Ole Miss WBB ‘staying present,’ has its tipoff times and embracing more high expectations

Ole Miss women’s basketball on Monday announced tip-off times for all games for the upcoming 2024-25 season. 

Seventh-year head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin and the Rebels will first host Christian Brothers October 28 at 6:30 p.m. CT — their only exhibition of the year. 

The official Rebel festivities kick off overseas in the 2024 Aflac Oui-Play in Europe and against USC on November 4. The first game in Oxford is Arkansas-Pine Bluff on November 10.

Ole Miss will leave out for McPhee-McCuin’s native Nassau, Bahamas, for the Continental Baha Mar Championship at the end of November. Other participating teams are Boston College, UConn and Oregon State.

“I’ve been incredibly excited,” McPhee-McCuin said of the season ahead and before the Rebels opened preseason practices last month.

“A lot of excitement and history to chase after — a lot of history I’ve been fortunate to be a part of. But now there’s a fresh, new year. I can still brag about being undefeated for about three more weeks.”

RELATED: ‘Borderline Top 25’ Ole Miss women’s basketball has officially unveiled its 2024-25 roster

The SEC gauntlet swings open for Ole Miss on January 2 at Auburn — the first of back-to-back league road trips. 

The Rebels then host three straight league foes starting with Vanderbilt January 9.

“It’s surreal,” veteran forward and team leader Madison Scott said of entering her final Ole Miss season. “But I’m so excited for what’s to come. I don’t have to deal with it alone. It’s definitely emotional, but I have great teammates and coaches. They make sure I stay present.”

Ole Miss pulled KK Deans out of the portal last off-season as a decorated transfer. She’s coming off a season-ending knee injury.

“Of course the first few days were hard,” Deans said. “But knowing life goes on and my teammates need me — not just physically, but mentally and using my voice for good. Just staying present. I knew my job wasn’t finished and didn’t want to end my college career like that.

“I had as good a place as there is to be at in Ole Miss, as well as a good coach that believed in me.”

2024-25 Ole Miss Women’s Basketball Schedule
(All times central)

October: Christian Brothers (Exhibition, October 28, 6:30 p.m.)

November: USC (Aflac Oui-Play, November 4, 11 a.m.); UAPB (November 10, 2 p.m.); Delaware State (November 14, 4:30 p.m.); Jackson State (November 18/Kids Day, 11 a.m.); Boston College (November 25, Continental Tire Baha Mar Championship, 4 p.m.); UConn/Oregon State (November 27, Continental Tire Baha Mar Championship, TBD); Alabama State (November 30, 2 p.m.)

December: NC State (December 5, ACC/SEC Challenge, 6 p.m.); Tennessee State (December 8, 1 p.m.); South Alabama (December 15; 2 p.m.); Mississippi Valley State (December 21, 12 p.m.); Alcorn State (December 30, 6:30 p.m.)

January: at Auburn (January 2, at Auburn, 6 p.m.); at Texas A&M (January 5, 2 p.m.); Vanderbilt (January 9, 6:30 p.m.); Alabama (January 12, 3 p.m.); Florida (January 16, 8 p.m.); at Mississippi State (January 19, 2 p.m.); Texas (January 26, 2 p.m.); at Georgia (January 30, 5 p.m.); 

February: at Vanderbilt (February 2, 2 p.m.); Oklahoma (February 6, 6:30 p.m.); Kentucky (February 10, 6 p.m.); at Arkansas (February 13, 6:30 p.m.); at Tennessee (February 16, 11 a.m.); Missouri (February 23, 2 p.m.); South Carolina (February 27, 8 p.m.); at LSU (March 2, 3 p.m.); SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament (March 5-9, Greenville, S.C., TBD)