Bulldogs look to final home outing of year
Mississippi State is so close it can taste an NCAA Tournament berth, but it's not a done deal to this point.
The only thing that Sam Purcell and his Bulldogs can control in the final few days of the regular season is just winning games. They did just that last Sunday with a 60-45 home triumph on senior day against one of the Southeastern Conference's most consistent teams this year in Alabama.
It was, perhaps, State's most complete game for four quarters. The Bulldogs have had their inconsistencies at times this year, but that rarely showed in a game against the Crimson Tide that awarded the team a Quad I victory for its NCAA Tournament resume. After missing one the Thursday before at Missouri, that one was a must.
“It's special,” MSU'S Jerkaila Jordan said. “Not only because it was senior night, but it was a win that we really needed. Missouri left a bad taste in our mouth, and we needed to bounce back. I think we did that.”
Jordan wasn't one of the seniors, but she certainly is playing like a veteran. The junior is averaging 11.5 points and 5.1 rebounds a game with a team-high 2.2 steals a contest. She's been on another level in the last few games as she has four double digit games in the last five contests and three 20-point showings. Twice in that span she has 24 points which is her season-high.
Her play and that of the others on the team has elevated the Bulldogs to get in position for an NCAA berth for the first time since 2018-19. State comes into tonight's showdown with Arkansas having gone 19-8 with an 8-6 mark in Southeastern Conference play. A 20th win and ninth SEC victory would be hard to deny a berth.
“We all came here for this moment,” Purcell said. “You have two options in life. You can run from it or you can say ‘let's pony up, roll up our sleeves and go to work.'. If you've got an opportunity and they're talking about us, that's all we can ask for.
“(Sunday) was a big one. That's a Quad I win. We've got two more. Arkansas is hurting and we're going to get their best punch and then we're going to go to LSU and then we're in the conference tournament with plenty of opportunities in front of us.”
While the Bulldogs have won four out of the last five games, the Razorbacks have been on the other end of that with seven losses in the last nine. It's pushed them to the brink of being held out of the NCAA Tournament and their last two losses have been blowouts against Tennessee.
Purcell guards against thinking that tonight will be a cakewalk. Longtime women's college basketball coach Mike Neighbors of Arkansas has won wherever he's been and Purcell has known the coach for a long time. At 19-10 and 6-8 in conference play, the Razorbacks are built to show up at any moment and make it a bad day for a team.
“They keep me up at night,” Purcell said. “Mike Neighbors is a good friend of mine. We go way back and he's all about growing the game. He's going to have an unbelievable game plan. He's got a flow about them where he pours into his young women to play with pace, play fast and just be free to shoot the ball at any time. You've got to be able to guard one through five and be able to go for four quarters.”
Though senior night festivities have already taken place for Asiane Johnson, Kourtney Weber, Ahlana Smith and Anastasia Hayes, Jessika Carter will get her moment today. The senior from Georgia missed the last two games with a illness but will be back and is a big boost with her 14.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and two blocks a game.
Purcell has urged his fan base to get ready to bring it for the final home game of the year. It's an 8 p.m. tip which makes for a late night, but he wants a great atmosphere.
“I've got one of the best fan bases in the country,” Purcell said. “I need everybody to coffee up. It's going to be a late one so take a nap before the game. We just need one more good night at home to send these seniors off right.