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Madina Okot making impact felt with Mississippi State

3rupauk8_400x400by:Robbie Faulk•12/30/24•

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Mississippi State C Madina Okot (Photo by Mississippi State Athletics)

Making the transition to a new country and playing a different level of basketball shouldn’t be as easy as Madina Okot has made it look.

The 6’6 center from Kenya was a player that coach Sam Purcell felt would be a major steal for the Mississippi State women’s basketball team and she’s proving the coach right. In her first career game, Okot racked up 14 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks as the Bulldogs would rout Memphis.

Since that time, Okot has put together 10 more double digit scoring games and has been a dominant force in the paint. The secret is now out about the impact player in the post.

“I just feel like this is what I’ve been working and preparing for,” Okot said. “I’m just glad this is coming because I like to win.”

Through 14 games, Okot has put up 13.1 points per game and hauled in 9.1 rebounds. She has five double-doubles and has shot an incredible 74% from the field.

Okot has especially been strong over the course of the last five games. During that stretch, the junior center averaged 17.2 points per game and 10.6 rebounds as she’s put up double digits scoring in all five games with three double-doubles.

Most recently, Okot closed out non-conference play with 16 points, six rebounds and three assists on Sunday night in a win over South Carolina State. Most impressively was Okot’s 7-for-7 field goal shooting. Coach Sam Purcell was pushing his team to feed the post with a mismatch inside but that has been routine for this team.

“He emphasizes it a lot. Madina and our post players are our strengths,” Jordan said. “She’s 6’7, so why wouldn’t you get the ball to her? Giving the ball to her and watching the defense collapse creates open shots for us.”

State is out to a 13-1 start and it’s the best non-conference run for the team since 2018-19. Okot is at the forefront of the Bulldogs’ hot start and she’ll be a big reason for the team’s success in SEC play if that comes, too.

As imposing a player as Okot is, the way that she handles her business impresses those around her even more than her skill. Okot carries herself with a humble demeanor and has a team-first attitude. It’s helped make the entire team a better unit.

“She’s an unselfish kid, she’s a great teammate,” Purcell said of Okot. “She’s willing to do all of the little things and you saw that (Sunday).”

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