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Yolett McPhee-McCuin shares Desrae Kyles will miss summer at Ole Miss due to academic issue with Central Michigan

On3 imageby: Dan Morrison06/29/25dan_morrison96
Yolett McPhee-McCuin, Ole Miss (1)
Mar 28, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; Ole Miss Rebels head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin looks on against the UCLA Bruins during the second half of a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Spokane Arena. at Spokane Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images

This offseason, Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin dove into the Transfer Portal to retool for next season. One of the more interesting players she was able to pull out ended up being Desrae Kyles from Central Michigan.

Despite that, Kyles still isn’t with the Ole Miss program. That’s something that McPhee McCuin recently addressed, explaining that she needs to finish her academic requirements with Central Michigan before she can join the team in Oxford.

“Desrae is the one who is not here yet,” Yolett McPhee-McCuin said. “Because she had to finish an academic requirement at her old school. So, she will be out for the summer and then she’ll be here for the fall. So, she’s the one that’s not here. Everybody else is here.”

Last season with Central Michigan, Kyles appeared in 13 games and averaged 9.5 minutes per game. In that time, she averaged 3.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. She did that while shooting 52.8 percent from the field.

One thing that Kyles is set to bring to Ole Miss is a major presence inside that has McPhee-McCuin excited. She stands at 6 feet and 5 inches tall, which as she continues to develop beyond her freshman season, should help her to become a top tier center.

“What I love about her is her height. We could have used her versus UCLA. She has great height. So, really excited about her.”

Yolett McPhee-McCuin reveals recruiting process of Cotie McMahon to Ole Miss

There are several transfers coming to Ole Miss that Yolett McPhee-McCuin is excited about. That includes Cotie McMahon, who was almost a surprise to be able to recruit when she decided to move on from Ohio State.

“It was huge. When I got the call that she had entered the portal, well, I kind of saw it but then I got a call from a friend of mine. I said, ‘There’s no way we can get her,’ and he was like, ‘Give her a call. You’d be surprised.’ So, I just reached out,” McPhee McCuin said.

“She was, probably out of the group, the easiest one to recruit. It took maybe two conversations. She was really businesslike. Came in for maybe eight hours to visit. Committed before she even visited and then I said, ‘I need you to come see the place first.’ Came in the morning and left that afternoon. It was a unique experience.”