# 2020–21 Ole Miss Rebels women's basketball team

The 2020–21 Ole Miss Rebels women's basketball team represented the University of Mississippi during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Rebels, led by third-year head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, played their home games at The Pavilion at Ole Miss and competed as members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Rebels finished the season 15–12 (4–10 SEC) and received an at-large bid to the Women's National Invitation Tournament, where they lost to Rice in the championship game.

## Previous season

The Rebels finished the season with a 7–23 overall record and a 0–16 record in conference play. The Rebels lost to Missouri in the First Round of the SEC tournament. The Rebels were not invited to the postseason.

## Offseason
### Departures

Ole Miss Departures :
| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Year | Hometown | Notes |
| Dominique Banks | 13 | F | 6'5" | Junior | Atlanta, GA | Transferred to South Carolina State |
| Jayla Alexander | 20 | G | 5'9" | Freshman | Pearl, MS | Transferred to Jones County JC |
| Bryn Parker | 25 | G | 6'0" | Freshman | Scottsdale, AZ | Transferred to Dixie State |
| Deja Cage | 31 | G | 5'8" | RS Junior | Chicago, IL | Graduate transferred to Middle Tennessee |
| Torri Lewis | 44 | G | 5'11" | RS Senior | Olive Branch, MS | Graduated |

### 2020 recruiting class

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight |
| Madison Scott #2 W | Indian Head, MD | Bishop McNamara High School | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | N/A |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ESPN: ESPN grade: 98 ||||||
| Jacorriah Bracey #11 G | Drew, MS | Thomas E. Edwards, Sr. High School | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | N/A |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ESPN: ESPN grade: 96 ||||||
| Aleah Sorrentino #16 F | Palm Bay, FL | Florida Preparatory Academy | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | N/A |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ESPN: ESPN grade: 94 ||||||
| Snudda Collins F | Brookhaven, MS | Brookhaven High School | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | N/A |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ESPN: ESPN grade: 90 ||||||
| Caitlin McGee F | Jacksonville, FL | Sandalwood High School | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | N/A |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ESPN: ESPN grade: 90 ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: ESPN: 13 ||||||
| Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: ||||||

### Incoming transfers

Ole Miss Incoming Transfers :
| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Year | Hometown | Previous school |
| Shakira Austin | 0 | F | 6'5" | Junior | Fredericksburg, VA | Maryland |
| Tiya Douglas | 25 | G | 5'9" | Sophomore | Fort Smith, AR | Trinity Valley CC |

### Offseason impact

The 2020 offseason was a strong one for third-year head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin. Following the end of the 2019–20 season, Coach "Yo" added assistant coach Shay Robinson from Maryland following NCAA Tournament appearances in each of his six seasons with the Terrapins, including a Final Four appearance in 2015. The Rebels 2020 recruiting class was ranked 13th by ESPN. Following the recruiting class, the Rebels added two instant impact transfers. Tiya Douglas, a sophomore from Trinity Valley Community College in Texas, broke the TVCC single-game record and tied the NJCAA record with 13 three-pointers in a 44-point performance in her freshman season. Following Coach Robinson, Junior Shakira Austin transferred to Ole Miss from Maryland. At Maryland, Austin broke the school's single-season blocks record with 89 her freshman season. She was also on the 2019 All-Big Ten Freshman and Defensive Teams and 2020 All-Big Ten Second Team. Coming out of high school, Austin was a McDonald's All-American and ranked as the #4 overall prospect in the 2018 class. Austin will join freshman signees Jacorriah Bracey and Madison Scott as the third five-star prospect on the Rebels' roster. Austin will also join freshman signee Madison Scott as the first two McDonald's All-Americans in Ole Miss history.

