The Lady Rebels basketball team garnered national attention and headlines last season in March Madness after they hit one of their major milestones under Head Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin: reaching the Sweet 16. The Rebels stunned No. 1 seed Stanford in the round of 32, and in doing so, Ole Miss advanced to its first Sweet 16 since 2007.
In her time at Ole Miss, Coach Yo has broken down every barrier in her path. She has revitalized the Ole Miss women’s basketball program into one of national prominence. Because of this, it is only right to look forward to next season to see what the Lady Rebels will accomplish.
To say expectations for this upcoming season are at an all-time high is an understatement, but after losing its top scorer in Angel Baker and leading playmaker in Myah Taylor, how will Ole Miss and Coach Yo replenish the lost talent, while also maintaining the Rebels’ trajectory?
The simple answer is the transfer portal.
Many people are quick to forget that Baker and Taylor were transfers themselves, largely because of the lasting impact they left on the program, so it is only fitting that Coach Yo dipped into the portal to find their replacements.
Many people in Oxford nickname Coach Yo the “Transfer Portal Queen,” and that name remains true. Ole Miss finished the offseason with the No. 7 overall transfer portal class.
Returning production will be one of the keys to success for this team, but Coach Yo recruited some firmly established college basketball stars to fully round out her 2023-24 roster.
University of North Carolina’s Kennedy Todd-Williams.
Todd-Williams was the first person to announce her transfer to Ole Miss shortly after the Rebels’ Sweet 16 loss to Louisville. Todd-Williams is a former four-star prospect coming out of high school and a Second Team All-ACC player last season. She averaged 27.7 points on 39% shooting efficiency during her career at North Carolina.
Todd-Williams adds her length and high scoring output to Coach Yo’s offense. In Coach Yo’s system, fans can expect to see the guard score in a variety of ways, while simultaneously bolstering the elite defensive unit that Ole Miss is known for.
University of Florida’s KK Deans
As a Gator, Deans led her team in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per game last season. Her scoring is a huge plus for a Rebel offense that averaged only 68.6 points per game.
Deans brings along loads of SEC experience. Since she came from Florida, there will be no adjustment period to the physicality and level of play typical of SEC competition.
The pairing of Deans and Todd-Williams will surely elevate this Ole Miss offense to new heights.
It is hard to predict what this season will look like for the Lady Rebels, but there is certainly excitement, followed by expectations that this season will replicate or even surpass last year.
