Mississippi
Mississippi State women’s basketball has what Ole Miss, Coach Yo want. But it’s tough to obtain
STARKVILLE — Last month, fresh off losing to rival Mississippi State, Ole Miss women’s basketball coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin didn’t have much to say about the Humphrey Coliseum crowd of more than 7,000 fans.
With the seats matching the maroon shirts of most fans, McPhee-McCuin said, she didn’t even realize how large the gathering was. However, less than two weeks later after her team’s home victory against Florida in front of 2,450 fans, it was apparent that the crowd in Starkville did actually stick out to the Rebels’ coach.
She made that clear while voicing her displeasure for women’s basketball struggling to draw crowds like men’s teams in Oxford do.
“Why can’t we be an everything school?” McPhee-McCuin said. “Because that’s a destination spot. It’s happening up the street. We went to that game and there was 7,000 people in there. You get what I’m saying? I don’t even want to call them their names. But it happened.”
McPhee-McCuin made clear the struggle women’s teams face when building programs. Recent regular season success for Ole Miss’ men’s basketball has drawn impressive crowds, but fresh off a Sweet 16 trip, the women’s team is averaging fewer than 4,000 fans per game.
Yet in the same state, Mississippi State ranks fourth among SEC teams with an average attendance of 5,457 and had a recent sellout against LSU.
As the programs meet for the return game in Oxford on Sunday (3 p.m., SEC Network+), it’s a reminder of how impressive MSU’s rise in women’s basketball is while its rival looks to catch up.
How Mississippi State became a prominent women’s basketball brand
The country woke up to the tune of a cowbell on March 27, 2017, and Mississippi State women’s basketball was the reason why.
It was a normal morning for Robin Roberts in most regards as she took her spot hosting Good Morning America on ABC. However, the Bulldogs had just given her an excuse to ring a cowbell on one of television’s most popular shows.
Sporting an assortment of maroon and white, Roberts reminded the nation of what had happened the night before. With a win against Baylor, Mississippi State had just clinched its first trip to the Final Four.
For Roberts, who grew up and played basketball in Pass Christian, Mississippi, the cowbell was a chance to endorse what the Bulldogs just accomplished. For former MSU coach Vic Schaefer, it was the start of a week that changed women’s basketball in Starkville – and across the state – forever.
Roberts became an iconic part of MSU’s success, highlighted by a postgame speech she gave in Mississippi State’s locker room after an upset of UConn in the 2017 Final Four.
“Thank you for elevating women’s basketball the way you have,” Roberts told the team.
But she also played a big role in helping grow the game, which doesn’t go unnoticed by Schaefer.
“That’s free advertisement,” Schaefer told the Clarion Ledger this week. “You get a 30-second blip on an ad for ‘Good Morning America,’ it’s $4 million from what I’ve been told. We got about $12 million worth of advertisement three straight days that didn’t cost us a dime.”
Reaching the level of success required to get that national hype wasn’t easy, though.
Sharon Fanning-Otis spent 17 seasons as MSU coach, guiding the program to its first six NCAA Tournament appearances. However, room remained for Mississippi State to take the next step.
Schaefer inherited a team ahead of the 2012-13 season that was fresh off back-to-back losing seasons. He finished 13-17 in his first season and didn’t make the NCAA Tournament the following season despite a 22-14 record. Across his final six seasons, Mississippi State became a fixture in March Madness and the national polls.
“There’s an investment level that is required,” Schaefer said. “Once you get a return on your investment, it’s real easy to support it.”
Style of play was a big reason Schaefer’s teams appealed to Starkville.
Success for Mississippi State, Ole Miss starts in Mississippi high school basketball
In-state products such as Victoria Vivians (Carthage) helped mold the best years of Schaefer’s tenure, but even since his departure, Mississippi has generated top players.
