The University of Mississippi Athletics

Point Guard Preview part 2

Women’s Basketball Position Preview: Point Guards

10/22/2025 | Women's Basketball

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OXFORD, Miss.  – As Ole Miss women’s basketball is getting set to launch the 2025-26 season with an exhibition against Southern Arkansas on Sunday, OleMissSports.com previews head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin’s squad, position by position.

Kicking off the previews will be the three point guards. Seniors Denim DeShields and Kaitlin Peterson transferred to Ole Miss by way of Mississippi State and UCF, respectively, for their senior campaigns as Lauren Jacobs is just beginning her collegiate career as a freshman.

DeShields, who comes from a long line of gifted athletes in her family, is in her fourth season of collegiate ball. She began her career at UAB, where she earned a 2024 AAC All-Conference nod on the third team. As a freshman, she was named to the 2023 CUSA All-Freshman Team. In her time with the Blazers, she had double-digit scoring in 38 games, with 12 games of at least 20.

She made a name for herself as an effective passer in her three years of collegiate basketball. She led UAB in assists per game in both of her seasons in Birmingham, which included 132 as a freshman to lead all other freshmen in her conference. She had 30 games with at least five assists during her time at UAB and upped her assist total to 170 as a sophomore.

DeShields is joining Ole Miss as one of three transfers to have accumulated at least 1,000 career points to join the Rebels, with 1,024. At the conclusion of last season, she was ranked No. 10 among active SEC athletes in career assists with 410.

The DeShields name is synonymous as being one of the most athletic families in America. Daughter of Delino DeShields and sister of Delino Jr. and Diamond, all three are current or former professional athletes. Her father and brother were both top 15 picks in the MLB draft, while her sister was drafted third overall in the 2018 WNBA Draft to the Chicago Sky. Diamond won a championship with the Sky in 2021, while Delino Sr. is the manager of the minor league Harrisburg Senators.

Peterson, on her third school and fifth collegiate season, had a highly successful stint at UCF in her two seasons in Orlando. In 55 career games for the Knights, Peterson reached double-digit points in 51 of them, becoming the 20th Knight to accumulate 1,000 career points. She's the only player in UCF history to reach that statistical category in just two seasons.

She scored 599 points as a junior in 2023-24, the second-most by an individual player in a single season for UCF, en route to an All-Big 12 Second Team nod. That season, she had six games with at least 30 points, the most in the Big 12.

Peterson amped up her scoring output the following season, averaging 21.4 points. That mark is the highest-ever by any Knight in program history. Alongside her top-notch scoring ability, Peterson is known for being a thief on the defensive end. She led UCF in steals during both her seasons there, scooping 59 as a junior and 54 as a senior.

Peterson began her career at Indiana, where she spent two seasons. She reached Indiana by way of Eufaula High School in Alabama, where she amassed a whopping 2,967 points in her career. A four-time Alabama Sports Writers Association all-state selection, Peterson averaged 25.0 points as a senior to go along with 5.7 steals, 4.9 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game. She was rated the No. 41 overall recruit by All Star Girls Report and No. 54 by Prospects Nation.

Jacobs was the highest-touted recruit out of South Carolina in the 2025 cycle, garnering a four-star ranking. The 2025 South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year, she was a McDonald’s All-American Girls East nominee. Jacobs was one of two athletes from South Carolina to be honored with the accolade. 

She dominated on the court during her high school career, averaging a state-leading 31.5 points per game, as well as 7.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 4.2 steals as a junior. The next season, she maintained her dominant offensive output by averaging 25.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.7 steals and 2.4 assists per game as a senior.

In total, she finished her high school career with 2,164 points after five years of varsity ball. She accounted for over 600 rebounds, 200 assists and 350 steals. She had 25 career games of at least 30 points, including a career-high 49 in 2024 as a junior. She also added 13 double-doubles in her career.

Jacobs was an All-State honoree for three consecutive seasons and was recognized in the 2025 Hoop Gurlz ESPN Top 100 rankings. He play helped Heathwood Hall to four state and regional championships, apiece.

Fans will get their first chance to catch the point guard trio and the rest of the Rebel squad in Oxford for its lone exhibition of the season, hosting Southern Arkansas on Sunday, Oct. 26 at the SJB Pavilion at 2 p.m. CT. Ole Miss will then open its regular season on Monday, Nov. 3 from the SJB Pavilion for its annual Kids Day versus Norfolk State at 11 a.m. CT.

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 Ole Miss Women's Basketball 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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