The University of Mississippi Athletics
Monday, November 3
Oxford, Miss.
11 AM
Ole Miss
vs
Norfolk State
Women’s Basketball Opens 2025-26 Season with Kids Day Matchup Against Norfolk State
11/2/2025 | Women's Basketball
OXFORD, Miss. – With the start of the 2025-26 campaign finally upon us, Ole Miss women's basketball will face off against Norfolk State in a Kids Day matchup on Monday, November 3 at the SJB Pavilion. Tipoff between the Rebels and Spartans will be at 11 a.m. CT, airing on SEC Network.
TEAM FACTS
No. 12/14 Ole Miss Rebels (0-0, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Yolett McPhee-McCuin • 8th Season at Ole Miss (125-95) • 13th Season in Career (219-158)
Norfolk State Spartans (0-0, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Jermaine Woods • 1st Season at Norfolk State (0-0) • 4th Season in Career (33-55)
ON THE AIR
Television: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Eric Frede
Color: Christy Thomaskutty
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Graham Doty
SERIES HISTORY
Ole Miss women's basketball will return to the court to open the 2025-26 season with a matchup against Norfolk State. The Rebels and Spartans are sharing the court for just the second time, and the first time since 2018.
The Rebels won the only other game against the Spartans during the 2018-19 season, 60-42. That win, which opened head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin's Ole Miss career, served as her first ever win at the helm of the women's basketball program.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
Norfolk State is coming off an impressive 30-5 season last year, which saw the Spartans win the MEAC Women's Basketball Tournament and earn an NCAA Tournament berth, both respectively for the third consecutive season. Under Larry Vickers, who accepted the job to become Auburn's head coach over the offseason, guided the Spartans to unprecedented success during his tenure in Norfolk.
Jermaine Woods enters his first season at the helm of the Norfolk State women's basketball program. He returns to his alma mater after compiling over 13 years of collegiate coaching experience, most recently serving as the head coach of the Coppin State women's basketball program.
The Spartans return five student-athletes from the 2024-25 season, which includes the backcourt tandem of Da'Brya Clark and Anjanae Richardson. The duo were tied for the third-best scorers on the team last season, each averaging 9.7 points per game.
The Spartans were unbeatable in conference play last season, going 14-0 en route to their third MEAC Championship title in as many seasons. Norfolk State made a statement early in the season by toppling Missouri on the road to begin the season 3-0. They then put up a fight against Alabama the next game in Tuscaloosa, but fell, 68-58.
OLE MISS IN SEASON OPENERS
Over its 50-year history, Ole Miss has found consistent success in season openers, posting a 43-8 record to start the year, including a 5-2 mark under head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin. In home openers, the Rebels are 48-3, as Ole Miss will begin the 2025-26 season in the comfort of its own home court for the 16th time in the last 17 years. Last season the Rebels opened the season in a neutral site game in Paris, France against USC for the Aflac Oui Play matchup.
THE EXPECTATION, NOT THE EXCEPTION
Entering year eight of the Yolett McPhee-McCuin era in Oxford, the standard has been set. Two Sweet 16s in three years, four NCAA Tournaments in a row, four straight 10-win SEC seasons, multiple All-SEC selections and three WNBA Draft picks, the Rebels have re-asserted themselves as a top program in women's college basketball.
TELL A FRIEND TO TELL A FRIEND, WE'RE BACK!
Entering the 2025-26 season, three key players from last year's squad are poised to provide leadership for the nine newcomers. Returning starters in Christeen Iwuala and Sira Thienou are primed to showcase their development from the off-season, while J'Adore Young is ready to return to the court after medically redshirting last season.
PORTAL POWERHOUSE
Branding herself as the portal queen, when players decide to transfer, Coach Yo loves to prove that a home for them is available in Oxford. Preaching the importance of development, players who decide to come to Ole Miss can see their game taken to a new level. Bringing in eight players from the transfer portal this off-season, the Rebels have been recognized as having the second-best transfer class, according to ESPN.
FRESH FACES
Along with bringing in eight transfers, Coach Yo and her staff secured one of the best young talents in Lauren Jacobs to make up this season's newcomer class.
GIVE ME THE NUMBERS
The 2025-26 Ole Miss basketball roster boasts some serious career statistics. Combined this season's Rebel roster has 460 career DI starts, 15 all-conference selections and eight combined Sweet 16 appearances. Collectively, the team possesses 6,874 career points, 2,670 rebounds, 1,094 assists, 687 steals and 339 blocks.
