Sam Purcell pushing all the right buttons with Mississippi State team

A self-proclaimed slogan man, Sam Purcell knows how to get his team going.

Last season, Purcell started the slogan, “why not us” and rode it all the way to the NCAA Tournament. When he was there, he wanted the media to “talk to him nice” as he took down Illinois and Creighton in the first two games and was just shy of a Sweet 16 berth in year one.

This year, however, Purcell couldn’t have nailed it any better than he has.

Before the season began, Purcell unveiled that his team slogan this year would be “one” – representing the idea that the team wouldn’t be built around just one piece but everyone doing its job and the results would follow. As we enter the midway point of the SEC schedule, there’s no doubt that this group of 10 players have all bought into it.

“It can be anybody’s night,” Purcell said. “I’m trying to keep this team together – not that we’re falling apart –  because in today’s society everybody thinks they’re the one. But what if everybody’s the one? Instead of slapping somebody, you’re punching somebody and that’s what we’re trying to do now.”

3-0 week has Bulldogs shooting up standings

On February 4, MSU sits at third in the SEC standings and two of the three losses came to the teams ahead of them in South Carolina and Tennessee. State is on the cusp of reaching 20 wins with eight games to go and they are playing their best ball of the year.

This week in particular was Purcell’s best coaching job as head man. He and his staff successfully navigated three games in six days that included a home win over No. 9 LSU and consecutive road wins over Kentucky and Texas A&M. The Bulldogs are winners of four-straight games and nothing has come easy in that stretch.

Most impressive is who all has made plays to get the Bulldogs those wins.

It started on Monday night against the Tigers in front of a sold out Humphrey Coliseum. State had monster contributions from Mjracle Sheppard and Darrione Rogers off the bench and a big night from Jerkaila Jordan as State slayed the defending National Champions for the win.

Thursday was a classic hangover game. Purcell said that he saw it in shootaround the day of the game and knew his team was in for a fight against a Kentucky team that is struggling to win games. The Bulldogs blew a lead in the fourth quarter and fell behind by six points in the final minute.

But after shooting 0-for-9 from 3-point range the first 39 minutes of the game, State came alive. Rogers hit the first and then Debreasha Powe made two-straight in the final 20 seconds to send the game to overtime. The Bulldogs won from there behind those shots and a dominant post presence from Jessika Carter with 25 points and 13 rebounds.

One of the toughest challenges came on Sunday. State went to Aggieland to take on a Texas A&M team that has gone 11-1 at home this season. The hard-nosed and talented Aggie team punched State in the mouth early, but the Bulldogs responded.

In the fourth quarter, it was Erynn Barnum’s turn to shine. A senior transfer from Arkansas went from a centerpiece with the Razorbacks to sharing the spotlight in Starkville and she has kept the faith. Barnum was rewarded on Sunday with 14 fourth quarter points and a season-high 20 points on the night.

“It’s not going to be my night every night. Coach Sam says there’s enough for all of us to eat,” Barnum said. “It could be Jerk, Lauren, Jess or me so just playing together and pouring in each other’s cup is what we’ve been focusing on all season.”

Rogers’ Spark

It hasn’t been easy for Purcell to make this work two years in a row. He took over in Starkville last season and had to repair a broken locker room and a fractured team. He mended it with relationship building from his staff and an infusion of transfer portal guards like Ahlana Smith, Asianae Johnson and Kourtney Weber that brought toughness and teamwork to the team.

This year, Purcell has had to do it again with Barnum, Darrione Rogers and Lauren Park-Lane. It’s not easy and it hasn’t been clean, but things are coming together.

“I told everybody give me time. It’s culture. It’s not as easy as you transfer in and you can play. You’ve got to stay the course and be a great teammate,” Purcell said. “We moved (Rogers) to the two spot, and she shoots it better there. It’s the culmination of everything, but the culmination of finding team success and she’s the ultimate team player.”

Rogers has been the consistent catalyst in what has gotten the Bulldogs going. She’s started in just four games this season but is averaging 7.5 points and 3.5 rebounds while making 36 3-pointers which is second on the team to Powe.

After scoring just 16 points total in the first five conference games, Rogers has followed that up with four double digit performances in the last five games. She’s knocked down 11 3-pointers during that stretch and has been a factor in every win.

The numbers aren’t really what matter to her – the wins are the only thing on her mind. This team is on the same wavelength.  

“At the end of the day, we’re really close. This is the closest team I’ve been a part of,” Rogers said. “Now we’re really clicking. The more games we have and the more chemistry we have on and off the court makes it easier.”