After retooling its backcourt over the last several weeks, Mississippi State added to its frontcourt Monday with the addition of former Georgia Southern forward Kayla Thomas.
Thomas came to Georgia Southern after two seasons at Penn State, and in her lone year with the Eagles, she appeared in 32 games with 11 starts. She averaged 5.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game but played her best basketball of the year late in the season, with 9.7 points and 6.7 boards per contest over her last 10 games.
That included a 13-point, 10-rebound performance at Marshall on Mar. 1 and a season-high 16 points against Coastal Carolina on Feb. 27.
Thomas joins another former Eagle, Terren Ward, in Starkville after former Georgia Southern head coach Anita Howard was named an assistant coach for the Bulldogs. MSU has already added guards Eniya Russell (Kentucky), Chandler Prater (Oklahoma State) and Denim DeShields (Alabama-Birmingham) this offseason in the transfer portal, as well as post player Madina Okot from Kenya and top junior college guard Destiny McPhaul.
The Bulldogs are entering their third season under head coach Sam Purcell. MSU advanced to the second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, but a late-season losing streak cost the Bulldogs another tournament bid in 2024.
“I look forward to becoming the best version of myself and being challenged both on and off the court,” Thomas said. “I’m ready to get to work with Coach Purcell and his staff, and to play the game I love among the best in the SEC. I know that this staff will develop my game and help me ultimately reach my goal of playing at the professional level.”
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