Latest news with #SamPurcell
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
When Mississippi State, Ole Miss women's basketball play each other in 2025-26 schedule
Ole Miss and Mississippi State women's basketball will play each other on Jan. 11 at SJB Pavilion in Oxford. Both team's SEC schedules were announced on Aug. 5. The Bulldogs and coach Sam Purcell will begin SEC play on New Year's Day at Humphrey Coliseum against Auburn. The Rebels and coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin will host Georgia that same day. Times and TV channels will be announced at a later date. It's the second straight season that the Bulldogs and Rebels will only play each other once in the regular season. Ole Miss beat Mississippi State twice in 2024-25, first at Humphrey Coliseum in the regular season and then again in the SEC tournament. Ole Miss and Mississippi State will both play SEC tournament champion South Carolina on the road. MSU plays the Gamecocks on Feb. 5, and the Rebels will play them on Feb. 22. The Bulldogs will end the season March 1 against LSU at Humphrey Coliseum. Ole Miss also has a home game that day against Texas A&M. The full nonconference schedules haven't been announced for either team. Mississippi State and Ole Miss both made the NCAA tournament last season. MSU (22-12) lost in the second round, while Ole Miss (22-11) lost in the Sweet 16. Mississippi State women's basketball schedule These are the games that have been announced so far: Nov. 24: vs. Alcorn State (Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Florida) Nov. 25: vs. Middle Tennessee State or Providence (Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Florida) Dec. 4: vs. Pitt Jan. 1: vs. Auburn Jan. 4: at Oklahoma Jan. 8: vs. Tennessee Jan. 11: at Ole Miss Jan. 15: vs. Vanderbilt Jan. 18: vs. Kentucky Jan. 25: at Alabama Jan. 29: at Tennessee Feb. 1: vs. Missouri Feb. 5: at South Carolina Feb. 12: vs. Georgia Feb. 16: at Arkansas Feb. 19: vs. Florida Feb. 22: at Texas Feb. 26: at Texas A&M March 1: vs. LSU MORE: How Max Smith went from intramurals to Chris Beard's Ole Miss basketball roster Ole Miss women's basketball schedule These are the games that have been announced so far: Dec. 4: vs. Notre Dame Dec. 7: vs. Kansas State (Bill Snyder Classic in St. Joseph, Missouri) Dec. 21: Opponent TBD (Cherokee Invitational in Cherokee, North Carolina) Dec. 22: Opponent TBD (Cherokee Invitational in Cherokee, North Carolina) Jan. 1: vs. Georgia Jan. 4: at Texas Jan. 8: at Oklahoma Jan. 11: vs. Mississippi State Jan. 18: at Georgia Jan. 22: at Missouri Jan. 26: vs. Tennessee Jan. 29: vs. Vanderbilt Feb. 1: vs. Auburn Feb. 5: at Alabama Feb. 12: vs. Arkansas Feb. 15: at Kentucky Feb. 19: vs. LSU Feb. 22: at South Carolina Feb. 26: at Florida March 1: vs. Texas A&M Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@ and follow him on X @sklarsam_. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State, Ole Miss women's basketball schedules for 2025-26
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What Mississippi State's Sam Purcell said about two starters transferring to Ole Miss women's basketball
STARKVILLE — Two Mississippi State women's basketball starters have transferred to rival Ole Miss for the 2025-26 season. Three-year starter Debreasha Powe committed to the Rebels on April 15. Six days later, starting point guard Denim DeShields committed to Ole Miss. Advertisement 'Wish them the best,' MSU coach Sam Purcell said on June 17. 'Powe's always going to be a Mississippi State Bulldog. She graduated from here. She graduated in three years, and just like any other kid, you're thankful for their time here. You wish them nothing but the best.' The Bulldogs and Rebels will play each other just once in the 2025-26 regular season at SJB Pavilion. The date for that game has not been announced. Powe, a Meridian native, was a sharpshooting guard/forward for MSU in the last three seasons, shooting a career 37.3% from 3. She's started 98 games in the last three seasons and averaged 8.4 points per game in 2024-25. DeShields transferred to Mississippi State from UAB last season and averaged 5.7 points and 3.2 assists per game in 34 starts. Mississippi State could add another player to 2025-26 roster Purcell hinted that one more player could be added to the roster. Advertisement 'We might have a surprise for you all in the media here in another two weeks for another announcement,' he said. 'The Bulldogs are still recruiting, and there might be an announcement we make here soon to add another piece.' The entire MSU roster is already transformed with the top four scorers gone from the team that made the NCAA tournament second round. Seven players transferred out, including starting center Madina Okot to South Carolina. Top scorers Jerkaila Jordan and Eniya Russell ran out of eligibility. The Bulldogs added four transfers, including forward Kharyssa Richardson from Ole Miss, who averaged 3.7 points per game off the bench last season. They also signed three high school four-stars: Jaylah Lampley, Madison Francis and Nataliyah Gray. MORE: Best QBs on Mississippi State football schedule: Where Arch Manning, DJ Lagway stand Advertisement Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@ and follow him on X @sklarsam_. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Sam Purcell on Denim DeShields, Debreasha Powe transfers to Ole Miss
