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Sam Purcell, Bulldogs have different Selection Sunday feel in 2025

3rupauk8_400x400by:Robbie Faulk•about 22 hours•

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Photo by Mississippi State Athletics

Sunday night had a much different feel for Sam Purcell and his team than a year ago.

Sitting in the team room inside Humphrey Coliseum last March, Purcell and his players sat somber as name after name flashed on the big screen. When all the teams had been revealed, the Bulldogs were out and their next destination was the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament.

While the team was grateful to continue playing, their true happiness took a bit of a hit as they were stuck outside the Big Dance. Inside Purcell’s living room, dozens packed to watch this year’s Selection Show with a much different result.

“Just excited. It was great, especially after a year that your name is left out and having to sit in that room,” Purcell said. “This one is for Jessika Carter, Erryn Barnum and Lauren Park-Lane because they were short changed. That followed up the men’s team so for two hours it was just joy.”

Bulldogs back in the tournament with new faces

Purcell got his Bulldogs back into the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time in school history and the seventh time in the last 10 tournaments. It’s the coach’s second trip personally, but many of the players on the team will experience the Big Dance for the first time.

The team practiced earlier on Sunday and Purcell had a special moment after practice where he got a chance to reflect on the hard work this particular squad has put in this year. The team began with just four players from last season as Jerkaila Jordan and Debreasha Powe were the only starters and impact players to return.

Now, a team full of players from all over the country and different levels of basketball will have a chance to go out West and play in Los Angeles.

“It’s just really cool the dynamics. We came right back in one year,” Purcell said. “That’s the most proud thing that I’m about right now is we got right back in the NCAA Tournament with so many pieces and so many new faces.

“As a coach, it’s more than sports. It’s a part of your life. It’s part of my family. (Strength coach Kaiti Jones) had our kids pushing F-150 trucks up a hill. If you’re pushing and sweating and waking up at 6 in the morning, why are you doing this? It’s that moment where you hear your name called.”

As State (21-11) prepares for a 4:30 p.m. matchup on Saturday against No. 8 seed California (25-9) the Bulldogs will be in enemy territory for potentially two games.

Purcell believes that his team has the deck stacked against it in the eyes of those around the country.  State has to take on a team in Cal that was set up by the committee to make a run to the second round to face off with cross-town rival and No. 1 seeded USC with super sophomore Juju Watkins. The Bulldogs want to prove that they’re worth talking about.

“I love stories, and I love movies, so it’s ironic we’re going to California,” Purcell said. “The script has already been written that it’s going to be Cal and USC. I love it. Nobody is picking the dogs. We’re going to show up to California, nobody thinks we’re going to win and just like any good movie, we’re going to rewrite the script.”

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