Awards don’t always tell the full story of a team. Sometimes, though, they confirm what’s already been obvious on the floor.
Latasha Lattimore being named to the 2026 Naismith Women’s College Defensive Player of the Year watch list isn’t just an individual honor. It’s validation of what Ole Miss women’s basketball has quietly become, a team that defends at an elite level.
“Our defense is the engine to our offense,” Ole Miss coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin said in her post-game press conference after an 82-61 win against Missouri last week. “As long as we kept holding them, 12 or less, 12 or less, those first two quarters, we felt good… It just shows what we can be, so I was really excited that the team focused on the defensive end.”
One of just 25 players nationally named to the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year watch list, Lattimore could become the first Rebel in the program’s 51-year history to earn the honor. She’s one of seven forwards on the list and one of 12 SEC players, which says plenty about both her individual impact and the league she’s doing it in.
Her numbers back it up. Lattimore is averaging 2.1 blocks per game, good for third in the SEC and top 25 nationally, while anchoring the paint for a defense that consistently forces opponents into uncomfortable shots and rushed decisions. She’s already recorded 45 blocks this season and ranks third on the team in defensive rebounds.
But the raw stats only tell part of the story.
Lattimore’s presence has allowed Ole Miss to play with confidence on the perimeter, knowing mistakes can be erased at the rim. She recorded at least one block in 12 consecutive games earlier this season (the longest such streak by a Rebel since 2019-20) and has eight games with three or more blocks. Twice she’s reached five or more blocks, including a six-block performance and a five-block outing against Texas in Austin, the most blocks any player has recorded against the Longhorns this season.
Those moments flip games. They fuel runs. They turn defense into offense.
That’s exactly what McPhee-McCuin was referencing when she talked about holding opponents down early and watching the offense follow. Ole Miss doesn’t need to outshoot teams for 40 minutes. It needs to defend, stay connected, and let pressure create opportunity. When that happens, the Rebels can explode.
Lattimore’s offensive contributions of 10.2 points per game on nearly 50% shooting are a bonus. Her real value comes from setting the tone. From protecting the rim. From making teams think twice before attacking.
And in a league as unforgiving as the SEC, that identity matters.
2026 Naismith Women’s College Defensive Player of the Year Watch List
- KK Arnold, UConn
- Raegan Beers, Oklahoma
- Lauren Betts, UCLA
- Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
- Madison Booker, Texas
- Kennedy Cambridge, Ohio State
- Talaysia Cooper, Tennessee
- Julia Dalan, Portland
- Jazzy Davidson, USC
- Joyce Edwards, South Carolina
- Toby Fournier, Duke
- Madison Francis, Mississippi State
- MiLaysia Fulwiley, LSU
- Rori Harmon, Texas
- Jordan Harrison, West Virginia
- Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
- Uche Izoje, Syracuse
- Raven Johnson, South Carolina
- Rashunda Jones, Michigan State
- Latasha Lattimore, Ole Miss
- Indya Nivar, North Carolina
- Khamil Pierre, NC State
- Ny’Ceara Pryor, Texas A&M
- Clara Strack, Kentucky
- Sarah Strong, UConn
