Double-Double Trouble
November 09, 2023 | Women's Basketball
Bulldogs already showcasing their versatility.
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State women's basketball coach Sam Purcell has one main goal in mind for his team this season.
"I'm trying to get us to a championship level and another standard that we play to – a high effort and a high level for four quarters," Purcell said.
The Bulldogs took the first step in reaching that level on Monday night, posting a dominant 77-42 victory over Alcorn State in their season opener. The team hustled up and down the court and put on a show that featured a little bit of everything in front of an excited crowd in the newly-renovated Humphrey Coliseum.
Among the new and returning faces on the court, a few particular student-athletes stood out: Jessika Carter, Jerkaila Jordan and Erynn Barnum. The trio recorded MSU's first three-person double-double since December 2021.
Jordan led all scorers with 26 points and 13 rebounds, while Carter snagged 13 boards of her own to go along with 10 points. In her debut in the Maroon and White, the Arkansas transfer Barnum made her mark, scoring 13 points and hauling in 11 rebounds. The stats were more than enough to please Purcell, and he had an interesting way of describing what it meant to the program.
"To have so many kids with double-doubles means there's a Yabba Dabba mentality, and if we can do that, watch out," Purcell said.
Yabba Dabba is a new term that the second-year head coach and his team have adopted, and fans can expect that it will be heard echoing throughout The Hump when the Dawgs score quick points, fight for an offensive rebound or get back quickly to make a defensive stop. Purcell explained exactly what the new catchphrase, which comes from beloved cartoon, "The Flintstones", means.
"Yabba Dabba for us is post-sprint runs that you believe inside that, 'You know what, I'm going to beat my opponent down the floor every time,'" Purcell said.
Jordan's night was one for the books, and certainly something that could be a sign of what's to come for the senior. The New Orleans, Louisiana, native was a driving force in leading the team to victory, but she was quick to point out that there is no shortage of talent all around for the Bulldogs.
"I just feel like everybody on the court is a threat," Jordan said. "We have counters for [opponents'] counters."
Likewise, 6-foot-5 center Carter and brand-new Bulldog Barnum dominated down low, making it difficult for the opposing Braves to stop them.
"We were just out there playing hard and doing the extra little things, just trying to get as many rebounds as possible," Carter said.
The graduate student out of Waverly Hall, Georgia, explained that having two powerful post threats on the court will give State a huge advantage in putting up quick shots under the goal and pulling down rebounds.
"When I have someone like [Barnum] out there, it just opens the floor up for both of us," Carter said. "We both can get out there and eat."
With so many players with diverse skillsets spread across the court, it can be difficult to find a rhythm and work as a team. However, Mississippi State is looking to jell as a unit and ride its versatility into a season to remember.
"I've got a lot of great individual talent, but I'm trying to make a great team," Purcell said. "I saw glimpses of that."
In her final year calling The Hump her home, Carter believes that the Bulldogs are in the perfect position to make a big run in the postseason.
"We have shooters, we have a legit point guard," Carter said. "We have so many pieces this year, we can be unstoppable."
