Play Until The Clock Hits Zero

TUPELO – Having the Bulldog mentality encompasses so much more than just suiting up in the Maroon and White and performing on the court in front of the Mississippi State faithful. It requires an undeniable grit and determination, as well as a never-give-in demeanor.

Head coach Sam Purcell saw that mindset once again benefit his team as the Bulldogs put together a fourth-quarter comeback victory against Belmont at Cadence Bank Arena in Tupelo on Saturday afternoon. MSU scored 32 points in the final period to erase an eight-point deficit and rally for the victory.

"Credit to the people on my team and my players," Purcell said. "First of all, shout-out to my staff. I thought they did a great job being in my ear all game with things that we talked about. They had great poise and great suggestions with subs, and again, my team just has an attitude right now that they don't want to lose. They wanted to find a way to win in front of our fans and what a special night it was in Tupelo."

The efforts of graduate guard Jerkaila Jordan and redshirt junior guard Destiney McPhaul helped aid MSU's surge back into the contest, as the duo combined for 37 points, 17 rebounds and three assists in the 73-70 win over the Bruins.

The pair knocked down a series of shots and traded blows with the Bruins all throughout the contest, but the biggest moment of the evening came with just three seconds left on the clock.

With Belmont and MSU tied at 70, McPhaul drew a critical foul and was sent to the charity stripe to shoot three free throws.

You could hear a pin drop in the arena as every member of the Bulldog faithful hoped for a State victory. McPhaul did not disappoint as the experienced guard from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, swished all three shots to secure the 10th win of this year's campaign for the Bulldogs.

For the junior guard, it all comes back to displaying the Bulldog mentality by giving it her all for her fellow teammates, coaches and the fans that fill the stands.

"It was a big moment, [but] I feel like anybody on the team could have stepped up and hit those free throws," McPhaul said. "It was just my time today, and I was able to knock them down. My teammates helped me get it done."

The relentless attitude is a direct reflection of the leadership that comes from Purcell. Since being named the ninth head coach in program history in 2022, his goal was to bring a physical and flashy brand of basketball to Starkville.

Jordan's message to the team down the stretch also displayed her abilities as a leader for the Bulldogs and the ever-growing goals of all members of the program to perform at the highest level each time they step on the court, no matter the situation.

"Never give up," Jordan said. "We've been in that position before and came back. As long as we stayed together, stayed as one and made sure our defense was all together on one page, the momentum [would] come on our side."

Part of that installation of a never-quit attitude involves playing until the final buzzer, no matter the numbers glaring on the scoreboard.

"That's why you play until the clock hits zero," Jordan said as she exited the postgame press conference. "That was awesome."

Mississippi State University Athletics

Play Until The Clock Hits Zero

Players Mentioned

Jerkaila Jordan

Destiney McPhaul

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