Mississippi State and head coach Sam Purcell had success tapping into the junior college ranks last offseason, adding a key rotation piece in the backcourt with Destiney McPhaul. The Bulldogs are hoping they will be able to make lightning strike twice.
MSU secured a commitment Wednesday from Awa Fane, one of the top junior college players in the country over the last two years. Playing at Panola College in Carthage, Texas, Fane averaged 16.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.8 steals. The 5-foot, 8-inch guard started 50 of the 55 games she appeared in and was an 80 percent free throw shooter.
Fane is the fourth player to join the Bulldogs this spring in the transfer portal, along with Kharyssa Richardson (Ole Miss), Trayanna Crisp (North Carolina) and Saniyah King (Howard). MSU is also adding three top-100 incoming freshmen in Jaylah Lampley, Madison Francis and Nataliyah Gray.
Many of those newcomers will need to contribute right away, because McPhaul and Chandler Prater are the only returners from the 2024-25 team that reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs will have 10 players on the roster once the freshmen join, leaving three scholarship slots still available.
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