TRANSCRIPT: Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, Madison Scott talk with media after loss to LSU in SEC Tourney

GREENVILLE — Facing off against No. 2 seeded LSU in its second meeting this season, Ole Miss could not complete the comeback against the eighth-ranked Tigers in the SEC Tournament Semifinals, falling 75-67 from Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Saturday.

After the game, head coach Yolett McPhee McCuin and Madison Scott talked with media.

Here’s everything the Rebels’ head coach and Scott had to say:

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the postgame press conference for Ole Miss. We’ll begin with an opening statement from Coach.

YOLETT McPHEE-McCUIN: I thought it was a fought-hard game. I thought both teams really competed for 40 minutes. I thought you’re not going to hear any crying from me about the officiating or anything like that. I thought it was a well-officiated game for the most part.

I do think that something has to be done with this whole block charge thing. It was unfortunate to see Last-Tear go down. There needs to be a rule and then people won’t slide under people. I’ve seen it happen twice. If we’re trying to protect players, then why don’t we make the rule? That was dangerous. She was trying to make a play. Right now the rule says no matter where you are on the floor, attempt to get up under someone and take a charge. Then she had to go out on a stretcher. So something has to be done with that rule. It’s simple. If we’re trying to protect players, let’s protect players. That’s not the officials’ fault. It’s the rule that’s wrong, all right?

But nevertheless, we take our wins together and we take our losses together. I wish I could have a couple plays back. I would have done some things differently. But we’ll rest up, go home and get ready for the tournament, the NCAA tournament.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Madison.

Q. You were really locked in tonight both ends. What makes tonight different than other nights when you’re really on this new level of intensity?

MADISON SCOTT: I’m sorry, I’m not sure what you’re really asking. I don’t know how to answer.

Q. What makes a night different on your different levels of intensity? What are the different factors?

MADISON SCOTT: Just wanting to win. Just wanting to do what my team needs me to do to be successful. It’s a win-or-go-home situation. I wanted to give my 40 minutes so we wouldn’t go home.

Q. You pulled within two in the fourth quarter. Never were able to get over the hump. What made it so difficult?

MADISON SCOTT: I just think, like Coach said, there was a lot of missed opportunities, a lot of plays we were supposed to make that we didn’t make down the stretch, fourth quarter. We went cold. Yeah, it got away from us. Yeah, we’ll go back and watch the film, and we’ll be ready
moving forward to get ready for the tournament.

Q. Talking about the tournament, what does this next week look like in terms of preparation?

MADISON SCOTT: Just working on things that we need to work on. Continuing to get better, continuing to grow. We don’t know who we play yet, but that doesn’t mean that Ole Miss can’t get better. Working on ourselves so we can come and be ready to go against whoever.

THE MODERATOR: Madison, you can be dismissed. We’ll continue with questions for head coach.

Q. It seemed like you were in the locker room for quite a while at the half. What was the conversation?

YOLETT McPHEE-McCUIN: First of all, we never come out early at halftime. We use that time to debrief, talk through, strategize, that kind of stuff. But my message was, I didn’t understand why they didn’t come out and play and execute the game plan the way I felt like it should have been executed. But luckily this time it wasn’t 50 to 30-something and we had to claw our way back. You know what I’m saying?

I think games like this kind of rear its head when it comes to that elite-level point guard. You feel it in games like this. No excuse. I mean, we have a really good record, so obviously we know how to win. I’m just talking basketball. There were moments I wish Zakiya was a little older, you know (smiling)? She would have been different. But she’s not. This is valuable minutes for her. She’s a freshman, so… It will pay off in the long run, maybe in the tournament.

Q. I know you said the first time you played LSU you didn’t think your team was ready for the moment. Do you think your team was ready for this moment?