Debreasha Powe is a sophomore at Mississippi State out of Meridian High School in Meridian. Madison Booker, a freshman star for Schaefer at Texas, is a product of Ridgeland. In her first season, Powe started 32 games for an NCAA Tournament team. This season, Booker is averaging 15.5 points per game and has started all 24 games she has appeared in.
“I think in both cases, those kids played for really good high school coaches,” Schaefer said. “They had a lot of success in high school. They had to be the player on their high school team, so night in and night out they had to show up and be accountable. I think that’s what gets you ready for college more than anything.”
Added to the list is Ole Miss forward Snudda Collins out of Brookhaven. The state is producing talent at an impressive pace, though it doesn’t guarantee the top players are coming to your program.
“I think the trend is becoming that elite players from their state are staying home,” McPhee-McCuin said. “What makes it difficult in Mississippi is you have two Power Five programs in the same conference … That makes it incredibly challenging because when you do get one that has a lot of talent, now you’re fighting in state against them.”
BREAKING IT DOWN: Explaining Ole Miss women’s basketball’s $8.4 million deficit in 2023 fiscal year
With success, though, comes the ability to recruit at a bigger scale. Collins and Powe are the lone in-state products across the two rival rosters this season. However, both programs have top players from other spots, ranging from MSU guard Mjracle Sheppard from Washington to Ole Miss guard Marija Avlijas from Serbia.
There are layers to creating the success women’s basketball has in Mississippi. It’s a cycle where fans, programs and schools work hand-in-hand to keep each other moving forward.
When the highs are reached and programs get to the levels Mississippi State and Ole Miss have gotten to, the benefits resonate throughout the state.
“When you have two programs on the national stage that are able to give exposure to women’s sports, compete at the highest level and be two brands that are recognized on the women’s side, it’s not only great for our universities, it’s great for our schools,” MSU coach Sam Purcell said.
Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, @skrajisnik3.
Supreme Court allows late-arriving mail-in ballots
The Supreme Court is upholding Mississippi’s rule to count mail-in ballots received within five days after Election Day, halting Trump’s attack on voting by mail.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court backed on Monday state laws that allow mail-in ballots received after Election Day to be counted, rejecting a Republican-led challenge to a five-day grace period in Mississippi and dealing a setback to President Donald Trump.
The justices in a 5-4 ruling overturned a lower court’s decision that had deemed Mississippi’s law inconsistent with U.S. statutes that set the timing of federal elections – for the presidency, Senate and House of Representatives. Trump last year vowed to end the use of mail-in ballots nationwide before this November’s congressional elections, when his fellow Republicans are seeking to retain control of Congress.
The court has a 6-3 conservative majority. Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts and fellow conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court’s three liberals in the majority. Barrett wrote the opinion.
Conservative Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh dissented from the decision.
Mississippi’s law permits mail-in ballots to be counted if they were postmarked on or before Election Day but received up to five business days after a federal election. Absentee voting by mail in Mississippi is limited to a few categories of voters including people age 65 and above, the disabled and those living away from home.
About 30 states and the District of Columbia accept at least some ballots that are postmarked on or before Election Day but received afterward.
The Republican National Committee, the Mississippi Republican Party and other plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in 2024 seeking to invalidate Mississippi’s law.
Trump’s administration backed the challenge. Restricting mail-in ballots would stand to disproportionately benefit Republicans given that Democratic voters traditionally have been more likely to use mail-in ballots than Republican voters.
After the ruling, Trump again called on Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, a partisan federal elections bill that would require photo identification to vote and proof of citizenship to register to vote. Republicans have been unable to overcome Democratic opposition in the U.S. Senate, where 60 votes are required to advance most legislation in the 100-seat chamber. Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority.
“In light of the tremendous loss in the Supreme Court today concerning Voter’s Rights, and the fact that ‘people’s’ votes are allowed to be counted LONG AFTER an Election is over, it is more important than ever to pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT,” Trump wrote.
Trump added, “There is only one reason to oppose — CHEATING!”
