SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 6, 2025

Yolett McPhee-McCuin

Kennedy Todd-Williams

Madison Scott

Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Ole Miss Rebels

Postgame Press Conference

Ole Miss 85, Mississippi State 73

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by Ole Miss. We'll begin with an opening statement from coach.

YOLETTE McPHEE-McCUIN: First of all, as always want to thank the Southeastern Conference for hosting a great tournament. We love coming to Greenville. My daughter was born in Greenville, South Carolina. There's a connection for me.

Usually it's a little bit warmer, but we'll take it (smiling).

Really happy about the victory tonight. We knew it would be hard-fought. Not only does both teams want to advance, but it's a little bit more personal when it's an in-state rivalry. We wish Mississippi State the best of luck.

For us, we had to take care of business so we could continue to chase our own destiny.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for the student-athletes.

Q. Madison, Sam Purcell was complimentary of your ability to make big plays down the stretch. How much did this tournament run mean to you, and this game specifically?

MADISON SCOTT: It means everything. It's March. This is my last go around, our last go around. We want to go as far as we can, as long as we can. This is the time to do it. We're going to give it our all, push, let the chips fall where they fall.

Q. You've been around the program for five years. Four consecutive 20-win seasons. The potential to be able to host. Talk about what coach video is building in Oxford?

MADISON SCOTT: I say it every year. We get better and better and better each and every year. We grow and improve each and every year under this woman, under her vision. There's no ceilings to what we can do.

The opportunity to host in Oxford, in front of the Oxford community, means everything to us. That's why we gave everything in this game. We wanted it to be an opportunity we could go after. We're just excited to continue to attack, continue to get wins in March, continue to dance.

Q. Kennedy, when you came to Ole Miss last season, to now be building this team, is this the kind of season you came here for? What do you feel like the ceiling is for this team this year?

KENNEDY TODD-WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think every season that I've been here, we've just been making history. This is our first time hosting, that's everything for us as seniors, for Coach Yo. Like Maddie said, it's March. It's go time. No ceilings to what we can do.

Credit to Coach Yo, building this program up. It's been very special. I'm very glad to be a part of it.

Q. Madison, Sira stands out on the court. How special is she as a freshman?

MADISON SCOTT: Sira is amazing. She comes in every day. She's expected to do things that a lot of freshmen aren't expected to do. Some days are hard. Some days she feels it more than others.

But each and every day, she comes out and gives her all for her teammates. She comes out and gives her all because this is her last opportunity to play with me, Jite, Tam, Starr, KK. She's phenomenal. There's not enough words I can say to describe her.

I just know that I feel great leaving Ole Miss knowing that she's up next. She works her butt off. I know she's going to be a force to be reckoned with for years to come in this league.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, ladies. We'll continue with questions for Coach Yo.

YOLETT McPHEE-McCUIN: I just want to say this. The reason why Sira is going to be good because she has five older sisters in the seniors that have been carrying her along the way. That's a credit to them.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Having all that senior leadership, how much do you think that helps you in some of these games, especially close ones?

YOLETT McPHEE-McCUIN: It's no question. Here's the thing. In this day and time, you don't ever want to be young. Young rosters ain't going deep in the tournament. Young rosters ain't hosting. All right? You have to have a level of maturity and experience.

I've been lucky to have Madison Scott for five years. That's not even normal. Even Jerkaila going there and being there for four years at Mississippi State, it's just not normal anymore.

Then you got people liken Kennedy Todd-Williams that leave a Blue Blood from North Carolina and say I want to come here. UCLA transfers, the whole nine.

We have definitely developed a reputation at Ole Miss. When you come here, you get better. Marquesha Davis came, three points a game. Went 11 in the draft. It's what we do. We want to take old, we want to stay mature. That stops me from growing a full head of gray hair. Sira gives me enough (laughter).

Q. You are projected to host. Important win along the way. What would that mean to get that 4 seed and host?

YOLETT McPHEE-McCUIN: Well, if I'm being honest, it's not a goal necessarily that I had. It's a goal that our chief of staff, it's an idea our chief of staff brought up last summer. He said, Why don't we go Oxford, Birmingham, Tampa? We ran with it.

Then there was a point in the season I kind of lost that want to. I remember we beat Florida. Starr said, they asked Starr why we're playing so well. She was like, Because we're trying to host. I was like, Oh, my God, these girls are still trying to do this. I already kind of moved on, you know?

Then that made me get back focused and say, Okay, if this is something. That's what coaching is. When young people have a goal or a dream, you help 'em achieve it. It's not about me. It's not about what I want. It's about helping young people go after something that maybe they couldn't even imagine.

Also in this climate, people don't even want to try because when they do, it's on social media if they fail. It is my job to help them, my staff's job, to help them be brave enough to go after their dreams.

So hosting will mean that these young ladies, team 50, were brave enough even when we lost to Texas A&M, even when we lost to Texas close, even when we lost to South Carolina, to go after their dreams.

Q. More about Sira. She just stands out so much as a defender, made huge shots. What does her ability allow you to do with this team and how important is she to your success?

YOLETT McPHEE-McCUIN: Very important. We went through a seven-game stretch where Sira just disappeared. One of the things that her and I have in common is we both migrated over to play college basketball.

I just had to remind her, Sira, I came to the United States on the same visa you came on. Don't forget that.

I remember when Sira first came on campus, I was blown away by how hard she practiced. I said, Why do you go so hard?

She said, Because I can't afford not to.

All right, this is a young lady that takes care of her family. I think she forgot that. Sometimes you can get Americanized. No offense. But we live so well in America, food... It's just a luxury, lavish. I needed her to remember what she said to me when she said, I can't afford to fail. Like, I don't have a choice.

That's a different type of hunger, a different type of attitude, gratitude and competitiveness. So what you're seeing is her getting her groove back and remembering where she comes from and why she's doing it.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.