In a major SEC tournament upset, the 24th-ranked Ole Miss Rebels defeated the 5th-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores 89-78 in the quarterfinals on Friday. The loss severely damages Vanderbilt's resume for a coveted No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament.
The game was marked by Vanderbilt's early struggles, shooting just 1-of-16 to start, and the dramatic ejection of Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph in the fourth quarter for arguing a foul call. Ralph's outburst, captured on broadcast, led to her first career ejection.
Despite a late comeback attempt that cut a 32-point deficit to 11, Vanderbilt could not overcome Ole Miss's dominant first half, where the Rebels built a 49-17 lead. Vanderbilt star Makayla Blakes finished with 24 points but on inefficient 8-of-27 shooting.
The result leaves the final No. 1 NCAA tournament seed up for grabs, now leaning heavily toward Texas. Ole Miss advances to the semifinals, playing for a top-16 seed and hosting rights in the NCAA tournament.