STARKVILLE – Mississippi State women’s basketball is looking to find another gear after a fast start to the 2025-26 campaign.

With two weeks left until the start of SEC play, the Bulldogs are 9-1 going into their next game on Sunday, and fresh off of dominant wins over Pittsburgh and Charlotte at home.

Head coach Sam Purcell has had a more serious tone in discussing his goals for his team over the last few weeks, beginning after a road loss to Texas Tech in which his team recorded a 30-point opening quarter before scoring just two points in the second quarter. He saw more of what he wanted in the last two outings, particularly in maintaining intensity throughout the game.

“I was really pleased with our four-quarter focus,” he said of the win against Charlotte on Sunday. “We kept talking about that, also about having better practices, which I believe we’ve had. We had two this week during finals that were really good, so that makes me happy.”

Purcell’s group has picked up their pace of play, winning by a margin of at least 12 points in every game since their loss to Texas Tech in November. Senior guard Destiney McPhaul has helped in that, scoring a career high 22 points against Pitt and 16 against Charlotte last week.

“I’m pleased with the offense right now. We’re cutting and moving,” Purcell said. “Obviously, we’re still understanding people’s strengths … but the game of basketball comes down to, when you need a player to make a play, you’ve got to have some kids where it has nothing to do with the coach, nothing to do with a set. That’s who Destiney is.”

Up next is Southern Miss, led by first-year head coach and Hattiesburg native, Missy Bilderback.

“It’s great to see someone like Southern Miss at 7-3, getting it back because they have a rich history of success,” Purcell said. “I admire her and how they’ve come out the gate and really punch teams in the face, and I can’t say enough about the team, especially their starting five.”

The Golden Eagles started the season 6-0 before losses to UAB, NC State and SMU. Philadelphia, Mississippi native Carly Keats leads the team with 13 points per game at guard, and is one of five players averaging 10 or more points this season.

Purcell’s emphasis on focus has in part lined up with the time of year. The Bulldog players took final exams over the last week while still playing at the weekend and preparing for USM.

“It’s hard, it’s human nature,” Purcell said of the December games, getting through the holidays as well as final exams.

Purcell spoke of the difficulty for basketball among the other sports, where holiday breaks typically mean visits home and the end of the semester. For his team, they’re trying to ramp up the intensity, knowing that their SEC schedule is just two weeks away.

The team has one last road trip to face La Salle in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania just before Christmas too, and Purcell wants his team ready to handle that program’s best shot.

“Human nature is to want to go home, but you can’t let your mind go there,” Purcell said of this part of the calendar. “Especially us as an SEC opponent going on the road. We’re a marquee game for opponents… so we’ve got to make sure we’re locked in, have great practices and remember to focus on us.”

MSU tips off against USM at 2 p.m. on Sunday at Humphrey Coliseum. The game will be available to stream via SEC Network+.