The University of Mississippi Athletics
Monday, November 2
Oxford, Miss.
11 AM
Ole Miss
vs
Alcorn State
11/1/2026 | Women's Basketball
OXFORD, Miss. – With the start of the 2026-27 campaign finally upon us, Ole Miss women's basketball will face off against Alcorn State in a Kids Day matchup on Monday, November 2 at the SJB Pavilion. Tipoff between the Rebels and Lady Braves will be at 11 a.m. CT, airing on SEC Network+.
TEAM FACTS
No. 19/23 Ole Miss Rebels (0-0, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Yolett McPhee-McCuin • Ninth Season at Ole Miss (149-107) • 14th Season in Career (243-170)
Alcorn State Lady Braves (0-0, 0-0 SWAC)
Head Coach: Nate Kilbert • Seventh Season at Alcorn State (65-104) • 25th Season in Career (244-450)
ON THE AIR
Television: SEC Network+
Play-by-Play: Jake Hromada
Color: Lindsay King
Reporter: Annie Strong
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Graham Doty
SERIES HISTORY
Sunday's matchup will mark the 21st all-time matchup between Ole Miss and Alcorn State in a series that dates to 1980. The Rebels are 19-1 against the Lady Braves, with all their wins coming consecutively. Alcorn State won the first game of the series in 1980, 70-66, but Ole Miss has gone undefeated since then. In total, the Rebels have dropped 90-plus points on the Lady Braves six times in 20 matches.
Head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin is 5-0 against the Lady Braves in her tenure in Oxford. Her second win against Alcorn State being the most impressive, as Ole Miss tallied its first 100-point performance under her, on Dec. 8, 2020. The Rebels won 104-48, which is also the ninth-widest margin of victory in Ole Miss history. It's the highest-scoring game by a Coach Yo led Rebel team, and a Sandy & John Black Pavilion record for most points scored. Ole Miss shot 61.54 percent from the field, the third most efficient scoring day in program history, as six players went for double figures.
Historically, Ole Miss has shot exceedingly well against Alcorn State. Three of the top six best field goal percentage performances in Ole Miss history have come against Alcorn State. Two seasons ago, Ole Miss made program history by shooting 67.3 percent from the field, the most efficient evening of shooting by any Rebel squad.
SCOUTING THE LADY BRAVES
Alcorn State is coming off a 17-14 season last year, which saw the Lady Braves to earn a WNIT Tournament berth. Nate Kilbert leads Alcorn State in his seventh year at the helm, as the Lady Braves were recently tabbed fourth in the SWAC preseason poll.
The Lady Braves return nine student-athletes from the 2025-26 season, which includes senior forward Lauren Nelson who averaged 5.9 points, which ranked fourth best on last year's team, and 2.5 rebounds. Completing the backcourt tandem is Chrishunti Walker, who averaged 4.8 points and 3.4 rebounds for the Lady Braves.
GAMES AGAINST THE SWAC
Ole Miss has historically dominated SWAC opponents, holding a 101-7 combined record against all members of the conference. Ole Miss has won the last 23 matchups against SWAC opponents, with McPhee-McCuin holding a perfect 22-0 record.
OLE MISS IN SEASON OPENERS
Over its 51-year history, Ole Miss has found consistent success in season openers, posting a 44-8 record to start the year, including a 6-2 mark under head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin. In home openers, the Rebels are 49-3, as Ole Miss will begin the 2026-27 season in the comfort of its own home court for the 17th time in the last 18 years.
THE EXPECTATION, NOT THE EXCEPTION
Entering year nine of the Yolett McPhee-McCuin era in Oxford, the standard has been set. Two Sweet 16s, five NCAA Tournaments in a row, five consecutive 20+ win seasons, multiple All-SEC selections and five WNBA Draft picks, the Rebels have re-asserted themselves as a top program in women's college basketball.
TELL A FRIEND TO TELL A FRIEND, WE'RE BACK!
Entering the 2026-27 season, two key players from last year's squad are poised to provide leadership for the ten newcomers. Returning reserves in Lauren Jacobs and Desrae Kyles are primed to showcase their development from the offseason.
PORTAL POWERHOUSE
Branding herself as the portal queen, when players decide to transfer, Coach Yo loves to prove that a home for them is available in Oxford. Preaching the importance of development, players who decide to come to Ole Miss can see their game taken to a new level. Bringing in nine players from the transfer portal this off-season, the Rebels have been recognized as having one of the best transfer classes by multiple outlets.
