Cotie McMahon arrived at Colonial Life Arena on February 22 riding a wave of offensive brilliance that had established her as one of the Southeastern Conference's premier scorers. The Ole Miss guard entered the contest ranked third in the SEC in scoring, averaging an impressive 20.7 points per game. Her recent performances had been particularly scintillating—a career-high 39-point masterpiece against Tennessee followed by a 25-point showing against LSU just days prior. With the 17th-ranked Rebels preparing to battle the third-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks in a pivotal road contest, expectations for McMahon couldn't have been higher.
What unfolded over the next 40 minutes, however, served as a stark reminder that even the most prolific scorers are human. South Carolina dominated Ole Miss 85-48, but the most shocking storyline was McMahon's complete offensive disappearance. The junior star managed just two points, both from the charity stripe, while missing all nine field-goal attempts and both three-point tries. The performance represented her lowest scoring output of the entire campaign and stood in dramatic contrast to the excellence she had consistently delivered.
Coach Yo's Compassionate Response
Following the lopsided defeat, Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, widely known as "Coach Yo," addressed the media with a demeanor that balanced honesty with unwavering support for her star player. Rather than expressing frustration or singling out McMahon for criticism, she offered perspective that only a seasoned coach could provide.
"I just don't know of a really good player that just hadn't had a night like this," McPhee-McCuin reflected thoughtfully. "Unfortunately, this was hers."
The veteran coach's comments encapsulated both empathy and wisdom. She recognized that every elite athlete, regardless of talent level, eventually experiences a game where the basket seems to have a lid. McMahon had carried the Rebels for much of the season, and one poor shooting night—no matter how severe—couldn't erase her contributions.
The numbers highlighted just how unusual this performance was. Before the South Carolina debacle, McMahon had been held to single digits only once all season—scoring nine points against Georgia on January 18. Her nine shot attempts against the Gamecocks also marked her lowest total since mid-December, and she managed just two attempts in the entire second half as South Carolina's defensive stranglehold tightened.
South Carolina's Defensive Blueprint
The Gamecocks didn't accidentally fluster one of college basketball's most dynamic scorers. They executed a meticulously planned defensive strategy specifically designed to make McMahon uncomfortable. South Carolina coach Dawn Staley articulated her team's approach with the clarity of a master tactician.
"She was the emphasis in what we wanted to do, and what we wanted to do is just take her paint points away, take her points away in transition," Staley explained. "Just kind of build a wall so she doesn't get clean looks, so she has to think about layers of defense because once she sees daylight, she's unguardable."
This "wall" concept proved brutally effective. South Carolina's defenders constantly harassed McMahon, preventing her from finding any rhythm and forcing her into heavily contested attempts from areas where she normally thrives. The Gamecocks understood that allowing McMahon to operate in space or attack in transition would be disastrous, so they committed multiple defenders to neutralizing her.
The strategy demanded discipline and communication, as Ole Miss possesses other offensive weapons. Staley's team essentially dared the Rebels' supporting cast to beat them, and the plan worked flawlessly. Ole Miss shot just 30% from the field as a team and never established any offensive flow.
Raven Johnson's Defensive Clinic
While South Carolina's scheme represented a collective effort, Raven Johnson's individual performance deserved special recognition. The 2025 SEC All-Defensive team selection drew the primary assignment against McMahon despite standing three inches shorter than the 6-foot-1 Ole Miss guard.
Johnson's technique and tenacity embodied the Gamecocks' defensive philosophy. She maintained a low defensive stance, moved her feet with exceptional quickness, and made every catch and dribble a chore for McMahon. Her ability to navigate screens and contest shots without committing fouls demonstrated why she's considered among the conference's elite defenders.
Both coaching staffs lavished praise on Johnson's work. Staley identified her as the "first line of defense" against McMahon, while McPhee-McCuin displayed admirable sportsmanship in acknowledging the job Johnson accomplished.
"I'm a big Raven Johnson fan," McPhee-McCuin stated. "I thought she did a really good job. I thought the way she sat down and took the challenge was good, but I thought as a team, they did a good job. One person can't guard Cotie, all right? And I thought they did a good job from a schematics standpoint, saying, 'You know what, if y'all are going to beat us, it's going to be someone else.'"
This mutual respect between competitors illustrated the strategic chess match that defines high-level college basketball. McPhee-McCuin recognized that Johnson's individual excellence, combined with South Carolina's team defensive concept, created an environment where McMahon simply couldn't succeed.
Understanding the Shooting Woes
What made McMahon's struggles especially notable was the nature of her missed attempts. Throughout the season, she had consistently buried the same types of shots that clanked harmlessly off the rim in Columbia. Her trademark mid-range fadeaways and contested jumpers just outside the paint—attempts she had converted against elite competition—repeatedly fell short.
This pattern suggests the problem wasn't shot selection or forced attempts, but rather the cumulative impact of South Carolina's relentless defensive pressure. When a player faces constant physical resistance and mental stress, subtle changes in shooting mechanics can occur. Legs feel heavier, release points drift slightly, and the automatic rhythm that usually defines a great shooter becomes laborious.
McMahon's shot distribution likely showed attempts from her preferred spots on the floor, but the context of each attempt revealed the true story. Every look was contested, every dribble challenged, and every passing lane denied. The Gamecocks didn't merely defend McMahon; they systematically dismantled her entire offensive arsenal.
Implications for Ole Miss Moving Forward
The 37-point margin raised legitimate questions about Ole Miss's ability to compete with the SEC's elite tier. While McMahon's off night was clearly an outlier, the team's inability to generate consistent offense without her typical scoring production exposed potential vulnerabilities as the postseason approaches.
The Rebels entered the contest with a 21-7 overall record and 8-5 SEC mark, positioning themselves for a favorable NCAA Tournament seed. However, such a lopsided loss to a top-tier opponent could impact their tournament positioning and raise concerns about offensive diversity.
McPhee-McCuin now faces the challenge of helping her team process this defeat while maintaining confidence in their identity. She must ensure McMahon doesn't carry the psychological weight of this performance into future games while simultaneously developing alternative offensive options for scenarios where opponents successfully key on their star.
The Road Ahead
For McMahon personally, the South Carolina game represents a valuable learning opportunity rather than a defining moment. Elite players use difficult nights as motivation, studying film to understand how opponents defended them and adjusting their preparation accordingly. Her response in upcoming games will demonstrate her mental fortitude and capacity for growth.
The SEC tournament looms large, and Ole Miss could conceivably face South Carolina again. Should that rematch occur, McMahon will have an opportunity to apply the lessons learned from this challenging experience. The Gamecocks have provided a blueprint for how premier defenses will attack her; now it's her turn to develop effective countermeasures.
Coach Yo's supportive response establishes the perfect tone for her program. Rather than fixating on the negative, she's framing the performance as a natural component of athletic competition. This approach should help McMahon bounce back quickly and maintain the confidence that has transformed her into one of the nation's most improved players this season.
In college basketball, even the brightest stars occasionally encounter nights where nothing goes right. What separates good players from great ones is their response to adversity. Based on her season-long body of work and her coach's steadfast faith, expect Cotie McMahon to return to form promptly, using this South Carolina setback as fuel for future triumphs.