STARKVILLE — Mississippi State basketball is set to tip off next week, with the women’s team beginning Year 3 under head coach Sam Purcell. It’s a year of big changes for Purcell, who spoke about those changes during his visit to Starkville Rotary Club at the Hilton Garden Inn on Monday.
Purcell, a man of positive messages, has had a slogan for each season in Starkville. This year’s message is, “Own It,” a message not just about embracing challenges on the floor, but embracing the game throughout its evolution in today’s college athletics.
“There’s a lot of good in the game, and that’s what I choose to focus on,” he said.
Purcell highlighted the accomplishments in his first two seasons and the returning talent, and he celebrated the culture around not just his program but MSU athletics in general.
“I’ve got a program where we value women’s athletics,” Purcell said, giving a shoutout to James Armstrong and the women’s soccer team on their recent SEC championship. “We’re top 20 in the country in attendance for nine straight years. We own it. It’s huge to have that support, things you take for granted, that’s why I want people to own it.”
The strong attendance record has continued for the team throughout some ups and downs since Vic Schaefer’s departure for Texas in 2020. This season, lower bowl season tickets are sold out and upper-level general admission season tickets are still for sale.
Purcell also recapped his first two seasons, a positive 2022-23 season that ended in the Round of 32 and a 2023-24 season that fell short of March Madness but saw some memorable wins, including an upset of defending national champions LSU.
In previewing the 2024-25 season, Purcell noted the value of his returning players. Notable returners JerKaila Jordan and Debreasha Powe have both seen a lot of starting action under Purcell, with Jordan entering her fourth year with the program. He referred to Jordan as “one of the best players in the country,” and her 16.2 points per game last season helped boost the offense in the backcourt. This year, Jordan will again be a leader in a group that features several transfer players, and her commitment to the program has her hungry to make her last year count.
“She loves it here,” Purcell said of Jordan. “She’s a dawg, she is Mississippi State, and she has a sour taste from last year, where we just missed the NCAA tournament by one game.”
Purcell is joined by new faces on the bench as well, with two assistants leaving to take head coaching jobs after last season. He talked up his new staff, including former head coaches Fred Castro and Anita Howard, former Louisville and Tennessee assistant Samantha Williams, and of course, former MSU star Victoria Vivians.
“A lot of our young women, their dream is to play in the WNBA,” Purcell said. “So what better role model to have currently on staff that you can look up to and ask questions and advice about what it takes to get there.”
Vivians joined the coaching staff during her season with the Seattle Storm, and her return to The Hump is greatly anticipated by Purcell, who sees her as having a future in coaching.
“I told her I want you to understand I’m going to push you, and your name has gotten you a lot of places but in the world, use your work ethic to open up doors and be the next one,” he said. “And boy does she work, we’re blessed to have her. She’s a grinder and she’s excited to see you all.”
The Bulldogs face Memphis at home in their season opener on Nov. 7. It’s a matchup Purcell admitted is much more difficult than previous season openers, and asked for the same level of support that he’s seen in big games at The Hump during and before his time as head coach.
“When I took this job I saw the glory years,” he said. “I saw what Vic had, going to the Final Fours and the crowds on national television. But when I talk about the heart of this community and this state, there was a drop-off, but what didn’t drop off was our fanbase. They still came out when the bad times occurred and that says a lot about the environment and a place that is great for women.”
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