STARKVILLE – Head coach Sam Purcell is making the 2026-27 women’s basketball season all about “Attacking the gap.”
What does that mean? Well, Purcell told media members on Wednesday that it has quite a few definitions.
All Purcell’s MSU teams have had a slogan, starting with “Why Not Us’ in 2022-23 to “DRIVE” in 2025-26. It’s a tradition Purcell said he started to “hurry and maximize” the short time he has with his players, summarizing the goals and mindset of a team in a quick phrase.
He said this year the program is focused on closing the gaps MSU faces on multiple levels of women’s basketball.
“Attack the gap, for us, each word comes from something that’s going on in college athletics,” Purcell said.
He started with attacking the gap in the current state of college sports. With NIL, revenue share and the transfer portal, Purcell said he looked to build his 2026-27 roster in a culture that “believes in women’s basketball.”
He credited support from the administration and donors in helping retain players like Madison Francis, State’s leading scorer last season who averaged 13.2 points per game. Purcell brought in five transfers over the offseason, including Mississippi high school legend Macie Phifer from Middle Tennessee State and Reese Beaty, who averaged 20 minutes per game at Iowa State as a freshman.
Purcell is also looking to close the gap between MSU and the top of the SEC. The Bulldogs went 5-11 in conference play last year, finishing 12th in league standings and falling in the first round of the SEC tournament.
“It’s the best conference in the country,” Purcell said. “You don’t run from it, you’ve got to come in swinging.”
He said the Bulldogs are going to change how they come on the court, and how they spend time with each other off the court. Purcell said State has added mandatory focuses, and making sure his squad is “giving back to the community.”
The last gap, Purcell said, is closing the margin between MSU and an NCAA tournament appearance. The Bulldogs failed to reach the NCAA tournament for the second time in the Purcell era last season. He believes last year’s team, which finished 18-13, was just one game short of reaching the NCAA Tournament.
“There’s that edge about them, a chip, a demeanor that, you know, that’s not a good taste,” Purcell said. “We don’t like it. And we know, as the returners, how hard this league is and what we need to do. So we’re going to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
He said he’s talked with his main returners, Francis and senior Favour Nwaedozi, about owning the leadership role to help get the Bulldogs back into the NCAA Tournament.
The Bulldogs are in the middle of their summer workouts, facing what Purcell called a “wide gap.” He said he is looking for his team to “narrow that gap” by being different during these summer practices.
Jake is the Mississippi State athletics reporter for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