YOLETT McPHEE-McCUIN: Yeah, I mean, we definitely came in the game wanting to win. I just thought we had a lot of missed opportunities. What I’m talking about is, like, this is going to give me heartburn, closing out going into halftime. Shot clock violations, 10 seconds or less.
The team is like, Oh, Zakiya. But Zakiya is a puppy. She’s a freshman. They want her to do something that KK Deans would do. And then I didn’t play Snudda, so then I don’t have Toddy there.

I vividly remember five possessions. We had something drawn up, and it did not go the way we had it drawn up. But at the same time, too, this was a last-minute change for me to put Zakiya in. It’s like no blame. It’s just great experience. And we were unlucky, you know? We were unlucky that we couldn’t execute the way we wanted to.

Q. Regarding Marquesha, why did you originally recruit her? Where have you seen her grow? What has she meant to the team?

YOLETT McPHEE-McCUIN: Marquesha went into the portal. We had Destiny Salary on the team, who is from Arkansas. You know what’s funny, we had just played Arkansas, and she was in the portal. Dez came up to me and said, Coach, Que is in the portal, we need her.

I reached out. A lot of people told me not to take her, she doesn’t play a lot, that kind of stuff. But, I mean, who looks like — like I look like the biggest winner, you know? Que is a talented player. I think she has a bright future ahead of her. I’ve really enjoyed coaching her thus far.
The way she’s grown is understanding that she needs to be intentional when she’s on the floor.

Tonight I thought it was difficult. Maybe should have drove the baseline a little bit more. They really helped off of Zakiya and clogged the lane. She had to make a lot of really difficult shots. That’s something as a coach, I’m going to go back and look at when we get to the tournament.

Q. Did you learn anything about your team through this process of these two games that you’re going to apply going into Selection Sunday?

YOLETT McPHEE-McCUIN: Not really. I’ve learned a lot about my team since we won at Florida in overtime. Actually, they have learned, too. When you get in these type of settings, it’s about will. That’s what it’s about. I thought when it really came down to coming down, I
thought the national champs reared their head.

For example, Angel was relentless. Flau-jae was relentless. I thought those two really were like, you know what, we’re not losing tonight. That’s experience. So I didn’t really learn much. I thought we had chances to win the game. It’s just unfortunate. But we will learn from the film.

Q. You mentioned Angel there. Seemed like, especially in the fourth quarter, the object for LSU offensively was to get Angel the ball inside. What did you see from her?

YOLETT McPHEE-McCUIN: Angel is Player of the Year. I’ve said it publicly. I’ve always been a fan of the Barbie. I like tough players. She rolled her ankle, and you couldn’t tell. Everyone was like, Oh, Angel rolled an ankle. I’m like, So what, she’s playing today. Look, she went out there. I thought they were intentional. We got in some foul trouble. I thought Rita did a great job with her. She is so relentless, finds a way. Her greatest strength is her will. You know, she miss, she goes back and gets it. She just out-wills you. And they rolled her like they should, and I felt like that was the difference.

Q. What do you want for Marquesha at this next level? Presumably she goes pro. What is the best-case scenario?

YOLETT McPHEE-McCUIN: I think the best-case scenario for Que would be to be with an organization that has experience so she can be a sponge and learn. No one’s bringing her in to save the day. I tell my players that all the time. Franchise players are already at those teams. It’s not like the W has 50 teams, you know? Each team already has a franchise player.

What I want for Que is to just apply all the tools and skills that we’ve given her. College sometimes makes you come very dependent. That’s really not the real world. I always tell Que, It’s not going to be like this once the last buzzer sounds. You’re not going to have someone to make sure your socks are there, you eat three times a day. Like it ain’t happening. I’ve been talking to all of my fifth-years about just growing up and learning, taking all these tools and resources that our beautiful university has given us, and now starting to apply it so the transition is not that hard when they get into the real world.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach.

YOLETT McPHEE-McCUIN: Thank you.

Next Up

The Rebels now await Selection Sunday (March 17) to determine its fate in making their third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. Ole Miss will find out where it’s headed to next on ESPN at 7:00 p.m. CT.