Democrats have accused Trump of seeking measures that would make it harder for people to vote, especially groups that tend to favor Democratic candidates
A skeptical view
Republicans have taken a skeptical view toward mail-in ballots. Trump has sought to cast doubt on the security of these ballots, although evidence of voter fraud is rare. Trump issued an executive order in March to restrict mail-in ballots nationwide, but a federal judge in Boston on June 25 blocked its implementation.
Trump has continued to make false claims of widespread voting fraud in the 2020 presidential election that he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.
During the first year of the COVID pandemic, the Republican-controlled Mississippi legislature in 2020 passed the law on mail-in voting on a bipartisan basis.
The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2024 ruled in favor of the Republican challengers. It declared that the measure was preempted by federal laws setting Election Day for federal elections as the “day by which ballots must be both cast by voters and received by state officials.”
Federal law “does not permit the state of Mississippi to extend the period for voting by one day, five days or 100 days,” the 5th Circuit stated.
The 5th Circuit did not immediately block Mississippi’s procedures, but instead sent the case back to a trial judge for further review. The litigation was placed on hold pending the Supreme Court’s consideration.
During Supreme Court arguments in the case in March, some of the conservative justices expressed concerns that permissive mail-in ballot practices could cause the appearance of voter fraud. Some of the liberal justices said the arguments made by the challengers also would jeopardize the widespread practice of early voting prior to Election Day.
Though the 5th Circuit’s action applied only in the three states where the regional federal appeals court has jurisdiction — Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas — it called into question the voting practices in the other states with similar mail-in ballot policies.
The 5th Circuit’s decision would “override countless state laws from the past 165 years and largely require citizens to vote in person, on Election Day, in their home districts, without the secret-ballot system,” Mississippi said in its appeal.
Other election-related decisions
Acting in other election-related cases, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority in April gutted a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, blocking an electoral map that had given Louisiana a second Black-majority U.S. congressional district.
The ruling makes it harder for minorities to challenge electoral maps as racially discriminatory under the 1965 civil rights law and represented a victory for Louisiana Republicans and Trump’s administration.
That decision prompted several Republican-led states to pursue redrawn electoral maps ahead of the midterms in an effort to put at risk U.S. House seats considered safely Democratic-held.
Mississippi has no shortage of quarterback talent entering the 2026 high school football season. From proven 3,000-yard passers to explosive dual-threat playmakers and reigning state champions, the Magnolia State is loaded with signal-callers capable of carrying their teams deep into November.
As we gear up for the 2026 season, High School On SI will be exploring Mississippi’s top players at each position. Today, we start with our list of quarterback to watch, highlighting 10 of the best signal callers in the state.
Elite Passers
Smith Stringer, Presbyterian Christian School
In 2025, Stringer completed nearly 61 percent of his passes for 2,783 yards and 37 touchdowns. He threw just seven interceptions, and there were three games where he threw for over 300 yards. Stringer also added 144 yards on the ground with two touchdowns on 24 carries.
Kellen Hall, Oak Grove
Hall completed 64 percent of his passes for 2,709 yards and 34 touchdowns last season. He displayed excellent decision-making as well as he threw only four interceptions. On the ground, Hall rushed for 189 yards and one touchdown on 39 carries. Hall also put the entire state on notice last season with his 438-yard and six touchdown performance in the 57-54 loss to Starkville.
Gavin Ducksworth, Hattiesburg
In 2025, Ducksworth completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,581 yards and 27 touchdowns with five interceptions. Ducksworth had two games where he passed for over 400 yards, and he finished with a quarterback rating of 137.1.
The Dynamic Dual-Threats
Paris Trivillion, Pass Christian
Few quarterbacks in Mississippi are more dangerous with both their arm and legs than Trivillion. In two full years as a starter, Trivillion has passed for over 4,600 yards with 53 touchdowns and rushed for over 1,800 yards with 23 touchdowns. In his junior season, he completed nearly 53 percent of his passes for 2,570 yards with 34 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also rushed for 1,120 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Kingston Johnson, Starkville
Johnson finished the season last year by completing 51 percent of his passes for 2,510 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 488 yards and eight touchdowns. Johnson’s best game of the 2025 season came in the 57-54 win over Oak Grove. In that game, he passed for 486 yards and four touchdowns. Johnson also rushed for 92 yards and two touchdowns in the win.
