The Magnolia Bowl bad blood doesn't care whether it's the turf or the hardwood. It bleeds, and everyone watches.
Ole Miss women's basketball is about to put up a spectacle for the nation as they take on the LSU Tigers at home, with the same bad blood ensuring there is no love lost.
For the record, Coach Yo has never lost a game at home this season. A clean 12-0.
It is what makes her taking down Kim Mulkey's squad at the Pavilion a total rush for the Sip.
The high-stakes anticipation is palpable throughout Oxford, and while bracing for a sold-out crowd, the SBJ is also preparing to host a ton of special guests on Thursday night.
Pete Golding, Stephen A. Smith making special appearance
To start with, Ole Miss football coach Pete Golding already texted Coach Yo on Wednesday morning about his attendance at the Pavilion on gameday.
Coach Yo even took to Twitter to share the excitement, confirming the news of Golding and his team attending Ole Miss vs. LSU.
When your football coach texts you first thing in the AM to say he’s pulling up with the fellas Thursday!!!! 💙❤️😁🏈🏀
— Coach Yo (@YolettMcCuin) February 18, 2026
How can they not, especially when they are preparing to take down LSU themselves in the most heated regular-season game on their slate and possibly the whole 2026 season?
Besides Golding and histeam, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith also confirmed his presence during the tipoff, honoring the promise he made to the Ole Miss women's basketball head coach. Even if it means missing an NBA game he was looking forward to.
"There's a wonderful, wonderful coach at Ole Miss," Smith said on "First Take" Feb. 18. "I promised her I would be there. I'm showing up. That's why I'm missing the (New York) Knicks game."
Coming off a dominating 94-81 win over Tennessee, the Rebels will look forward to pulling off a strong one on the Tigers, too.
The tipoff starts at 8 p.m. CT.