OXFORD, Miss — Kiki Jefferson scored 16 points, Nina Rickards added 15 and No. 22 Louisville held off No. 19 Mississippi 64-58 in the ACC/SEC Challenge on Wednesday night.
The Cardinals led 57-52 after Sydney Taylor drained a 3-pointer with six minutes to play but they didn't hit another field goal. Louisville only made 7-of-10 free throws but the Rebels made just 2 of 6 from the field and 2 of 9 from the foul line.
Ole Miss (6-2) finished the game 13 of 28 from the foul line (46%), 1 of 11 from 3-point range (9%) and shot 43% (22 of 51) overall. Louisville (7-1) finished 25 of 36 from the foul line.
Snudda Collins scored 22 points for Ole Miss and Marquesha Davis had 12.
Louisville was up five in the second quarter, 24-19, after Jefferson made two free throws and Taylor made a layup on the ensuing possession following a technical foul on Ole Miss coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin.
That seemed to inspire the Rebels, who scored the next nine points, capped by Collins' three-point play. Jefferson's basket cut Mississippi's lead to 30-28 at the half.
Jefferson scored five points in a 7-0 run early in the third quarter and Louisville lead the rest of the frame. Ole Miss only made 3 of 12 shots and trailed 50-44 going into the fourth.
There were 17 fouls and 26 free throw attempts in the third quarter and 17 fouls and 22 free throws in the fourth.
The only other time the schools played each other was Louisville's 72-62 win in the Sweet 16 last season.
Ole Miss is home against Southern Miss on Saturday. Louisville is home against North Carolina A&T on Sunday.
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