Individually, Denim DeShields, Cotie McMahon and Kaitlin Peterson have each accrued over 1,000 points thus far in their career. Ole Miss is the only NCAA DI women's basketball program in the country to bring in a trio of players via the transfer portal who've reached the century mark in points.
RANKED REBELS
Garnering national recognition in the polls, the Rebels came in at No. 12 in the AP and No. 14 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, marking Ole Miss' highest preseason ranking since the 2023-24 season, the same year McPhee-McCuin first led the Rebels to the Sweet 16. All-time, a preseason AP ranking of No. 12 is the fifth highest for Ole Miss.
IT JUST MEANS MORE
In both the SEC media and coaches' poll, Ole Miss has been selected to finish sixth overall out of the 16 teams in the SEC. This marks the fourth consecutive year that Ole Miss has received top-six preseason recognition after earning a No. 4 selection in 2023, and No. 5 selections in 2024 and 2022. The Rebels have surpassed expectations four times in the last five years, ending the season higher in the standings than voted on in the SEC Preseason Media Poll. Additionally, both polls placed Cotie McMahon on the Preseason All-SEC Second Team.
HOME SWEET HOME
During the 2024-25 season, the Rebels won all seven nonconference games at the SJB Pavilion, the third time Ole Miss has entered conference competition undefeated at home under Coach Yo. Rebel nation has turned the SJB Pavilion into an intimidating environment for visiting teams, especially in the nonconference slate. Ole Miss has won 31 of its last 34 games at home against nonconference opponents, dating back to the 2020 season. The Rebels aim to build on that success with the eight nonconference matchups on their home court this year.
STEALIN' SIRA
Last season, Sira Thienou led the Rebels in pickpocketing balls, earning the most steals per game by any freshman in a power four conference, while also sitting fourth in the SEC and 42nd in the nation with 2.4 steals a game. In conference play, Thienou recorded 47 steals for an average of 2.9 per game. The Bamako, Mali, native will look to elevate her defensive presence this season to match Coach Yo's defensive philosophy.
GIVE
Every season, head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin selects a word for her team to live by, one that embodies their purpose and guides their mindset. This year, that word is "Give." Coach Yo believes true leadership begins with service, and in today's college athletics landscape, where student-athletes receive so much, she emphasizes the importance of giving back. Her goal is to prepare her players not only for success on the court, but also for life beyond basketball, where fulfillment often comes through what you give, not just what you get. Ultimately, Coach Yo challenges her team to give their all not just in competition, but also in the classroom and to one another.
BUILDING BEYOND SCOTT
Madison Scott had an outstanding five-year career at Ole Miss, consistently elevating her game and becoming one of the most exciting players in the SEC. Nationally recognized for her talent, Scott earned a spot on the 2025 All-SEC Second Team, marking her seventh career conference honor, and was recognized as a WBCA Honorable Mention All-American. Additionally, she was awarded the 2025 Gillom Trophy as the best women's basketball player in Mississippi.
Her eye-popping play led her to earn an invite to the WNBA Draft in New York City, where she was ultimately selected with the 14th pick in the second round by the Dallas Wings, but she now currently plays with the Washington Mystics. Coach Yo and the Rebels will have to navigate the season without the steady leadership and veteran presence of Scott, whose impact on and off the court set the tone for Ole Miss the past half-decade.
HISTORY REWRITTEN
Last year, Ole Miss reached the 20-win plateau for a fourth consecutive season and the 22nd time in program history. It marked the first time in the 21st century that Ole Miss has reached at least 20 wins in four straight seasons and first since Van Chancellor led 11 consecutive teams to that mark from 1981-92. Additionally, the Rebels have tallied at least 10 SEC wins in the last four season. Coach Yo is the the only coach in program history to have at least 20 overall wins and 10 SEC wins in four seasons at the helm.
THE ROAD TO 200
Last year's Kids day, Coach Yo achieved a feat many coaches strive to reach, earning her 200th win in her career against Jackson State. In her five seasons at the helm of Jacksonville State, McPhee-McCuin amassed a record of 94-63 and now has strung together 125 wins and counting at Ole Miss to bring her grand total to 219 wins to begin the 2025-26 season.
