Bulldogs carry momentum into conference opener vs. Vanderbilt

In women’s basketball, Mississippi State is used to facing adversity and coming out of it.

The program was built on overcoming adversity through multiple coaches and head coach Sam Purcell has kept the same mantra since he arrived in Starkville ahead of last season. Last year’s squad had its own adversity at times on the way back to the NCAA Tournament and this year’s team will have to overcome its obstacles at times if it wants to return.

After starting the season 8-0, the Bulldogs’ top two post players went down with injuries as Erynn Barnum missed two ball games and All-SEC center Jessika Carter missed three. In a two-game stretch in late November into December, the Bulldogs lost a 74-68 game to Miami at home and 59-53 on the road at UT Chattanooga.

When Carter and Barnum returned, State reeled off consecutive wins against Kennesaw State and Jackson State at home and went on the road for two pivotal games against Memphis and Colorado State. The song, “Bouncin’ Back” by Mystikal became the squad’s go-to.

“The adversity helped us. No matter what we faced, this team is overcoming it all and we go by ‘punch, learn and grow,’” senior guard Jerkaila Jordan said. “I think where we’re at going into SEC, we’re in a great spot we’re just focusing on one game at a time.”

Following those two losses in which the Bulldogs scored under 70 points in each game, State has racked up over 80 points in every ball game and is currently on a five-game winning streak. It has MSU at 13-2 heading into Thursday’s home opener against Vanderbilt (6:30 p.m., SEC Network +).

Purcell believes his team could easily be 15-0 at this point and ranked inside the top 15 had his players been healthy, but it wasn’t in the cards for his team’s journey. Facing the adversity that they’ve faced, Purcell believes it could help the team down the road.

“We’re happy with what happened in the non-conference. Would I like to be undefeated? Heck yeah. But I also think adversity is good,” Purcell said. “For so many different circumstances to be thrown at us, injuries, kids having to find new roles, it only prepares us for what’s coming down the line where some teams haven’t faced adversity.”

Vanderbilt up first for Bulldogs

The first team on the docket for SEC play won’t be an easy one to defeat.

The Vanderbilt Commodores are quickly ahead of schedule in Shea Ralph’s rebuilding progress in Nashville. The former longtime UConn assistant coach played and coached as a part of, arguably, the greatest women’s basketball program in the history of the sport. She’s brought all of that to Nashville and has followed up an injury-riddled, 12-win season in year one by already getting her team to 13-1 to start this season.

“I just have so much respect for Shea. As an assistant, she knows what winning looks like as she won multiple national championships at UConn. She has a DNA about her that’s impressive,” Purcell said of Vandy. “I even thought they were impressive last year with all the injuries. They weren’t just a roll-out-the-ball easy win. She had them fighting and they were competitive and now the scary part is she’s healthy.”

Vandy is led by a player that was missing all of last season due to injury. Three-time All-Defense in the SEC, Jordyn Cambridge is back and is off to a great start as she averages 14.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.6 steals a game while leading the team with 24 made 3-pointers.

Sacha Washington has been big in the post with her 14.6 points and team-high 8.6 rebounds a game.

“She added two McDonald’s All-Americans to her roster that are transfers and Cambridge is one of the best players in the SEC,” Purcell said. “We know that we have our work cut out. There are so many things that they do that remind me of Memphis, but they’re the best team that we’ve played on our schedule this point.”