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mississippi State women's basketball, Sam Purcell sign Nigerian forward Favour Nwaedozi
STARKVILLE — Mississippi State women's basketball coach Sam Purcell hinted on June 17 that one more player could be added to the roster for next season. That came true on June 30 with the Bulldogs announcing the addition of Nigerian forward Favour Nwaedozi. Measured at 6-foot-3, Nwaedozi moved to Japan in high school and began her college career there at Mukogawa Women's University. She played this spring in the Kansai Women's Spring Basketball Championship, where she averaged 26 points and 17 rebounds per game. Advertisement "Favour has a wow factor," Purcell said in a release. "She's a versatile post player that can score inside and outside. She's extremely skillful on the court and can defend the full length of the floor. Most importantly, I look forward to seeing our fans fall in love with her million-dollar personality." Nwaedozi will join a revamped Mississippi State roster that made the NCAA tournament second round but lost its top four scorers. MSU has added four transfers — guards Trayanna Crisp and Saniyah King, forward Kharyssa Richardson and center Faith Wylder — and Awa Fane from Panola College. It also has signed the No. 11 recruiting class, according to ESPN, with guard Jaylah Lampley and forwards Madison Francis and Nataliyah Gray. MSU found big success with an international player last season in starting center Madina Okot, who averaged 11.3 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game in 2024-25. However, she transferred to South Carolina after the season. Advertisement MORE: Blake Shapen reveals details about injury that ended Mississippi State QB's season after four games Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@ and follow him on X @sklarsam_. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State women's basketball adds Favour Nwaedozi of Nigeria
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mississippi State women's basketball transfer portal tracker: Who's in, out for Sam Purcell
This story was updated to add new information. The Mississippi State women's basketball season has ended, and roster reconstruction is underway for next season. The transfer portal opened on March 25 for teams to make additions and subtractions to their rosters. The Bulldogs have already made moves as they prepare for coach Sam Purcell's fourth season. Advertisement MSU returned to the NCAA tournament this season before losing to Southern Cal in the second round. Here is who Mississippi State has gained and lost in the transfer portal. Who is transferring to Mississippi State G Trayanna Crisp, North Carolina Crisp committed to Mississippi State on April 14. She averaged 5.6 points per game last season at North Carolina. The rising senior played her first two seasons at Arizona State, and she averaged 12.1 points per game two seasons ago. F Kharyssa Richardson, Ole Miss Richardson committed to Mississippi State on April 3 from Ole Miss. She averaged 3.7 points in 10.0 minutes per game this season. The Georgia native will be a senior next season and played at Auburn as a freshman. Who is transferring out of Mississippi State F/C Quanirah Montague Montague is entering the transfer portal on April 10, according to a team spokesperson. The sophomore averaged 4.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game as a backup to Madina Okot. It leaves MSU with just three returning players. G Denim DeShields DeShields entered the transfer portal on April 8, according to a team spokesperson. She started all 34 games this season as a junior transfer from UAB. F Tahj-Monet Bloom Bloom entered the transfer portal on April 7, according to a team spokesperson. She was ranked as the No. 24 prospect in the 2024 recruiting class but missed all of the season with an injury. C Madina Okot Okot, a junior, entered the transfer portal on Apri. 4, according to a program spokesperson. The starting center had a standout season averaging 11.3 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. G/F Debreasha Powe Powe entered the transfer portal on April 3, according to a team spokesperson. The Meridian native has started 99 out of 100 career games. She averaged 8.7 points per game this season while shooting 40.6% from 3. Advertisement Powe committed to Ole Miss. G Anaisha Carriere Carriere entered the transfer portal on March 27, she told the Clarion Ledger. The freshman from Gulfport appeared in 10 games and averaged 0.8 points. MORE: Why Sam Purcell won't let Mississippi State's blowout loss in March Madness be seen as failure G Shakirah Edwards Edwards entered the portal on March 27, according to a report from On3. Edwards was a freshman from Florida that appeared in 11 games 1.1 point per game. Edwards committed to Troy. Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@ and follow him on X @sklarsam_. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State women's basketball 2025 transfer portal tracker
