Entering her second year at the helm of the Rebel
Women's Basketball Program,
Head Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin and her staff
have begun to breathe new life into the program.
We work hard all summer and this is what it comes down to.
You figure out your new role. You have new teammates.
This is the most exciting time of year.
Fresh faces and a small core of veterans look to cement
the all-in attitude of Coach Yo's new-look Rebels.
Talk about hard working and Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin
enters year number two at the helm here at Ole Miss.
She's someone who's worked really hard to create a brand
and try to build some exciting here for her second season.
With non-conference season winding down,
she will look to her group of veterans
to help lead the team into a new decade
of Rebel women's basketball.
[Music].
Live from Bouré on the historic Oxford Square, this is Reb Talk.
Y'all give it up for Coach Yo. Hotty toddy. 5 and 4.
Yeah. We've got some big games coming up.
Let me get these out real quick so I don't run out of time.
But 5:00 o'clock Saturday we're playing that double header.
Yeah. Then we got Southeast Missouri,
then Monday a quick turnaround.
December 16th, we've got the kids day game.
Yeah, at 11:00. At 11:00 a.m. Yeah.
Brandon wants to try to fire some questions for you.
Okay. You okay with that? Yeah, absolutely. Hey, coach.
Hey. I know you're limited
in what you can say with respects to recruiting,
but we know that you've got two recruits, about five stars.
Do you have a number that you'd like to sign this year?
Yeah. Well, we signed for and we have two players sitting out,
so we want to sign, like, two more.
But I can tell you this, I don't really get caught up --
I like how it sounds, five star,
but I think that every kid we have is going to be someone
that you guys are going to love.
And our two young ladies that are sitting out
both have an opportunity to play professionally,
and they show it every day in practice.
With an impressive recruiting class on its way to Oxford,
the eyes of Rebel Nation fall on a pair of red-shirt transfers
who will bolster Coach Yo's squad in the coming years.
It can be lonely at times,
because they don't get to play in games.
But at the same time, I think we do a good job
of making the most out of situations.
They lift four times a week.
They get individual workouts, even on game days.
A transfer game day experience, while different,
has been carefully orchestrated to help them
make the most of their year on the sideline.
Wait, what are we doing? I know what we're doing, but.
Alternate dribble. Like this alternate them.
Okay. Okay.
And then I tried to throw and do the middle.
In and out first. In and out cross right in front.
All right. Red shirt sophomore
Donnetta Johnson is no stranger to the SEC.
The Georgia transfer started eight games her freshman year
in Athens before entering the transfer portal
and becoming a Rebel.
It was a tough time mentally, because I was struggling.
I didn't know, like, where I was going to go next,
so I was worried about that. But once I found-- like,
once Ole Miss contacted me and Coach Yo
contacted me, I was like, yeah, I'm definitely coming here.
Ball. Aha. Aha. Do it.
We're going to be able to play you anywhere, Netta,
anywhere, anywhere. Donnetta has incredible skill.
She is a competitor. She loves working on her craft.
Incredible work ethic, and is going to be,
I mean, make an immediate impact
as soon as she can step on the floor.
[Music].
Game day, we usually have individual workout
with our position coach, and then we have weights,
then we have pregame meal, and then we have the end.
What's up Red.
Making up the other half of the red shirt tandem
is Andeija Puckett, the junior transfer,
was an invaluable asset a year ago for Cincinnati.
I wasn't happy. Like, I lost the love of basketball,
so I felt like at the time, I was like, was a job.
It was something that I had to do,
and it wasn't something I wanted to do.
I talked to several coaches,
but the one that stood out to me the most was Coach Yo.
We made an agreement that I will work hard this year
to expand my game and stuff
and start gaining the love of basketball back.
Yeah, baby.
Me and Netta, we're like cheerleaders on the bench.
We'll be hyped, so that's a really good experience.
And then we have our strength and conditioning, Coach Tim,
right beside us, so he pumps us up at well.
Keep posting up.
Keep posting up, E.
E, keep posting up.
On game days, the duo has embraced
bringing the power of positivity
and energy to the Rebels' sideline.
Even though I'm not on the floor with them,
I enjoy cheering them on and just giving them that energy,
because I know how hard we work every day in practice,
and I know what we're capable of.
So, just being the battery for them
is definitely needed on this team.
Yes.
Yeah, Mimi. I see you, Mimi.