## Preseason
### SEC media poll

The SEC media poll was released on November 17, 2020 with the Rebels selected to finish in eleventh place in the SEC.
Media poll :
| Predicted finish | Team |
| 1 | South Carolina |
| 2 | Kentucky |
| 3 | Texas A&M |
| 4 | Arkansas |
| 5 | Mississippi State |
| 6 | Tennessee |
| 7 | LSU |
| 8 | Alabama |
| 9 | Georgia |
| 10 | Missouri |
| 11 | Ole Miss |
| 12 | Florida |
| 13 | Vanderbilt |
| 14 | Auburn |

### Preseason All-SEC teams

The Rebels had one player selected to the preseason all-SEC teams.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Non-conference regular season |||||||||
| November 25, 2020* 6:00 pm, SECN+ | | Northwestern State | Canceled due to COVID-19 | Canceled due to COVID-19 | Canceled due to COVID-19 | Canceled due to COVID-19 | Canceled due to COVID-19 | The Pavilion at Ole Miss Oxford, MS |
| November 30, 2020* 6:00 pm, SECN+ | | McNeese State | W 99–44 | 1–0 | 23 – Collins | 6 – Tied | 9 – Reid | The Pavilion at Ole Miss (834) Oxford, MS |
| December 3, 2020* 7:30 pm, SECN | | Kansas Big 12/SEC Women's Challenge | W 70–53 | 2–0 | 21 – Johnson | 10 – Scott | 4 – Tied | The Pavilion at Ole Miss (840) Oxford, MS |
| December 8, 2020* 6:00 pm, SECN+ | | Alcorn State | W 104–48 | 3–0 | 15 – Collins | 7 – Tied | 6 – Nesbitt | The Pavilion at Ole Miss (850) Oxford, MS |
| December 12, 2020* 1:00 pm, SECN+ | | Mississippi Valley State | W 86–46 | 4–0 | 19 – Austin | 8 – Scott | 7 – Reid | The Pavilion at Ole Miss (888) Oxford, MS |
| December 15, 2020* 6:00 pm, SECN+ | | Jackson State | W 89–65 | 5–0 | 22 – Austin | 12 – Austin | 6 – Johnson | The Pavilion at Ole Miss Oxford, MS |
| December 19, 2020* 11:00 am, CBSSN | | at George Mason | W 64–34 | 6–0 | 24 – Austin | 9 – Scott | 3 – Reid | EagleBank Arena Fairfax, VA |
| December 21, 2020* 6:00 pm, SECN+ | | Jacksonville State | Canceled due to COVID-19 | Canceled due to COVID-19 | Canceled due to COVID-19 | Canceled due to COVID-19 | Canceled due to COVID-19 | The Pavilion at Ole Miss Oxford, MS |
| SEC regular season |||||||||
| January 4, 2021 3:00 pm, SECN+ | | LSU | L 69–77 $^{OT}$ | 6–1 (0–1) | 20 – Austin | 7 – Kitchens | 10 – Reid | The Pavilion at Ole Miss Oxford, MS |
| January 7, 2021 6:00 pm, SECN+ | | Auburn | W 62–58 | 7–1 (1–1) | 25 – Austin | 10 – Austin | 6 – Tied | The Pavilion at Ole Miss Oxford, MS |
| January 10, 2021 5:00 pm, SECN | | at No. 14 Mississippi State | L 56–60 | 7–2 (1–2) | 25 – Johnson | 11 – Austin | 3 – Nesbitt | Humphrey Coliseum Starkville, MS |
| January 14, 2021 6:00 pm, SECN+ | | Missouri | L 77–86 | 7–3 (1–3) | 26 – Austin | 10 – Austin | 9 – Reid | The Pavilion at Ole Miss Oxford, MS |
| January 17, 2021 2:00 pm, SECN | | at Georgia | L 57–73 | 7–4 (1–4) | 13 – Austin | 6 – Austin | 3 – Nesbitt | Stegeman Coliseum Athens, GA |
| January 24, 2021 2:00 p, SECN+ | | Florida | L 68–78 | 7–5 (1–5) | 18 – Nesbitt | 7 – Austin | 7 – Nesbitt | The Pavilion at Ole Miss Oxford, MS |