NBC Sports
25-03-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Women's NCAA Tournament not ready for expansion from competitive or financial standpoint
Expanding the men's NCAA Tournament would not be a good move for women's March Madness. The numbers don't add up, though that may not matter. If the men's field expands to 72 or 76 teams as has been a topic of conversation the last few months, it would be almost a foregone conclusion that the women's field would grow as well for equity reasons. Though it is questionable whether the men's tourney is ready for expansion, it seems clear women's March Madness is not. It's not ready from a competitive or a financial standpoint. Consider this: The first round of the women's tourney this year featured a near record number of blowouts and noncompetitive games; six teams scored over 100 points in the opening two days; there were a handful of 50-point routs; and for the first time since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1994, no team seeded 11 or worse advanced to the second round. Coaches, however, have mixed feelings on expansion. For some, it depends on who gets in with any additional spots. 'Expanding the tournament? Who doesn't look forward to March to watching six more teams, 4-12 in their league, playing for the national championship,' UConn coach Geno Auriemma sarcastically quipped. He later warmed up to the idea if it gives potentially more mid-major teams a chance. 'If that was going to be the case, hey, we want to expand by 32 more teams. 20 of those 32 are going to be mid-majors that had great years, let's let them in,' he said. 'Do you really think that's going to happen? No,' adding if that were to happen, 'I'd be all for it.' Mississippi State coach Sam Purcell wouldn't mind seeing more teams get in. His Bulldogs were on the outside looking in last year, ending up on the wrong side of the bubble. This year, they got in after navigating a competitive Southeastern Conference schedule. 'I think there is lots of good teams that you see that didn't get in,' he said. 'Obviously, I'm one of those teams that is always on the back end because of how tough my conference is, especially as we continue to add more powerful members.' Of course there are procedural steps to take before anything happens. For example, if the NCAA were to expand the 2026 tournament they would need to get it done by this spring. For that to even be considered, either the men's or women's basketball selection committee would have to put forth the recommendation. Then it would need approval by the Division I Board of Directors. And if every domino falls into place, looming on the horizon would be the potential to weaken the competition and dilute earnings. This year, 37 of the 68 teams came from the Power Four conferences. The Ivy League was the only other conference to get more than two bids. The first four teams left out of the field were Virginia Tech, James Madison, Saint Joseph's and Colorado; two more power conference schools and two mid-majors. There there's the money. Women's teams in this year's NCAA Tournament received 'units' — financial incentives for tournament appearances — for the first time. Adding teams without adding more money from the NCAA's television partner would lessen the value of those financial units for each team. There is no chance that either the women's or men's tournament would expand if it would decrease unit value. Adding teams would also raise NCAA costs which could impact charter flights, hotels, buses, food and other expenses associated with teams in the tournament that are paid for by the sports' governing body. Schools like William & Mary and Columbia both competed in the play-in games. Both were victorious earning an extra $250,000 for their conferences over the next three years through the financial units. Add in another four to eight teams and the value of those units would decrease. Instead of expanding the field, reseeding the field could be a more viable option. The NCAA could create brackets that allow 16 seeds to compete in more play-in games, leading to more competitive early round games and more distribution of the money. As it is now, two of the four play-in games involve 16 seeds. This year, 16th-seeded Southern beat UC San Diego by 12 and William & Mary, another 16 seed, won by six in its game. By contrast, the average margin of victory in the first-round games featuring No. 1 seeds against 16 seeds was 47 points. In the history of the women's tournament, Harvard is the only 16 seed to beat No. 1 seed when The Crimson upset Stanford in 1998. Even then, there were extenuating circumstances: The Cardinal had several players injured and no one to contain three-time Ivy league player of the year Allison Feaster, who was the fifth overall pick in the 1998 WNBA. Now the vice president of team operations and organizational growth for the Boston Celtics, she is also the mom of current stellar UConn freshman Sarah Strong. With the women's tournament enjoying increased popularity and flourishing monetarily, it might seem like the time to branch out. But the numbers just don't add up — on or off the court.