ESPN and USA TODAY had Ole Miss as the No. 3 best transfer class and first in the SEC for the second consecutive year. On3.com had the Rebels at No. 4 nationally saying, "Another year, another transfer portal cycle that head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin dominated early."
FRESH FACES
Along with bringing in ten transfers, Coach Yo and her staff secured one of the best young talents in Charleen Hudson to make up this season's newcomer class.
STAR STUDDED STAFF
While being known as the transfer portal queen has its pros, Coach Yo has the challenge of teaching new players the culture at Ole Miss every season. She has stated multiple times that she always relies on her coaches and staff, who have stayed consistent through the years, to help show the way for newcomers.
All five of Coach Yo's elite coaching staff has NCAA Tournament experience, whether as a player or on staff. Additionally, Ole Miss is one of only three schools in the nation to have two former WNBA draft picks on its staff, as Associate Coach Joy Smith was picked in 2010 and Assistant Coach Adrienne Motley in 2017.
CONFERENCE RECOGNITION
In both the preseason SEC coaches and media polls, Ole Miss was picked seventh in the projected order of finish. Individually, Cooper was named to the preseason All-SEC first team by the conference's coaches and the preseason All-SEC second team in the media poll. In the coaches' poll, Richard also earned honors, earning a spot on the All-SEC second team.
It marks Cooper's fourth instance earning preseason All-SEC honors, after being named to the end of year All-SEC second team for two consecutive seasons. Richard has earned her first preseason All-SEC recognition as a junior.
HOOPIN' COOP
Talaysia Cooper adds another preseason accolade to her resume, as she was named one of 20 watch-list candidates for the 2027 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award. This marks Cooper's third time on this prestigious preseason list, earning top 10 finalist honors in 2024-25. Additionally, it's the seventh consecutive year at least one Rebel has been named to a preseason Naismith award watch list.
POY WATCH LIST
Talaysia Cooper has been named to the 2026-27 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Watch List. This marks Cooper's third time on this prestigious preseason list, earning a spot on the late midseason watch list in 2024-25. Additionally, it's the third consecutive year a Rebel has been named to this player of the year watch list, as Cotie McMahon and Madison Scott were each recognized.
Get ready for the next chapter of Ole Miss Women's Basketball by getting season tickets for the 2026-27 season here. Your Rebels have made the tournament five years straight and continue to trend upwards.
Follow the Rebels 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.
TEAM FACTS
No. 19/23 Ole Miss Rebels (0-0, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Yolett McPhee-McCuin • Ninth Season at Ole Miss (149-107) • 14th Season in Career (243-170)
Alcorn State Lady Braves (0-0, 0-0 SWAC)
Head Coach: Nate Kilbert • Seventh Season at Alcorn State (65-104) • 25th Season in Career (244-450)
ON THE AIR
Television: SEC Network+
Play-by-Play: Jake Hromada
Color: Lindsay King
Reporter: Annie Strong
OLE MISS RADIO
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Graham Doty
SERIES HISTORY
Sunday's matchup will mark the 21st all-time matchup between Ole Miss and Alcorn State in a series that dates to 1980. The Rebels are 19-1 against the Lady Braves, with all their wins coming consecutively. Alcorn State won the first game of the series in 1980, 70-66, but Ole Miss has gone undefeated since then. In total, the Rebels have dropped 90-plus points on the Lady Braves six times in 20 matches.
Head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin is 5-0 against the Lady Braves in her tenure in Oxford. Her second win against Alcorn State being the most impressive, as Ole Miss tallied its first 100-point performance under her, on Dec. 8, 2020. The Rebels won 104-48, which is also the ninth-widest margin of victory in Ole Miss history. It's the highest-scoring game by a Coach Yo led Rebel team, and a Sandy & John Black Pavilion record for most points scored. Ole Miss shot 61.54 percent from the field, the third most efficient scoring day in program history, as six players went for double figures.
Historically, Ole Miss has shot exceedingly well against Alcorn State. Three of the top six best field goal percentage performances in Ole Miss history have come against Alcorn State. Two seasons ago, Ole Miss made program history by shooting 67.3 percent from the field, the most efficient evening of shooting by any Rebel squad.
SCOUTING THE LADY BRAVES
Alcorn State is coming off a 17-14 season last year, which saw the Lady Braves to earn a WNIT Tournament berth. Nate Kilbert leads Alcorn State in his seventh year at the helm, as the Lady Braves were recently tabbed fourth in the SWAC preseason poll.
