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Purcell's Bulldogs hoping to build on strong performance with regular season finale at Auburn

3rupauk8_400x400by:Robbie Faulk•about 9 hours•

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chandler prater3
Chandler Prater (Photo by Mississippi State Athletics)

Sam Purcell has known his team was capable of good things all season long.

The coach has seen them knock off tournament teams like Utah and Oklahoma. He’s seen them take an 11-point lead on South Carolina and be on the verge of a win over Ole Miss. The biggest sign came on Thursday night as State took No. 1 Texas to the bring before falling 68-64.

All that is nice, but Mississippi State needs wins now. The Bulldogs (19-10, 6-9 SEC) have picked up a couple of marquee victories but are still on the bubble for the tournament and now it’s about finishing strong.

“There’s an energy and a talk about us that I love. We’ve got to gel together and come together as a team to be playing our best basketball come March,” Purcell said. “I like where this is going, but at the same time we’re not here for moral victories. We came to play this game to win and we’ve got to stay hungry and try to get one at Auburn.”

Bulldogs’ first meeting in the rearview for State players

Auburn is must-win territory for a State team that ESPN’s Charlie Crème has among the Last Four Byes. That mark of the NCAA projections is just shy of being where the Bulldogs were two years ago when they made it into the final four teams in and had to take part in play-in games.

Getting to 7-9 in the SEC would certainly push things forward for the Bulldogs, although not even that might seal the selection. Just getting that win over Johnnie Harris and the Tigers is the first priority, though.

The first time these two teams met back one month ago, State played one of its most complete games of the year in a 96-56 victory. Auburn (12-16, 3-12 SEC) has lost five-straight games, but it’s a team that has nothing to lose on Senior Day with a coach that wants a win over a program she once helped build.

Chandler Prater has added some different energy to the team since she entered the starting lineup several games ago. Her and her teammates believe they have to have the right mindset.

“We play to win. At the end of the season when there are only a few conference games left, it’s going to be a good game,” Prater said. “I know that they’re wanting revenge because we took care of them last game and it’s hard to beat a team twice. The preparation and focus for this game has to be even bigger than our preparation for Texas.”

A win on Sunday and a Vanderbilt loss will get the Bulldogs in as the nine seed in next week’s SEC Tournament in Greenville, S.C. That would likely pair State with Arkansas in game one of the tournament with a potential matchup with Tennessee in round two.

Every game that the Bulldogs play the rest of the way is of the utmost importance. Whether it be for resume purposes or keeping the season alive, they’re all going to matter even more than ever. Purcell likes his team, but now it’s about playing with the same level of intensity as it played on Thursday night.

“This team has had wow factors and wow capabilities. We’re right there,” Purcell said. “That’s my message to them to keep believing and keep challenging this fanbase to keep pouring into my young women and supporting them.”

Game time on Sunday afternoon is at 2 p.m. and the game can be seen on SEC Network +.

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