PREVIEW - Alcorn State - Mississippi State

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State opens the 2023-24 season when the Bulldogs host Alcorn State inside newly-renovated historic Humphrey Coliseum on Monday, Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+.

GAME INFORMATION
Mississippi State (0-0) vs. Alcorn State (0-0)
Date: Monday, Nov. 6 | Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
Location: Starkville, Miss. (Humphrey Coliseum - 9,100)
Watch: SEC Network+ (Talent: Bart Gregory and Charlie Winfield)
Listen: MSU Radio Network - Starkville 96.1 (Play-By-Play: Jason Crowder)

Fans not in attendance can follow action with talent Bart Gregory and Charlie Winfield on SEC Network+ or through their affiliate radio station with play-by-play Jason Crowder. Live statistics throughout the contest will be available at statbroadcast.com.

It marks the 12th overall meeting in the in-state series with Mississippi State holding a 9-2 advantage overall and a 6-1 edge in Humphrey Coliseum. The two programs last met in an 86-63 Mississippi State win on Nov. 14, 2021 in Starkville.

Alcorn State is led by head coach Nate Kilbert, who has spent over 18 years coaching in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Alcorn State finished 12-17 last season; however, the Braves return their top four scorers including Preseason All-SWAC First Team junior forward Destiny Brown. Brown paced the team with 13.6 points and 8.4 rebounds per game in 2022-23.

Mississippi State has won 19 consecutive season openers dating back to 2004. Mississippi State opened last season with a 104-47 win over Mississippi Valley State on Nov. 9, 2022. It remains the largest margin of victory under head coach Sam Purcell.

The Bulldogs went 14-2 at home in the first season under the direction of Purcell to extend a streak of 10 or more home wins in 11 of the last 12 seasons. Mississippi State has also ranked in the top-20 nationally in average attendance each of the last eight seasons. Mississippi State averaged 79.8 points per game in the 14 home victories and were 19-1 when scoring at least 70 points last season.

The Bulldogs welcome in the third-ranked transfer class by 247 Sports with the trio of senior guard Darrione Rogers (DePaul), graduate student guard Lauren Park-Lane (Seton Hall) and graduate student forward Erynn Barnum (Arkansas). All three ranked inside the top 20 overall transfers by the outlet.

In addition to the transfer portal, Purcell and the staff retooled the roster with the addition of three espnW top-100 high school prosects in Quanirah Montague (No. 48), Jasmine Brown-Hagger (No. 54) and Mjracle Sheppard (No. 86). The three top-100 recruits were the second most in program history.

Mississippi State returns five players from last year's team, led by graduate student forward/center Jessika Carter. Carter was named to the Preseason All-SEC Second Team voted by a select panel of SEC and national media and the 2024 Lisa Leslie Award Preseason Watch List after she led the SEC with a 57.0 field goal percentage and the team with 14.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game in 2022-23.

The Bulldogs also return senior guard Jerkaila Jordan and SEC All-Freshman team selection guard Debreasha Powe.

Mississippi State remains home this weekend to face Southeastern Louisiana on Friday, Nov. 10 at 6:30 p.m. and Jacksonville State on Sunday, Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. Each contest will be aired on SEC Network+.

SEC Honors
Jessika Carter was selected to the 2024 Preseason All-SEC First Team (coaches) and Preseason All-SEC Second Team (media), while transfer Erynn Barnum and Jerkaila Jordan were named to the Preseason All-SEC Second Team (media). In Purcell's first season at the helm, Jessika Carter earned All-SEC Second Team and All-Defensive Team accolades, while Debreasha Powe was placed on the SEC All-Freshmen Team. It was the fourth straight season Mississippi State had a player on the conference All-Freshman team.

Previewing The Schedule Ahead
Mississippi State will play seven games against six programs that were in or received votes in the preseason AP Top 25. The Bulldogs will also play 10 games against nine programs that made the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Mississippi State will host Miami (Fla.) in the 2024 ACC/SEC Challenge. The Hurricanes advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history last season and were ranked No. 25 in the preseason USA TODAY Coaches Poll, while receiving votes in the AP Poll. Southeastern Lousiana (Southland Conference), UT Chattanooga (Southern Conference) and Jackson State (Southwestern Athletic Conference) were preseason favorites to win their conference. Mississippi State will also take part in the 2023 Van Chancellor Classic over Thanksgiving break.

Head Coach Sam Purcell – What A Year One
Head Coach Sam Purcell became the winningest head coach in their debut season at Mississippi State with a 22-11 record in 2022-23. Most impressive, though, is that Purcell guided Mississippi State to the NCAA Tournament following a three-year hiatus. In the tournament, the Bulldogs became the first team in NCAA Women's Basketball history to advance to the tournament's second round after starting in the First Four. Purcell also recorded the most SEC wins by a Mississippi State head coach in their first season with a 9-7 record, four more wins than the previous high of five. Coach Purcell's 22 wins were the second most by all rookie head coaches at the Division 1 level, trailing only Wyoming's Heather Ezell with 23 wins. He coached Jessika Carter to All-SEC Second Team and All-Defensive Team honors, and Debreasha Powe to the All-Freshman Team. Despite not having a full season, Purcell and the staff recruited the nation's 16th-ranked recruiting class by Junior All Stars and 20th by espnW in 2023. The 2023 signing class ranked as the second-best class in program history only behind 2018. At age 44, he is tied for the third youngest head coach in the SEC with Coach Taylor of Texas A&M. The youngest coach in the SEC is Florida's Kelly Rae Finley at age 37.

Mississippi State Vs. The State Of Mississippi
Mississippi State makes it a point to play all the Division I teams from the state of Mississippi. Not including conference-foe Ole Miss, Mississippi State has played the other Division I teams from the state 25 times since 2010. Mississippi State owns a 24-1 record in those meetings with the lone loss came at Southern Miss in 2012. Since 2010, MSU is 45-7 against all Division I schools in the state. Mississippi State will play Alcorn State, Jackson State, Mississippi Valley State and Ole Miss in 2023-24.

Mississippi State Among Winningest Programs Since Start Of 2016-17
Since the start of the 2016-17 campaign, Mississippi State owns 178 wins, which is the 11th most victories in all of Division I. During that stretch, State has appeared in two national title games, made three consecutive Elite Eights and won three SEC Championships.

PREVIEW - Alcorn State

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Players Mentioned

Erynn Barnum

Jasmine Brown-Hagger

Jessika Carter

Jerkaila Jordan

Quanirah Montague

Lauren Park-Lane

Debreasha Powe

Darrione Rogers

Mjracle Sheppard

Mississippi State University Athletics