Ready for the next step, Ole Miss women’s basketball releases 2024 SEC schedule

No program on campus in recent years has punched above its weight quite like Ole Miss women’s basketball.

But now that the Rebels have announced their presence on the heavyweight stage, they’re ready to embark on a very-real title chase in 2023-24, including an always-grueling march through a full 16-game SEC slate announced on Wednesday.

Ole Miss opens league play in the same place it ended last year — with a road trip to Alabama on January 4. Ole Miss will tip off the New Year at home and hosting LSU, the defending National Champions, on January 7, followed by Auburn on January 11. 

The Rebels has back-to-back road trips to Mississippi State (January 14) and Georgia (January 21), respectively, before wrapping the month at home against Florida (January 25) and Tennessee (January 28).

Ole Miss travels to Vanderbilt on February 1 and South Carolina February 4. The Rebels return home February 8 to host Texas A&M, followed by at Florida (February 15, Mississippi State (February 18), Georgia (February 22),  at Missouri (February 26) and at Kentucky on Leap Day (February 29).

The Rebel seniors will be honored prior to Arkansas March 3, then comes the SEC Tournament in Greenville, South Carolina (March 6-10).

“Really excited about this group,” head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin said. The Rebels open the regular season against Queens November 6. “Just a really fun group of young women that understand what’s next for us — that next step.

“One of the things I really like about our group is the personalities. Last year, I thought we were always fun-loving. This group is still fun-loving, but they’re competitive and super focused, which makes for intense practices.”

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Yolett McPhee-McCuin signed a contract extension in the off-season.

She led the Rebels to a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament a year ago — the 19th all-time berth in the Big Dance for the Rebels. They easily dispatched of nine-seed Gonzaga in the first round. 

Ole Miss took down No. 1 seed Stanford in the second and moved on to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2007. The Rebels became the fifth eight-seed in NCAA Tournament history to reach the regional semifinal. 

The win over the Cardinal pushed the Rebels to 25 overall wins for the sixth time in 48 seasons of women’s basketball. They last pulled off the feat in 1986-87.

“Coach Yo has our women’s basketball program on a championship trajectory,” Ole Miss athletics director Keith Carter said in announcing McPhee-McCuin’s extension. 

“We can’t wait to see what lies in the years ahead with her vision, energy and relentless dedication.”

Times and television designations for all games will be announced at a later date. Ole Miss returns three starters, led by Madison Scott, an SEC All-Defense selection, and the Rebels’ top three-point shooter in Snudda Collins.

Two members of ESPN’s Top 15 transfers made their way to Oxford in Kennedy Todd-Williams from North Carolina and KK Deans from Florida. The Rebels brought in five freshmen, too.

2024 SEC Schedule

Jan. 4 – at Alabama – Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Jan. 7 – LSU – Oxford, Miss.
Jan. 11 – Auburn – Oxford, Miss.
Jan. 14 – at Mississippi State – Starkville, Miss.
Jan. 21 – at Georgia – Athens, Ga.
Jan. 25 – Florida – Oxford, Miss.
Jan. 28 – Tennessee – Oxford, Miss.
Feb. 1 – at Vanderbilt – Nashville, Tenn.
Feb. 4 – at South Carolina – Columbia, S.C.
Feb. 8 – Texas A&M – Oxford, Miss.
Feb. 15 – at Florida – Gainesville, Fla.
Feb. 18 – Mississippi State – Oxford, Miss.
Feb. 22 – Georgia – Oxford, Miss.
Feb. 26 – at Missouri – Columbia, Mo.
Feb. 29 – at Kentucky – Lexington, Ky.
March 3 – Arkansas – Oxford, Miss.