Thienou scores career-high 16 points, No. 17 Ole Miss women pull away from Jackson State in 2nd half

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Sira Thienou scored a career-high 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting and No. 17 Mississippi defeated Jackson State 76-44 in a Kids Day matinee on Monday.

The Rebels (3-1) took control in the third quarter when they stretched a nine-point halftime lead to 54-30. Ole Miss hit 9 of 18 shots while the Tigers (1-3) were 3 of 14 with eight turnovers.

KK Deans added 10 points for Ole Miss, which turned 29 Jackson State turnovers into 33 points and scored 14 more points at the foul line.

Talea Dilworth and Diaka Berete both had 10 points for the Tigers. First-year coach Margaret Richards took over a team that has no returning players after making the NCAA Tournament last year.

The Rebels scored the first nine points of the game and raced to a 15-3 lead but the Tigers, down 10 after one quarter, got within six in the second before trailing 31-22 at the half.

Ole Miss only shot 32% in the first half but was 12 of 18 at the line. Jackson State shot 33% with four made free throws, while matching the Rebels on the boards and turnovers.

The Rebels shot 51% after the break and had just five turnovers.

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