NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Bianca Thomas scored a career-high 31 points to lead No. 9 Ole Miss over No. 8 Arkansas 65-60 Thursday afternoon in the first round of the SEC Tournament from Alltel Arena. 

Her scoring output tied former Ole Miss great Tarsha Bethley for the second-most points scored in an SEC Tournament game in school history.  Bethley tallied 31 points against Georgia during the 1998 tournament. 

Thomas finished 6-for-10 from the three-point throw line to etch her name into two different Ole Miss record books.  Her six treys tied the school record for most three-pointers in a single SEC Tournament game, and she now holds the school record for most three-pointers in a single season with 66. 

Whitney Jones led Arkansas and finished with a double-double as she poured in 19 points to go along with 10 rebounds.  Freshman Ceira Ricketts posted a double-double of her own with 16 points and 10 rebounds. 

Arkansas took its only lead of the second half with 8:46 remaining after Ricketts raced to the glass and converted a transition layup.  The Rebels immediately regained the lead on the ensuing possession on a jump shot just inside the free throw line from Shawn Goff.

Alliesha Easley pushed the Ole Miss lead to three points following a pair of free throws, but Lyndsay Harris hit a desperation three-pointer on the other end with the shot clock nearing zero to even the score at 50-50 with just over seven minutes to play. 

Ole Miss responded with a 5-0 run following baskets from Black and Thomas to up its lead to 55-50 with five minutes left to play.  The Razorbacks managed to cut the lead to three points on five different occasions over the final five minutes, but Ole answered with points every time.

Ricketts hit a jumper with 20 seconds to play to cut the lead to three points at 61-58, and the Razorbacks immediately fouled Thomas after the bucket.  Thomas, who entered the game as the top free throw shooter in the SEC, missed both free throws.  Goff, however, secured the rebound and quickly passed the ball back into the hands of Thomas.

Thomas missed a third straight free throw, but hit the next opportunity to put Ole Miss ahead by four points with 17 seconds on the clock.  The Razorbacks turned the ball over on the next possession, and Shantell Black went 3-for-4 from the free throw line over the final 10 seconds to secure the win for the Rebels. 

Ole Miss has advanced to at least the second round of the SEC Tournament for six straight seasons. 

The Rebels advance to play No. 1 seed Auburn Friday afternoon at noon.