

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What they’re saying

“We must have been locked in from the opening tip. Our defense set the tone and allowed us to get out in transition and make plays.”

— Latasha Lattimore, Ole Miss Player (statenews.net)

What’s next

Ole Miss will face either third-seeded Texas or 11th-seeded Alabama in the SEC tournament semifinals on Saturday.

The takeaway

This upset victory for Ole Miss over the highly ranked Vanderbilt squad is a significant result in the SEC tournament, showcasing the Rebels' ability to pull off big wins in the postseason despite their struggles to end the regular season.