Defying the Odds: A Season to Remember for Mississippi State Women's Basketball

Through trials and tribulations, the Bulldogs were able to prove their hard work and talent this season on the court.

Many people doubted the Maroon and White underdogs, as well as head coach Sam Purcell. They doubted the talent, the leadership, the work ethic, and their ability to get things done.

However, head coach Sam Purcell took the opportunity of coaching Mississippi State and ran fast and far with it.

Purcell was hired as the MSU women’s basketball head coach on March 12 of last year after being one of the most respected recruiters in America and a great Division 1 assistant coach.

As he stepped into the head coach position, the fruits of Purcell’s leadership abilities and the Bulldogs’ hard work was obvious as the season began.

Purcell led the Bulldogs to 21 wins with only two losses at home. During each game, Bulldogs fans piled into the Hump to show their full-blown support for their women’s basketball team and their ringleader, Sam Purcell.

MSU trekked through the season, conquering talented teams like Texas A&M, Kentucky and Tennessee. And for the first time since 2019, the Bulldogs secured their spot in the Big Dance.

Fans and even skeptics kept up with the Bulldogs for their underdog status, but little did they know that their story was only just beginning to unfold.

As the new record holder for wins by a first-year coach at Mississippi State, Purcell made it very clear that he was determined to make the women’s basketball program impossible to forget.

The Bulldogs spent the entire season preparing for the possibility of making it to the NCAA Tournament, and their preparation and determination became apparent as MSU walked away with an 81-66 win against six seeded Creighton in the First Round.

With the victory, Mississippi State became the first team to play in the First Four and advance to the round of 32. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs just barely missed the mark after dropping a 53-48 gut-wrencher against Notre Dame in the Second Round of the tournament.

In the regular season, the Mississippi State Bulldogs averaged 71.1 points and 40 rebounds per game with a game-high of 104 points scored early in the season. The team also improved to shooting an average of 67% from the free throw line.

Standout players like Jessika Carter, Jordan JerKaila, Ahlana Smith, Anastasia Hayes and a list of other vital players, helped lead the team to all of its victory.

The question is no longer if the Bulldogs have what it takes, Purcell and the team proved time and time again that Mississippi State can surely hold its own. 

The only question now is, how far will the Bulldogs take this momentum and proven talent in the years to come?

The future is bright.