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2018-19 SEC preview: Will Mississippi State or South Carolina prevail?

By Blake DuDonis

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SPARTANBURG, SC – JANUARY 22: Yolett McPhee-McCuin head coach Jacksonville University. Jacksonville Dolphins traveled to Spartanburg, S.C. to play the University of South Carolina Upstate Spartans in some women’s basketball on Monday evening of Jan. 22, 2018. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SPARTANBURG, SC – JANUARY 22: Yolett McPhee-McCuin head coach Jacksonville University. Jacksonville Dolphins traveled to Spartanburg, S.C. to play the University of South Carolina Upstate Spartans in some women’s basketball on Monday evening of Jan. 22, 2018. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Ole Miss Rebels
Last season: 12-19 (1-15, 14th) 
Predicted finish this season: 14th

Key returners (last season’s stats)
G- Shandricka Sessom, 5’10, R-SR- 15.1 PPG, 6 RPG, 51.9%FG, 46.9% 3pt, 24.7 MPG (tore ACL seven games in; granted medical hardship waiver)

Biggest losses (last season’s stats)
G- Madinah Muhammad, 5’8- 16.8 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 33.7% 3pt, 33.6 MPG (transferred-UNC-Chapel Hill)
G- Alissa Alston, 5’8- 14 PPG, 4.5 APG, 3.2 RPG, 29.5% 3pt, 35.7 MPG (transferred- St. John’s)
C- Promise Taylor, 6’5- 8.3 PGG, 6 RPG, 2.6 BPG (school record of 82 blocks in season), 60.7% FG (led SEC), 23.1 MPG, SEC All-Freshman selection (transferred- Mississippi State)

Newcomers
F- Gabrielle Crawford, 6’2, (Munford, TN), FR- Ranked #80 in 2018 class, #18 power forward
F- Iyanla Kitchens, 6’2, (Lithonia, GA), FR- Ranked #93 in 2018 class, #14 center
G- Mimi Reed, 5’8, (Bronx, NY), R-FR- Ranked #126 in 2017 class, #34 point guard (injured Achilles in preseason last year)
F- Mahogany Matthews, 6’1, (Raeford, NC), FR
G- Taylor Smith, 5’8, (Marietta, GA), FR
F- Jhileiya Dunlap, 6’2, (Gulf Coast State CC/ Columbia, SC), JR-Ranked #4 in 2018 JUCO class, #1 small forward
G- Shannon Dozier, 5’10, (Odessa College/ Washington D.C.), JR
 G- Crystal Allen, 5’9, (UT-Arlington/ Fort Worth, TX), R-SR- 11.7 PPG, 32.1% 3pt, Third-Team All-Sun Belt last season
F- La’Karis Salter, 6’1, (Jacksonville University/ Tallahassee, FL), R-SR

Head Coach- Yolette McPhee-McCuin, 1st season
It has been a tumultuous few years for the Ole Miss women’s basketball program. In 2012 they hired Adrian Wiggins away from Fresno State, only to have to fire him six months later due to recruiting and academic violations by his staff. This put the program under NCAA sanctions when Matt Insell was brought in, a former assistant from Kentucky. Insell took the team to two WNITs but those were his only two winning seasons and the school decided to part ways after his fifth year.

Enter Coach Yo. A fireball of energy and passion, McPhee-McCuin comes to Oxford after taking Jacksonville University to unprecedented levels of success. Going 94-63 in five seasons, the team made the postseason her final three seasons, including it’s first ever NCAA tournament birth, and won 20+ plus games each of those seasons. McPhee-McCuin and her staff were able to find a lot of success in recruiting via the transfer market at JU, something they have dipped into already with eight newcomers to the program since she took over, four of those transfers. While it may take a while for her to get things rolling, McPhee-McCuin has already instilled new life into the Rebels program and should see success for years to come.

Key non-conference games
Nov. 22- UConn (St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands)
Nov. 23– Purdue (St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands)
Nov. 24- St. John’s (St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands)
Nov. 29- v. TCU

Outlook
It was a difficult season in 2017-18 for the Rebels, going 12-19 and just 1-15 in the SEC. To make matters worse, they had to see their archrival to the south take over national headlines as they made it to their second straight national championship game. After the season, three of their four leading scorers transferred, leaving Coach Yo with a pretty empty cupboard. Never one to back away from a challenge, the new staff put together a roster that is as good as you could ask for under the circumstances.

Assuming health, Shandricka Sessom can really do some damage and top-ranked JUCO transfer Jhileiya Dunlap is the real deal. I thought Coach Yo was someone Ole Miss should look at strongly when the job opened up and I think they will be pleased with what she will be able to do over time. The team will likely struggle this season, but I think they improve upon last season and set the table for success moving forward.

Best Case Scenario-  New leaderships instills new life, Sessom stays healthy and makes All-SEC 2nd team along with Dunlap. Team settles into 11th place and Coach Yo puts the league on notice.

Worst Case Scenario- Excitement and energy are where they need to be but the talent isn’t quite yet. The team plays with heart, but it’s just one of those years and the Rebels come in last for the second season in a row.

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