The Lady Braves return nine student-athletes from the 2025-26 season, which includes senior forward Lauren Nelson who averaged 5.9 points, which ranked fourth best on last year's team, and 2.5 rebounds. Completing the backcourt tandem is Chrishunti Walker, who averaged 4.8 points and 3.4 rebounds for the Lady Braves.
GAMES AGAINST THE SWAC
Ole Miss has historically dominated SWAC opponents, holding a 101-7 combined record against all members of the conference. Ole Miss has won the last 23 matchups against SWAC opponents, with McPhee-McCuin holding a perfect 22-0 record.
OLE MISS IN SEASON OPENERS
Over its 51-year history, Ole Miss has found consistent success in season openers, posting a 44-8 record to start the year, including a 6-2 mark under head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin. In home openers, the Rebels are 49-3, as Ole Miss will begin the 2026-27 season in the comfort of its own home court for the 17th time in the last 18 years.
THE EXPECTATION, NOT THE EXCEPTION
Entering year nine of the Yolett McPhee-McCuin era in Oxford, the standard has been set. Two Sweet 16s, five NCAA Tournaments in a row, five consecutive 20+ win seasons, multiple All-SEC selections and five WNBA Draft picks, the Rebels have re-asserted themselves as a top program in women's college basketball.
TELL A FRIEND TO TELL A FRIEND, WE'RE BACK!
Entering the 2026-27 season, two key players from last year's squad are poised to provide leadership for the ten newcomers. Returning reserves in Lauren Jacobs and Desrae Kyles are primed to showcase their development from the offseason.
PORTAL POWERHOUSE
Branding herself as the portal queen, when players decide to transfer, Coach Yo loves to prove that a home for them is available in Oxford. Preaching the importance of development, players who decide to come to Ole Miss can see their game taken to a new level. Bringing in nine players from the transfer portal this off-season, the Rebels have been recognized as having one of the best transfer classes by multiple outlets.
ESPN and USA TODAY had Ole Miss as the No. 3 best transfer class and first in the SEC for the second consecutive year. On3.com had the Rebels at No. 4 nationally saying, "Another year, another transfer portal cycle that head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin dominated early."
FRESH FACES
Along with bringing in ten transfers, Coach Yo and her staff secured one of the best young talents in Charleen Hudson to make up this season's newcomer class.
STAR STUDDED STAFF
While being known as the transfer portal queen has its pros, Coach Yo has the challenge of teaching new players the culture at Ole Miss every season. She has stated multiple times that she always relies on her coaches and staff, who have stayed consistent through the years, to help show the way for newcomers.
All five of Coach Yo's elite coaching staff has NCAA Tournament experience, whether as a player or on staff. Additionally, Ole Miss is one of only three schools in the nation to have two former WNBA draft picks on its staff, as Associate Coach Joy Smith was picked in 2010 and Assistant Coach Adrienne Motley in 2017.
CONFERENCE RECOGNITION
In both the preseason SEC coaches and media polls, Ole Miss was picked seventh in the projected order of finish. Individually, Cooper was named to the preseason All-SEC first team by the conference's coaches and the preseason All-SEC second team in the media poll. In the coaches' poll, Richard also earned honors, earning a spot on the All-SEC second team.
It marks Cooper's fourth instance earning preseason All-SEC honors, after being named to the end of year All-SEC second team for two consecutive seasons. Richard has earned her first preseason All-SEC recognition as a junior.
HOOPIN' COOP
Talaysia Cooper adds another preseason accolade to her resume, as she was named one of 20 watch-list candidates for the 2027 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award. This marks Cooper's third time on this prestigious preseason list, earning top 10 finalist honors in 2024-25. Additionally, it's the seventh consecutive year at least one Rebel has been named to a preseason Naismith award watch list.
POY WATCH LIST
Talaysia Cooper has been named to the 2026-27 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Watch List. This marks Cooper's third time on this prestigious preseason list, earning a spot on the late midseason watch list in 2024-25. Additionally, it's the third consecutive year a Rebel has been named to this player of the year watch list, as Cotie McMahon and Madison Scott were each recognized.
Get ready for the next chapter of Ole Miss Women's Basketball by getting season tickets for the 2026-27 season here. Your Rebels have made the tournament five years straight and continue to trend upwards.
Follow the Rebels 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.
Players Mentioned
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