| January 28, 2021 6:00 pm, SECN+ | | at No. 20 Tennessee | L 67–68 | 7–6 (1–6) | 19 – Johnson | 6 – Austin | 4 – Nesbitt | Thompson–Boling Arena Knoxville, TN |
| January 31, 2021 1:00 pm, SECN+ | | at LSU | L 66–75 $^{OT}$ | 7–7 (1–7) | 18 – Johnson | 16 – Scott | 3 – Nesbitt | Pete Maravich Assembly Center Baton Rouge, LA |
| February 4, 2021 6:00 pm, SECN+ | | No. 15 Kentucky | W 72–60 | 8–7 (2–7) | 21 – Austin | 12 – Austin | 4 – Tied | The Pavilion at Ole Miss Oxford, MS |
| February 11, 2021 6:00 pm, SECN+ | | at Alabama | W 67–62 | 9–7 (3–7) | 25 – Austin | 13 – Austin | 4 – Johnson | Coleman Coliseum Tuscaloosa, AL |
| February 14, 2021 3:00 pm, SECN | | Mississippi State | Canceled due to winter storm. | Canceled due to winter storm. | Canceled due to winter storm. | Canceled due to winter storm. | Canceled due to winter storm. | The Pavilion at Ole Miss Oxford, MS |
| February 19, 2021 6:00 pm | | at No. 18 Arkansas | L 74–84 | 9–8 (3–8) | 17 – Tied | 11 – Austin | 2 – Tied | Bud Walton Arena Fayetteville, AR |
| February 21, 2021 3:00 pm, SECN | | No. 5 Texas A&M | L 55–66 | 9–9 (3–9) | 16 – Austin | 10 – Austin | 7 – Reid | The Pavilion at Ole Miss Oxford, MS |
| February 25, 2021 Noon, SECN+ | | at No. 5 South Carolina | L 43–68 | 9–10 (3–10) | 22 – Austin | 8 – Johnson | 5 – Reid | Colonial Life Arena Columbia, SC |
| February 28, 2021 11:00 am, SECN | | at No. 19 Kentucky | W 73–69 | 10–10 (4–10) | 22 – Austin | 12 – Austin | 5 – Nesbitt | Memorial Coliseum Lexington, KY |
| SEC Tournament |||||||||
| March 4, 2021 7:30 pm, SECN | (11) | vs. (6) No. 13 Arkansas Second Round | W 69–60 | 11–10 | 29 – Austin | 13 – Austin | 3 – Tied | Bon Secours Wellness Arena (912) Greenville, SC |
| March 5, 2021 7:30 pm, SECN | (11) | vs. (3) No. 14 Tennessee Quarterfinals | L 72–77 | 11–11 | 20 – Johnson | 7 – Austin | 9 – Reid | Bon Secours Wellness Arena Greenville, SC |
| WNIT |||||||||
| March 19, 2021 5:00 pm, FloHoops | | vs. Samford First Round – Memphis Regional | W 64–45 | 12–11 | 23 – Austin | 12 – Austin | 7 – Reid | My Town Movers Fieldhouse Collierville, TN |
| March 20, 2021 8:00 pm, FloHoops | | vs. Tulane Second Round – Memphis Regional | W 72–61 | 13–11 | 24 – Austin | 13 – Austin | 5 – Reid | My Town Movers Fieldhouse Collierville, TN |
| March 22, 2021 7:00 pm, FloHoops | | vs. Colorado Quarterfinals – Memphis Regional | W 65–56 | 14–11 | 15 – Johnson | 12 – Scott | 4 – Reid | My Town Movers Fieldhouse Collierville, TN |
| March 26, 2021 7:00 pm, FloHoops | | vs. Northern Iowa Semifinals | W 60–50 | 15–11 | 18 – Austin | 11 – Scott | 6 – Reid | My Town Movers Fieldhouse Collierville, TN |
| March 28, 2021 1:00 pm, FloHoops | | vs. Rice Championship Game | L 58–71 | 15–12 | 25 – Austin | 9 – Tied | 4 – Nesbitt | My Town Movers Fieldhouse Collierville, TN |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central Time. |||||||||