The reigning national runner-up, a team off a Final 4 appearance and MSU’s biggest rival are among those who will visit The Hump for the 2026-27 women’s basketball season.
The SEC announced State’s home and away designation for next season on Tuesday, including home games against South Carolina, Texas and Ole Miss.
“I’ll take anybody in the country here at The Hump, so to have those marquee matchups here, I love it,” head coach Sam Purcell said at a press conference on Wednesday. “They’re big for us.”
MSU’s SEC slate hosts eight home games and eight on the road, including a home and away split with Arkansas. Dates and times for the games are yet to be announced.
The Bulldogs are looking to bounce back from a 5-11 conference record last season.
Home
- Alabama –The Crimson Tide went 24-11, with a loss in the Round of 32 cutting their postseason run short. Alabama hosted State in January, taking down the Bulldogs 85-78.
- Oklahoma – The Sooners finished last season 26-8, falling to South Carolina in the Sweet 16. They beat MSU 95-47 in the teams’ only matchup in January.
- Ole Miss — The Rebels won the in-state battle 93-68 in Oxford last year. The Bulldogs are 39-70 all-time against Ole Miss.
- South Carolina — The reigning national runner ups weren’t the most welcoming host to the Bulldogs last season, taking down MSU 88-45 in February. The Gamecocks came in at No. 3 in ESPNs “Way-Too-Early” top-25 rankings.
- Tennessee — MSU split its home and away series with the Lady Vols last season. Tennessee took the game in Starkville 90-80 in early January. The Bulldogs returned the favor later in the month with a 77-62 win in Knoxville.
- Texas – Texas heads into the 2026-27 season riding the momentum of a Final 4 appearance. The Longhorns beat MSU 92-42 in Austin last year. Texas is No. 2 in ESPN’s “Way-Too-Early” rankings.
- Texas A&M — The Bulldogs lost a close one to the Aggies in College Station last year, falling 68-64 in late February.
Away
- Auburn — MSU won its lone game against Auburn last season, 75-53. The Tigers finished last season 15-17.
- Florida – The Bulldogs hosted Florida in February, losing 71-56, but lost to the Gators in the first round of the SEC tournament, 86-68.
- Georgia — MSU defeated Georgia 85-71 in Starkville last season. UGA made the NCAA Tournament as a No. 7 seed but lost to Virginia in the Round of 64.
- Kentucky — MSU upset the Wildcats 71-59 in a game Purcell said he doesn’t know if the Bulldogs win if it was on the road. UK reached the Sweet 16 before falling to Texas.
- LSU – LSU came into Starkville and beat the Bulldogs 72-63 last year. The Tigers fell to Duke in last year’s Sweet 16 as a No. 2 seed.
- Missouri – Mizzou beat MSU 88-80 at The Hump last year. The Tigers finished 17-17 and 4-12 in SEC Play.
- Vanderbilt — MSU kept it close with the then No. 5 ranked Commodores last year, but lost 89-84 in Starkville. Vanderbilt is No. 10 in ESPN’s “Way-Too-Early” rankings.
Home/away
- n Arkansas – The Bulldogs will share a home and away series with Arkansas next season. MSU took the lone meeting last season, beating the Razorbacks 75-66 on the road.
Jake is the Mississippi State athletics reporter for The Dispatch.
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