BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Interstat) — In a pivotal Southeastern Conference women’s basketball clash between two of the league’s top teams, Mississippi used a dominant first half and weathered a furious second-half rally from Vanderbilt to secure an 83-75 victory on Friday night.

The game, played at a neutral site in Bartow Arena before a crowd of 2,158, lived up to its billing as a matchup of high-powered offenses. Mississippi improved to 18-4 overall, while Vanderbilt, which entered the game with just one loss, fell to 20-2.

The Rebels seized control from the opening tip, leveraging their size and physicality inside. Christeen Iwuala of San Antonio, Texas, set the tone with an early tip-in and a block, part of an 18-point, two-block performance. Mississippi’s interior presence, combined with the explosive scoring of Cotie McMahon, built a substantial lead. McMahon, from Dayton, Ohio, scored 11 of her game-high 27 points in the first quarter as the Rebels raced to a 23-15 lead.

Vanderbilt struggled to find its rhythm against Mississippi’s aggressive defense, committing nine turnovers in the first half. The Commodores’ offense, one of the nation’s most efficient, was held to just 10 points in the second quarter. Meanwhile, Mississippi continued to attack, with Kaitlin Peterson of Eufaula, Alabama, contributing 11 points off the bench. The Rebels took a commanding 44-25 lead into halftime, having outscored Vanderbilt 44-25 over the first 20 minutes.

The most important part of the game, however, was Vanderbilt’s determined response after the break. The Commodores emerged from the locker room with renewed energy, spearheaded by a spectacular individual effort from Mikayla Blakes. The guard from Somerset, New Jersey, erupted for 18 of her 29 points in the third quarter, attacking the rim relentlessly. Vanderbilt’s defense also stiffened, forcing eight Mississippi turnovers in the period.

Aubrey Galvan of Deerfield, Illinois, who finished with 18 points and four assists, and Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, who added 11 points, provided crucial support as Vanderbilt mounted its charge. The Commodores outscored Mississippi 26-16 in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to single digits and completely shifting the game’s momentum heading into the final period.

The fourth quarter became a tense, back-and-forth affair. Vanderbilt continued to chip away, closing to within four points on multiple occasions. Justine Pissott of Toms River, New Jersey, hit two critical three-pointers in the final frame to keep the pressure on, finishing with eight points.

Each time Vanderbilt threatened, Mississippi had an answer. After a Pissott three-pointer made it 71-69 with just over three minutes remaining, the Rebels executed down the stretch. Iwuala converted a tough hook shot in the lane, and after a Vanderbilt turnover, she followed a missed shot with a tip-in to push the lead back to six with 1:57 left.

Vanderbilt had one final chance, trailing 79-75 with 36 seconds left, but a turnover and clutch free throws from McMahon and Debreasha Powe in the final 23 seconds sealed the victory for Mississippi. The Rebels’ ability to withstand Vanderbilt’s 51-point second half and make decisive plays in the final minutes proved to be the difference.

Latasha Lattimore of Toronto, Canada, provided a vital inside presence for Mississippi with 12 points, while Sira Thienou of Bamako, Mali, contributed six points and key defensive plays late. Sacha Washington of Lawrenceville, Georgia, led Vanderbilt’s interior effort with nine points.

The result marked a significant bounce-back for Mississippi after a 23-point loss at Georgia in its previous outing. For Vanderbilt, the loss snapped a seven-game winning streak and served as its second defeat in three games following a loss at South Carolina last Sunday.

Both teams return to conference play on Sunday. Vanderbilt will host Florida, while Mississippi will welcome Auburn.