Basketball
Coach Yo on the Portal Class
By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com
Ole Miss women’s basketball head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin met with the media on Monday to discuss the new transfer class coming to Oxford next season.
“I thought we did a great job in the portal,” McPhee-McCuin said. “Last year was a fun year and we really want to focus on making sure that we added some pieces in the off season that we have done before.”
The Rebels (25-9, 11-5 SEC) are coming off the first Sweet 16 run since the 2007 season.
McPhee-McCuin added that she’s looking for the right fits for the team and where they are trying to go.
“I thought that we hit it in every single mark in a veteran point guard with KK (Deans from Florida) who faced us in the SEC and shot a better percentage than our whole team,” she said.
This season, Angel Baker finished her college career by leading the red and blue scoring with 14.8 points per game in a record-breaking season by reaching 11 wins in SEC play to tie the most in a single-season. The Indianapolis, Indiana, native became the second Rebel to win the Gillom Trophy, as the most outstanding women’s basketball in the state of Mississippi.
Following a career-high season by shooting 44.1 percent from the field, Baker earned her second SEC honor by being named First Team All-SEC. The guard also surpassed the 2,000 career-point mark, to become one of four Rebels in program history to achieve the feat.
“Kennedy Todd Williams from North Carolina is a big get for us, especially since losing Angel,” McPhee-McCuin said.
McPhee-McCuin added that when she knew Baker was going to leave, she wanted the team to have size to be able to defend on a higher level.
This year, McPhee-McCuin and her staff brought in three power five players out of the transfer portal.