Season and single game tickets for the 2025-26 campaign are on sale now. Click here to secure yours today or visit OleMissTix.com.
Follow the Rebels on X at @OleMissWBB, Facebook at Ole Miss WBB and on Instagram at Ole MissWBB. You can also follow head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin on X at @YolettMcCuin.
TEAM FACTS
No. 12/14 Ole Miss Rebels (0-0, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Yolett McPhee-McCuin • 8th Season at Ole Miss (125-95) • 13th Season in Career (219-158)
Norfolk State Spartans (0-0, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Jermaine Woods • 1st Season at Norfolk State (0-0) • 4th Season in Career (33-55)
ON THE AIR
Television: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Eric Frede
Color: Christy Thomaskutty
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Graham Doty
SERIES HISTORY
Ole Miss women's basketball will return to the court to open the 2025-26 season with a matchup against Norfolk State. The Rebels and Spartans are sharing the court for just the second time, and the first time since 2018.
The Rebels won the only other game against the Spartans during the 2018-19 season, 60-42. That win, which opened head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin's Ole Miss career, served as her first ever win at the helm of the women's basketball program.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
Norfolk State is coming off an impressive 30-5 season last year, which saw the Spartans win the MEAC Women's Basketball Tournament and earn an NCAA Tournament berth, both respectively for the third consecutive season. Under Larry Vickers, who accepted the job to become Auburn's head coach over the offseason, guided the Spartans to unprecedented success during his tenure in Norfolk.
Jermaine Woods enters his first season at the helm of the Norfolk State women's basketball program. He returns to his alma mater after compiling over 13 years of collegiate coaching experience, most recently serving as the head coach of the Coppin State women's basketball program.
The Spartans return five student-athletes from the 2024-25 season, which includes the backcourt tandem of Da'Brya Clark and Anjanae Richardson. The duo were tied for the third-best scorers on the team last season, each averaging 9.7 points per game.
The Spartans were unbeatable in conference play last season, going 14-0 en route to their third MEAC Championship title in as many seasons. Norfolk State made a statement early in the season by toppling Missouri on the road to begin the season 3-0. They then put up a fight against Alabama the next game in Tuscaloosa, but fell, 68-58.
OLE MISS IN SEASON OPENERS
Over its 50-year history, Ole Miss has found consistent success in season openers, posting a 43-8 record to start the year, including a 5-2 mark under head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin. In home openers, the Rebels are 48-3, as Ole Miss will begin the 2025-26 season in the comfort of its own home court for the 16th time in the last 17 years. Last season the Rebels opened the season in a neutral site game in Paris, France against USC for the Aflac Oui Play matchup.
THE EXPECTATION, NOT THE EXCEPTION
Entering year eight of the Yolett McPhee-McCuin era in Oxford, the standard has been set. Two Sweet 16s in three years, four NCAA Tournaments in a row, four straight 10-win SEC seasons, multiple All-SEC selections and three WNBA Draft picks, the Rebels have re-asserted themselves as a top program in women's college basketball.
TELL A FRIEND TO TELL A FRIEND, WE'RE BACK!
Entering the 2025-26 season, three key players from last year's squad are poised to provide leadership for the nine newcomers. Returning starters in Christeen Iwuala and Sira Thienou are primed to showcase their development from the off-season, while J'Adore Young is ready to return to the court after medically redshirting last season.
PORTAL POWERHOUSE
Branding herself as the portal queen, when players decide to transfer, Coach Yo loves to prove that a home for them is available in Oxford. Preaching the importance of development, players who decide to come to Ole Miss can see their game taken to a new level. Bringing in eight players from the transfer portal this off-season, the Rebels have been recognized as having the second-best transfer class, according to ESPN.
FRESH FACES
Along with bringing in eight transfers, Coach Yo and her staff secured one of the best young talents in Lauren Jacobs to make up this season's newcomer class.
GIVE ME THE NUMBERS
The 2025-26 Ole Miss basketball roster boasts some serious career statistics. Combined this season's Rebel roster has 460 career DI starts, 15 all-conference selections and eight combined Sweet 16 appearances. Collectively, the team possesses 6,874 career points, 2,670 rebounds, 1,094 assists, 687 steals and 339 blocks.
Individually, Denim DeShields, Cotie McMahon and Kaitlin Peterson have each accrued over 1,000 points thus far in their career. Ole Miss is the only NCAA DI women's basketball program in the country to bring in a trio of players via the transfer portal who've reached the century mark in points.
