Coach Yo: Ole Miss will be a 'tough out' in the NCAA Tournament

Ole Miss found itself again in the SEC Tournament, but likely needed to win the championship to clinch an NCAA Tournament host.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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No. 24 Ole Miss reached the SEC Tournament semifinals for the fourth time in five years, riding dominant wins over Auburn and Vanderbilt despite a four-game losing streak heading into the tournament. However, head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin said the Rebels likely needed to win the tournament championship on Sunday to clinch an NCAA Tournament host. Ole Miss will learn its postseason fate on March 15.

Why it matters

Ole Miss has emerged as a competitive team in the SEC, one of the best conferences in women's college basketball. The Rebels' strong tournament run despite a recent slump shows their resilience and potential to be a tough opponent in the NCAA Tournament, even if they don't earn a hosting spot.

The details

The Rebels rode into the SEC Tournament on a four-game losing streak but left with dominant wins over Auburn and Vanderbilt to reach the semifinals. However, they likely needed to win the tournament championship on Sunday to clinch an NCAA Tournament host. Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin said her team showed incredible fight and resilience throughout a challenging season, and she believes they will be a 'tough out' in the NCAA Tournament regardless of their seeding.

  • Ole Miss will learn its postseason fate on Sunday, March 15 at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN.
  • The Rebels reached the SEC Tournament semifinals for the fourth time in five years.

The players

Yolett McPhee-McCuin

The head coach of the Ole Miss women's basketball team, who has led the Rebels to four SEC Tournament semifinal appearances in five years.

Denim

A player on the Ole Miss women's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“Just really proud of my group. Just an incredible Southeastern Conference. It's the best league in the country. Boy, we got some really good games in. We'll be able to have some really good tape as we prepare to see where we land for the NCAA Tournament.”

— Yolett McPhee-McCuin, Head Coach (on3.com)

“I just have an incredible amount of gratitude. It's a long season. Like Denim alluded to, I wanted to make sure that our team felt like I was going to fight with them the whole time.”

— Yolett McPhee-McCuin, Head Coach (on3.com)

“When they remember anything about me, that's what I want them to remember: coach fought with me through the highs, through the lows, all of the above. This has just been such a challenging season for us. There's so many lessons that we learned through it all that we've talked about as we've gone through it.”

— Yolett McPhee-McCuin, Head Coach (on3.com)

“We're going to be a tough out. We're going to be competitive, and we're going to defend. And we're going to represent the conference and our university at a high level. I can't control anything outside of that. I can't control it. So there's no use making this grand speech. The committee is going to do their best job, and then we'll deal with the cards that were dealt.”

— Yolett McPhee-McCuin, Head Coach (on3.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.