Defense and Joy Lead Charge for Ole Miss Women’s Basketball into March Madness
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss women’s basketball has carved out a reputation as one of the nation’s elite defensive teams, and the Rebels now prepare to pack their defense on a trip to Waco as they compete in a fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament.
After seeeing their expectations of hosting a regional in Oxford fade away in yesterday’s Selection Sunday show, Team 50 now has something to prove after earning a 5-seed in the Waco Regional of the 2025 March Madness tournament.
Senior leader Madison Scott knew immediately after seeding for Ole Miss was revealed that there is only way to respond.
“One thing about this Ole Miss women’s basketball team is that our defense travels. So, we are going to pack our defense in our suitcase and I can promise everybody here that we are going to give it our all. It doesn’t matter if it’s in Texas or wherever, Ole Miss women’s basketball is coming to dance for a very long time.”
~ Scott’s response to Ole Miss WBB 5-seed selection
Ole Miss women’s basketball had hoped to host the first round of the NCAA tourney, but there is this fact:
“One thing about your Ole Miss women’s basketball team is our defense travels.” — Ole Miss senior Madi Scott 🔥
(Video: @KarisChambliss, Rebel Walk) pic.twitter.com/WvQyelZWx5
— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) March 17, 2025
Defensive identity
Under the guidance of head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin through the years, the Rebels have adopted a defensive philosophy characterized by relentless pressure that turns into offensive opportunities. This approach has yielded impressive statistics, as sourced from ESPN and Sports Reference:
- Scoring Defense: Ole Miss has limited opponents to 58.2 points per game, ranking 3rd in the SEC and 49th nationally.
- Efficiency: The Rebels have the 10th-best defensive rating in the country (71.51), and the only other SEC teams rated above Ole Miss are South Carolina (63.23) and Texas (65.27). Team 50 also has the 12th-rated NET defensive rating (point differential per 100 possessions), proving that their defense turns into offense.
- Steals, Blocks, and Turnovers: Ole Miss generates turnovers, averaging 11.5 steals per game, which is 14th nationally and second-best in the SEC. The Rebels are ranked 6th in SEC when protecting, averaging 4.5 blocks per game that is also good enough for top 30 nationally. Team 50 also has the 11th-best turnover differential in the country (-7.3), ranking third in the SEC.
Key individual defensive stats
The overall team defense speaks for itself, but several players have been instrumental in the Rebels’ defensive success:
- Sira Thienou: The freshman leads the team with an average of 2.5 steals per game, ranking 29th nationally and fourth best in the SEC.
- Tameiya Sadler: The Rebel guard averages 1.9 steals per game, good for 10th best in the SEC.
- Starr Jacobs: Although more of an offensive paint player, on the defensive side Jacobs intercepts plenty of passes for an average of 1.8 steals per game, 13th-best in the SEC.
The Rebels are the only team in the SEC with three players that are top 15 in steals per game. Other defensive contributors such as Scott, Kennedy Todd-Williams and Christeen Iwuala may not have eye-popping averages, but defensive intensity and effort do not have a stat category.
Joy
The result the Rebels were looking for on Selection Sunday was not the outcome that unfolded when selected as a host seed. However, Coach Yo has pushed one word to the fans, team and general public all season long: Joy.
It’s not just a word on t-shirt for Team 50, it’s about mentality. Before the seeding for the tournament was announced, Coach Yo reminded the fans of the meaning behind the word.
“We plan on creating moments. We don’t know what is getting ready to happen, but I told the team today that at the end of the day we will choose joy. Joy is our word, it’s our gratitude. It’s about being grateful that we woke up this morning. It’s about having perspective.”
~ Coach Yo at the Selection Sunday watch party
When Ole Miss was shown on the selection show graphic as a 5-seed, the Rebels’ head coach did not look satisfied. While there were moments of joy and cheers, Team 50 now has a chip on its shoulder. After the conclusion of the watch party, Coach Yo explained her thoughts on the seeding.
“Yes I’m shocked. With a strength of schedule of a three and a NET of 12, and in the last month beating the No. 7 (LSU) and No. 8 (Kentucky) teams in the country, you would think that we have a chance to host. That is not something that we can control; I’m not going to give a lot of attention to that. I am excited about our team, this is our fourth consecutive year going to the NCAA Tournament, fourth 20-win season…we are incredibly excited about competing.”
~ Coach Yo after the selection show
Coach Yo is not satisfied
They have no idea what they’ve done 👀👀👀 https://t.co/HPju5huElK
— Everything Ole Miss (@EverythingRebs) March 17, 2025
In the press conference following the watch party, Coach Yo expressed over and over again how excited the Rebels are to have an opponent to go up against next week. Team 50 will hit the road this week to Waco, Texas, packing defense and joy in their luggage with expectations of making a deep run.
Game info
No. 5-seed Ole Miss will take on No. 12-seed Ball State on Friday, March 21, at 5 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on ESPNU. The Rebel Walk will be in Waco for the matchup and bring you all the news and updates.
Stay tuned to The Rebel Walk for ongoing coverage and updates on Team 50 as they enter the madness next week.
Kameron Wicker
Kam is a senior at Ole Miss, currently pursuing a degree in Journalism. Even though he's from Delhi, Louisiana, that didn't stop Kam from growing up a diehard Ole Miss fan. He's a sports guru who watches and follows all sports at all times. He lettered four years in football and baseball in high school and is an avid Saints, Pelicans, and Astros fan. In his free time, you can find him watching sports or at the rec participating in them.