Caiden Wade, Kosciusko
Like Trivillion, Wade returns as one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the state as he accounted for double-digit passing and rushing touchdowns. Through the air, Wade completed 60 percent of his passes for 2,402 yards and 22 touchdowns with only three interceptions. On the ground, Wade rushed the ball 107 times for 407 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Championship Leaders
Sullivan Reed, Lamar
The Mississippi State baseball commit has also shown he is one of the top quarterbacks in the state. Last season, Reed completed nearly 56 percent of his passes for 2,409 yards and 26 touchdowns to only seven interceptions. He added 334 more yards on the ground with six touchdowns.
Kross Avent, East Webster
Avent’s numbers might not jump off the stat sheet like some of the other signal callers on this list, but he displayed excellent decision making and leadership qualities as he helped the Wolverines capture the 2A state championship last year. He only completed 90 passes for the entire season, but in those 90 passes, he finished with 1,797 yards with 22 touchdowns. Avent averaged exactly 20 yards per completion which was one of the highest in the state. Lastly, he also rushed for 237 yards and three touchdowns.
Rising Stars
Brady Chancelor, Seminary
Chancelor emerged as one of the state’s top young quarterbacks by passing for over 3,400 yards. He also completed 65 percent of his passes and tossed 28 passing touchdowns. In 2026, he will look to further add to his run game as he rushed for two touchdowns in 2025.
Kobe Payne, Aberdeen
Last season, Payne completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 2,005 yards and 26 touchdowns with eight interceptions. He also rushed for 274 yards and seven touchdowns. His best two-game stretch of 2025 came in the wins over Humphreys County and Booneville. In these two games, Payne passed for 639 yards combined with eight touchdowns.
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The Mississippi State Bulldogs were the definition of a trap game in 2026. Despite going 5-8, they upset No. 12 Arizona State and pushed ranked Texas and Tennessee squads to overtime finishes.
The team made real strides in head coach Jeff Lebby’s second season, especially considering they were coming off of a 2-10 campaign. Whether or not they will be able to continue that momentum will hinge greatly on Lebby’s ability to build a team around exciting sophomore quarterback Kamario Taylor.
So, will the Bulldogs pose any kind of threat to Texas in 2026? Or can the Longhorns look ahead to a date with Lane Kiffin’s LSU Tigers later that month?
The Bulldogs May Frighten the Longhorns This Halloween
Mississippi State has every reason to take a step up in 2026. On top of letting Taylor take the reigns, Lebby is also brining back defensive coordinator Zach Arnett, who led three top-five SEC defenses from 2020-2022.
While the rest of the roster is fairly weak, it is not bereft of talent. Fluff Bothwell and Xavier Gayten form a solid backfield tandem whom will likely be even more productive next to a dynamic rusher like Taylor.
Lebby will no doubt grind teams down in the run game this season, the Bulldogs handed the ball off the third-most frequently of any SEC team in 2025 and Taylor is taking over for pocket-passer Blake Shapen. That means that they should be able to control the clock and limit possessions, factors which increase the likelihood of an upset victory.
That is particularly problematic for a Texas team that finished 110th in the FBS in time of possession last season and 75th the year before that. While that should improve as new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp is bringing a more aggressive style of defense, it will still be an issue for a pass-heavy Longhorns team.
This game also falls right in the middle of Texas’ SEC schedule, meaning they will have to properly recover after battling Tennessee, Oklahoma, Florida and Ole Miss and ignore the temptation of looking ahead to games against Missouri, LSU, Arkansas and Texas A&M.
With all of that in mind, it is clear that the Longhorns will need to be wary of the Bulldogs this season, even with home-field advantage on their side.
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