RANKED REBELS
Garnering national recognition in the polls, the Rebels came in at No. 12 in the AP and No. 14 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, marking Ole Miss' highest preseason ranking since the 2023-24 season, the same year McPhee-McCuin first led the Rebels to the Sweet 16. All-time, a preseason AP ranking of No. 12 is the fifth highest for Ole Miss.
IT JUST MEANS MORE
In both the SEC media and coaches' poll, Ole Miss has been selected to finish sixth overall out of the 16 teams in the SEC. This marks the fourth consecutive year that Ole Miss has received top-six preseason recognition after earning a No. 4 selection in 2023, and No. 5 selections in 2024 and 2022. The Rebels have surpassed expectations four times in the last five years, ending the season higher in the standings than voted on in the SEC Preseason Media Poll. Additionally, both polls placed Cotie McMahon on the Preseason All-SEC Second Team.
HOME SWEET HOME
During the 2024-25 season, the Rebels won all seven nonconference games at the SJB Pavilion, the third time Ole Miss has entered conference competition undefeated at home under Coach Yo. Rebel nation has turned the SJB Pavilion into an intimidating environment for visiting teams, especially in the nonconference slate. Ole Miss has won 31 of its last 34 games at home against nonconference opponents, dating back to the 2020 season. The Rebels aim to build on that success with the eight nonconference matchups on their home court this year.
STEALIN' SIRA
Last season, Sira Thienou led the Rebels in pickpocketing balls, earning the most steals per game by any freshman in a power four conference, while also sitting fourth in the SEC and 42nd in the nation with 2.4 steals a game. In conference play, Thienou recorded 47 steals for an average of 2.9 per game. The Bamako, Mali, native will look to elevate her defensive presence this season to match Coach Yo's defensive philosophy.
GIVE
Every season, head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin selects a word for her team to live by, one that embodies their purpose and guides their mindset. This year, that word is "Give." Coach Yo believes true leadership begins with service, and in today's college athletics landscape, where student-athletes receive so much, she emphasizes the importance of giving back. Her goal is to prepare her players not only for success on the court, but also for life beyond basketball, where fulfillment often comes through what you give, not just what you get. Ultimately, Coach Yo challenges her team to give their all not just in competition, but also in the classroom and to one another.
BUILDING BEYOND SCOTT
Madison Scott had an outstanding five-year career at Ole Miss, consistently elevating her game and becoming one of the most exciting players in the SEC. Nationally recognized for her talent, Scott earned a spot on the 2025 All-SEC Second Team, marking her seventh career conference honor, and was recognized as a WBCA Honorable Mention All-American. Additionally, she was awarded the 2025 Gillom Trophy as the best women's basketball player in Mississippi.
Her eye-popping play led her to earn an invite to the WNBA Draft in New York City, where she was ultimately selected with the 14th pick in the second round by the Dallas Wings, but she now currently plays with the Washington Mystics. Coach Yo and the Rebels will have to navigate the season without the steady leadership and veteran presence of Scott, whose impact on and off the court set the tone for Ole Miss the past half-decade.
HISTORY REWRITTEN
Last year, Ole Miss reached the 20-win plateau for a fourth consecutive season and the 22nd time in program history. It marked the first time in the 21st century that Ole Miss has reached at least 20 wins in four straight seasons and first since Van Chancellor led 11 consecutive teams to that mark from 1981-92. Additionally, the Rebels have tallied at least 10 SEC wins in the last four season. Coach Yo is the the only coach in program history to have at least 20 overall wins and 10 SEC wins in four seasons at the helm.
THE ROAD TO 200
Last year's Kids day, Coach Yo achieved a feat many coaches strive to reach, earning her 200th win in her career against Jackson State. In her five seasons at the helm of Jacksonville State, McPhee-McCuin amassed a record of 94-63 and now has strung together 125 wins and counting at Ole Miss to bring her grand total to 219 wins to begin the 2025-26 season.
Season and single game tickets for the 2025-26 campaign are on sale now. Click here to secure yours today or visit OleMissTix.com.
Follow the Rebels on X at @OleMissWBB, Facebook at Ole Miss WBB and on Instagram at Ole MissWBB. You can also follow head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin on X at @YolettMcCuin.
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