Women’s Basketball Hosts Southern Arkansas for Exhibition Bout at SJB Pavilion

OXFORD, Miss. – Excitement is brewing as No. 12/14 Ole Miss women’s basketball and Team 51 are prepping to begin its 2025-26 campaign, which will be kickstarted by its lone exhibition match of the year against Southern Arkansas on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. CT.

The event is free to the public with general admission seating, with the exception of floor seats. Parking will be open and available. All Ole Miss students can attend for free with a valid student ID.

Fans in attendance will have the opportunity to enjoy special game day concession prices. Hot dogs and nachos will be available for $3.25, and popcorn can be purchased for just $2.50.

The match between the Rebels and the Muleriders will be the second installment of a doubleheader, as Ole Miss men’s basketball faces Saint Mary’s at 11:30 a.m. CT for its annual exhibition match.

This Ole Miss team is expected to build off last season’s memorable 50th season, in which head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin guided the Rebels to their second Sweet 16 in three years and 12th overall. Ole Miss has reached the national tournament in four straight seasons, and in those four seasons, McPhee-McCuin became the only coach in program history to have at least 20 overall wins and 10 SEC wins in four seasons.

Garnering national recognition in the polls, the Rebels came in at No. 12 in the AP and No. 14 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, marking Ole Miss’ highest preseason ranking since the 2023-24 season, the same year McPhee-McCuin first led the Rebels to the Sweet 16. All-time, a preseason AP ranking of No. 12 is the fifth highest for Ole Miss.

Three Rebels return from last year’s squad, headlined by SEC All Freshman Team member Sira Thienou. She became Ole Miss’ 14th player to earn that recognition last season after a breakout year. She averaged 10.5 points per game for the Rebels, the fourth highest clip on the team and the most of any true guard. Christeen Iwuala and J’Adore Young rejoined Thienou for this season to help guard the paint.

McPhee-McCuin once again made waves in the transfer portal, making the biggest statement of her career and making a case for women’s basketball’s “Portal Queen,” signing the No. 2 class in the country. Forward Cotie McMahon, who recently was named Second Team All-SEC by the media and conference’s coaches and media, was tabbed as the No. 3 overall transfer recruit and the top forward, according to ESPN, and will spend her senior season with Ole Miss.

McMahon, as well as Denim DeShields from Mississippi State and Kaitlin Peterson from UCF have each accrued over 1,000 points thus far in their career. Ole Miss is the only program in the country to bring in a trio of players via the transfer portal who’ve reached the century mark in points.

Following the exhibition with Southern Arkansas, Ole Miss will open the 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 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.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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