'Go Coach Yo!': McPhee-McCuin Urges Fans To Support Rebels Women's Basketball Via Social Media
Ole Miss women's basketball coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin got to the point Thursday evening following the Rebels' 81-70 win over Florida.
Fans need to catch up with the times in Oxford when it comes to supporting women's athletics. The Rebels are currently 14-5 and are tied for fourth in the SEC standings.
"It should have been packed up in here," McPhee-McCuin said after the 11-point victory. "How does a team that goes to the Sweet 16, that only has two (SEC) losses, not have an average of 5,000 people in the stands? How? You know what it is? It's the lack of value. And it needs to change."
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The intensity of the message hasn't changed, either. McPhee-McCuin recently took to social media to defend the stance as a voice in women's athletics.
"Be mad at me for wanting more for women’s sports!" she wrote on social media Thursday night. "I can live with that but I’m going to always be an advocate for women’s sports! I have two daughters. My players, staff and I work hard for this University. There is no price tag on what we did for the University last year! None!"
Women's sports has grown at the collegiate level over the years, primarily in softball and women's basketball. Earlier this week, LSU vs. South Carolina had more viewers on ESPN than the NBA's Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat on TNT.
LSU and South Carolina are a select few whose numbers push the men's basketball programs in average attendance, sometimes surpassing it depending on the day. Along with UConn and Iowa, the schools average around 10,000 fans per game.
All four schools have played for the national title within the past two seasons. South Carolina bested UConn in 2022 to claim its second title under Dawn Staley. Last season, LSU defeated Iowa for its first national title under Kim Mulkey in what became the most-watched Women's Final Four.
Ole Miss this season is averaging just over 3,600 fans per game, ranked eighth-most in the SEC. McPhee-McCuin would hope to see that number expand into the future, especially with a rising enthusiasm surrounding the men's team, which recently announced its sold-out crowd against Auburn next month.
The Rebels return to SJB Pavilion to take on Tennessee on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
