Lady Vols basketball hits the road again for a third straight ranked matchup in SEC play.
No. 17 Tennessee (14-3, 6-0 SEC) faces No. 18 Ole Miss (17-4, 4-2) at SJB Pavilion in Oxford, Mississippi, on Jan. 26 (4 p.m. ET, ESPNU). The Lady Vols are tied for first in the SEC with Vanderbilt, coming off two straight ranked wins over Alabama and Kentucky.
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Here’s what you need to know about the matchup.
Cotie McMahon leads way for Rebels
Cotie McMahon transferred from Ohio State to Ole Miss for her senior season and immediately stepped in as the Rebels’ leading scorer. The 6-foot forward is averaging 19.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 48.4% from the field.
McMahon has run the offense at times for Ole Miss, and she isn’t afraid to shoot 3-pointers. She’s averaging 3.7 attempts beyond the arc, but only hitting 27.3%. She also gets herself to the free-throw line, averaging 6.1 attempts per game but only shoots 65.6.%.
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Tennessee faced McMahon in the NCAA tournament last season when it upset Ohio State to advance to the Sweet 16. McMahon had 17 points on 5-for-9 shooting – including 3-for-4 on 3-pointers – with five rebounds, one assist and four turnovers.
Lady Vols need strong shooting night
Tennessee’s 3-point shooting has been streaky at times, but it has improved on the road in SEC play.
The Lady Vols shot 42.9% on nine 3-pointers at Auburn, 37% on 10 made 3-pointers at Mississippi State and 40% on eight 3-pointers at Alabama. UT will need that kind of shooting against Ole Miss, which allowed Georgia to shoot 8-for-16 in an 82-59 road loss Jan. 18.
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But Tennessee can’t settle for 3-pointers at Ole Miss, which will likely try to force them to do just that. The Lady Vols have done well getting into the paint and putting pressure on the rim, which will be key to open things up for shooters.
Janiah Barker injury status in question
Lady Vols senior Janiah Barker was sidelined against Kentucky after she exited the Alabama game in the fourth quarter and did not return. Barker got hit in the face during a play, and she was listed as out on the SEC injury report.
Barker was in the building against the Wildcats, which is a positive sign if she’s in concussion protocol. It’s unclear if she’ll be back against Ole Miss.
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If she can’t play, the Lady Vols will miss the 6-4 forward’s physicality and rebounding. Barker is a huge part of Tennessee’s success in every area, and it needs her back sooner rather than later.
Lady Vols vs Ole Miss prediction
Tennessee 70, Ole Miss 65: The Lady Vols are on a roll, and they’ve shown they have the mental toughness to win gritty games in the SEC. Tennessee’s defense has also improved to the point it can lean on it in wins, which will lead UT to a third straight ranked win.
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Lady Vols basketball vs Ole Miss prediction, who will win SEC matchup
