SEC Tournament brings more opportunity for Mississippi State starting with Missouri

Sam Purcell hasn’t had many monkeys on his back since arriving in Starkville but the SEC Tournament has been one.

As much as the coach loves going to Greenville, SC, he hasn’t been able to see enough of the sights in the city because his Mississippi State team has made quick exits. In his first two years, Purcell’s squad got regular season wins over Texas A&M only to lose to the Aggies in the tournament.

The first of those losses put MSU squarely on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament and had them among the Last Four In for the tournament. Last year, the loss against A&M would cost them a spot in the field altogether. This year, it’s No. 15 seeded Missouri that State will try to beat.

“It’s one of those things that you’ve got to bring it night in and night out. Texas A&M got us the last two years and now we’re playing a Missouri team that loses to Ole Miss at the buzzer and played to seven points against Texas. Even though statistics and standings make it look like it’s going to be easy, it’s going to be anything but that,” Purcell said.

“Obviously they got us at their place and they’ve got nothing to lose. They can throw everything that they want out and we’ve got to play with that same mentality.”

Bulldogs trying to snap tournament losing skid

Since 2020-21, State has not won an SEC Tournament game. That broke up a string of five-consecutive seasons where State had made it all the way to the championship game with one title coming in 2019.

The tournament hasn’t been kind to the Bulldogs in recent years but another chance to improve its postseason fate is here on Wednesday night (5 p.m., SEC Network) with the matchup against Missouri (14-17).

Purcell has already been working the phone lines speaking to bracketologists like ESPN’s Charlie Crème and he’s been assured that the Bulldogs are in good shape. A victory on Wednesday would only improve those chances and allow State to climb up the seeding line.

“I think we’re in a really good spot. Other teams just don’t have enough Quad I or Quad II wins to compete with us,” Purcell said of his team’s resume. “From that standpoint, I feel really good because you always want to be in a good position with the work you’ve done before (the SEC Tournament). I’m trying to get as many wins as possible so we can improve that seed.”

Facing a team that has already beaten the Bulldogs this season only helps State’s mindset. When the two teams met back on January 27 in Columbia, the Bulldogs were coming off of the most dominant win of the season against Auburn and the Tigers had not won an SEC game.

State would play without top reserve Destiney McPhaul while others on the team dealt with the flu and MSU had Missouri hanging around most of the way. After leading by as much as 10 points, the Bulldogs watched as the Tigers climbed back in the game and they got a steal down by one point in the final seconds and a buzzer beating shot handed MSU a 78-77 loss.

Purcell is hoping to see his team play with passion and fire on Wednesday and with a sense of urgency that was missing at times in that game.

“I’m eager to see how we can play fully rested so we can do some stuff on the defensive end,” Purcell said. “Our full court pressure has gotten a lot better since then. I thought we put them on the line too much and it was a game where we were up 10 and allowed them to come back for not being disciplined. We’re going to need it on both ends to throw some different looks.”

When the ball is tipped on Wednesday night, none of the last four seasons matter and the early season matchup between the Tigers and Bulldogs is a thing of the past as well. State (20-10) has a chance to likely lock in a second NCAA Tournament in Purcell’s three years.

It’s an opportunity for players like Jerkaila Jordan, Eniya Russell and Kayla Thomas to experience one last run in March. It’s games like Wednesday that brought them all to MSU in the first place.

“I’ve always been preaching playing your best basketball come March. For us to play at Auburn and get a great road win and have that on-the-road vibe, be able to bus (to Greenville), the spirits are great,” Purcell said. “Let’s see if we can’t get a first-round win and now you’ve got two in a row. Let’s see if we can’t get some positive momentum.”