It's all a learning ground for them,
and I just think it's going to be at their advantage.
Hey, good game, girls. Thank you for coming.
[Music].
We're at the Children's Hospital,
coming to give them a couple of gifts.
It just shows us how blessed we are
and gives the players and opportunity to come back
and do things that's just bigger than themselves.
It's good to serve and make someone else's day
a little brighter, a little more special.
It keeps things in perspective.
Am I an animal? Yes.
Am I a penguin? No.
[Indistinct talking].
Do I live in the water?
No.
I got home court advantage.
That doesn't work. How do you do that thing?
I have home court advantage. Can I give her a hint?
Give her a hint? Grrr.
Grrr. Am I a monkey?
That doesn't bother me. That don't bother me.
What am I? A monkey. I never would have got that.
Giraffe. Oh, giraffe. Am I a giraffe?
My kid was awesome.
I've been in a children's hospital before, many times.
I've had a lot of surgeries. And just being back here
and knowing how I felt back then, you know,
and having somebody like us come in
and be with the kids is special to me.
One of the most important elements to a strong future
is a solid foundation.
Part of that foundation over the last five years
has been Senior Guard Torri Lewis.
Well, initially, I really liked the family atmosphere here.
And I think as time went on, I think God led me here.
A leader on and off the court,
Lewis has been making an impact since her freshman year.
Honestly, to some degree, it's somewhat of a blur.
Like I just remember being sore all the time
and then, like, trying to go to the gym and shoot,
but my arms would be hurting.
And then one game it was just like everything fell into place.
See if she'll pull up. Looking for number ten.
She got it.
Ten made three-point baskets in a game. She's a freshman.
Now we're not talking about somebody
that's played in a college basketball game.
But she is really playing with a lot of confidence.
Everything fell into place, and I was like, okay, thank you,
God, because it was like, I was working hard.
I don't know. It was just kind of like God telling me like,
hey, this is like a reward almost for all your hard work.
The qualities of a leader appear on and off the court.
Throughout her Rebel career, several opportunities
have helped those qualities shine through.
I had gotten hurt in practice.
One of my teammates at the time had fallen on my foot.
I had never dealt with a broken bone
or anything seriously that would keep me out for quite a bit.
That was difficult, and it was hard to slow down,
because, for me, I was always on the go,
like I got get in the gym.
So, it kind of took away a little bit of my peace.
It was hard. But I found other ways to,
you know, I guess gain peace and kind of learn more
from watching from the outside, I guess not necessarily playing.
Following 2016, Lewis, now a junior,
would be presented with another opportunity,
only this time it would come off the court.
I had gotten pregnant in December,
and I didn't stop playing until --
like I played the rest of that season.
So, I guess it was, like, early March that we ended.
It's not easy balancing, school, basketball,
and at a high level and having a kid.
Me being a mom, I have a huge amount of respect
and admiration for her.
Now that she has a child, I think that plays a major role
in how her leadership affects us,
because she not only has to be a leader for us,
but she transitions to be a leader for her son too.
I think, like, while I was pregnant,
I was like, I have to do this, have to do that.
And, you know, like when AJ got here
was like everything kind of went out the window
and you just become a mom, and it was hard at first,
because I was struggling with even coming back to play.
I love basketball, so I didn't know, you know,
and I have this child that I love,
so I didn't know how to share that love.
Thankfully to my parents,
and then kind of going back to coming to the school,
it worked out perfectly to where my parents were able to help me,
and I'm still able to play basketball.
Now in her fifth year, Lewis is using these lessons
to help foster the next generation of Rebels.
She's always looking out for you.
You can call Torri any time of the day, she's there.
And I think, overall, I think having AJ
has really molded her into this woman that she is.
My role this year is to continue to lead by example,
but also being more vocal.
So, like, in huddles and stuff on the court,
I try to say stuff like I usually would never say,
or even just talk
and say I need this from y'all, I need that from y'all.
And I think building the relationship by and warmups,
like practicing with other players
and passing to them,
I just think that builds somewhat of a trust between us.
She's shows her love to us on the court, off the court,
even when she's going through things.
I mean, people would think I would say a basketballer.
But, I mean, you need love on your team,
and I think she brings that, and when she comes around,
it's just so welcoming and everybody
gravitates towards that, and I think we kind of change
our perspectives on things when Torri is around.
There's nothing like it, a Kids' Day game in Oxford, Mississippi.
34 schools expected to be in attendance,
thousands and thousands of screaming kids here to watch Ole
take on Georgia Southern here at the Pavilion.
Kids day at Ole Miss,
a tradition that continues to grow with each passing year,
a raucous environment that feeds the Rebels
endless amounts of love and energy.
This is my favorite game of the year.
I don't think you can really imagine it unless you're here.
It is ear piercing, the screams and all the children in here
for Ole Miss. It's so much fun.
All right, lady, great opportunity.
Like I told you guys yesterday,
this is one of my most favorite games.
Ever since I could remember, even playing in it,
just the energy that's given from the kids
and the excitement around it.
Kids Day was crazy. I'm almost hard at hearing,
so when we was, like, out there, I couldn't hear the plays,
because the kids were screaming so loud.
Everyone, love to play for each other.
Two-nothing Rebels early.
Inside speed finds Allen, Banks are open.
That area that Georgia Southern loves is the easy transition.
Ole Miss is gonna have to be careful to turn it and get back.
Hey, Deja, Deja get to 25, 25. Do it right there. Right there.
Good. Good. Go double team. Get it, Torri. Good. Good.
Let's go. Both teams would come out
swinging in a tight first-half battle,
with each team struggling to establish dominance.
Banks down low, playing tough.
She goes up into traffic, makes the shot.
Jumper from seven feet, Hinson.
Tyler, get the ball, you got get tight.
Before the screen gets here, get tight, get on top.
Lewis trailing for three.
Got it from the top of the circle.
Ladies, if you push on now, they will jag,
so we got to look for those opportunities.
It was loud and fun.
It was just enlightening to see, like, how much of an impact
that we have on the younger generation.
The sharpshooting senior from right up the road
coming into the game in front of all the kids,
knocking down threes at will. Great job seeing the board
by Georgia Southern and taking advantage.
Ole Miss got a little bit long from the defense
and gave Georgia Southern easy points.
So, the first half is in the books here at the Pavilion,
as Ole Miss will take a 30-to-26
lead over Georgia Southern at the break.
I just remember it being high stress for me.
I know fans love those type of games,
but as a coach, those games drive me nuts.
Keeping the Rebels in the fight, Junior Dominique Banks
would make her presence known in the second half.
[Indistinct shouting].
The kids, they want to see a show,
so I just wanted to give them a couple blocks
so they're just like ooh, ah.
Squares up, and Banks shows off her ability to stop the shot.
Dom just has a presence because she blocks shots
and she gives us energy.
The team relies on her doing that.
You can see that on the court. She puts in the work.
She has been working hard and stuff.
You can tell that she puts people before herself,
so I can say that she is a very positive individual
and it helps the team a lot on the court.
And another block for Dominique Banks.
That's number eight.
As time began to expire, the Eagle would not be grounded,
erasing an eight-point Rebel
lead and forcing overtime at the Pavilion.
Sets up a wide-open Barber for three,
and she knocks it down.
Kicked into the corner, Jayla Alexander for a three,
and she answers with a big one.
What a time for the first bucket here in this game.
She'll tie it up with 23 seconds to go.
It's a lob to Hamilton at the buzzer.
She misses it. We're going to overtime.
Hey, we got this. Three stops.
Let's win this tip, score right away.
Three stops.
[Cheering].
Defense on three, one, two, tree.
Defense. The Rebels wasted little time
in the encore for Kids Day,
taking the lead immediately and never relinquishing it.
Reid shot clock to the side.
Dribbles across the lane all the way to the rim
and puts it in for the Rebels.
I think that game in that particular moment,
everybody had shifted a gear mentally
and saying we're going to come together,
we're going to pull this through however it may look.
Here comes Georgia Southern,
Amira Atwater six seconds to play.
Dribbling to her right, looking for someone
to get the ball off to, and two seconds left,
Mimi Reid makes the defensive play of the game,
and Ole Miss is going to walk away with a victory.
It felt good. The energy was great from the kids,
and I'm just excited that we won.
We did it for the kids. The kids brought energy.
We played together and block city.
[Music].
The foundation is being laid.
We're killing it in the classroom.
We're out in the community.
We have kids that are making personal bests.
We are learning about ourselves; you know?
There's a quote by Buzz Williams
that "adversity introduces you into who you really are."
So, we're being introduced into who we are,
because this is adverse times.
We're being cut. We're being groomed.