State Feeling Good Headed Into SEC Tournament
March 06, 2024 | Women's Basketball
Dawgs believe they’ve grown through late-season adversity.
GREENVILLE, S.C. – They say adversity builds character, and Mississippi State has certainly felt that leading up to its Southeastern Conference Tournament opener against Texas A&M coming up on Thursday.
The Bulldogs are looking to reach the NCAA Tournament for the second year in as many seasons under head coach Sam Purcell, and one more victory could be the difference maker in propelling them to the big dance. The Dawgs also want to make a name for themselves against tough conference competition, and they've put in plenty of work to officially make all of those dreams a reality.
It all starts with Purcell, who has put together back-to-back 20-win seasons and is looking to continue leading his team to bigger heights. Through some of the struggles that State has faced, Purcell has seen one thing to be true.
"Your character is really revealed in the hardest moments," Purcell said.
After a bit of a skid, a defining moment for the Dawgs came on Sunday afternoon. They knocked off Missouri to end the regular season on a high note and head into the conference tournament with momentum.
The spirited leader of this State bunch feels that the victory will have a lasting impact in postseason competition.
"For us to win that game like we did on Senior Night and have an unbelievable third quarter with 28 points and then put them away in the fourth makes me feel really excited about what I'm going to see [in the SEC Tournament]," Purcell said.
He emphasized its impact beyond the final buzzer.
"That right there just showed the fight of my young women," Purcell said. "It made me inspired as a head coach."
Graduate forward Erynn Barnum enjoyed a special moment of recognition before last weekend's game against the Tigers. Then, like her coach, the first-year Bulldog drew inspiration from the strong end to the season.
"We got the win against Mizzou, so now we're just looking to keep going with that momentum that we have," Barnum said.
Teammate Debreasha Powe was a shining star for MSU as a freshman, and now the sophomore is back looking to make even more March noise for her team.
There are no nerves for the starting guard. She's more than ready to show what she's got.
"Now it's like, year two," Powe said. "You've been here already, so you already know what to expect. You've really just got to come in and take care of business."
The extra work that has gone into preparing for a crucial tournament matchup has been unmatched. From the lightning-quick drills run at practice to the hundreds of shots taken at shoot-around, it seems like State is more than ready for the physical challenge. However, the Bulldogs have prepared themselves off the court just as much.
"Paying attention in practice and knowing the scout and watching as much film as we can has been important for this game," Barnum said.
She added the ways in which studying film multiple times each day has helped the team prepare for the unexpected.
"You can't really know everything that's going on, but as long as you know the basic things that they run or what they might do in certain situations, you'll get a head start of the game."
There are a few things that the Dawgs can prepare for ahead of time, especially the mindset that they'll have as they head into the game. It's something that has been an important part of things headed into Thursday's affair according to Powe.
"We're not fixing to lose the game because we're not playing hard; that's something we can control," Powe said. "So, just making sure whatever we do [is] with urgency, making sure we're coming in, going hard at whatever we do."
One thing is for certain – Mississippi State is ready for whatever it might face against the Aggies. Fans who tune in are likely in for a treat, because the Bulldogs are itching to make some noise.
"They're going to see us play hard," Powe said. "They're going to see us play with energy, play with the love that we have for each other and for this game. When we come out there, we're going to give it everything we've got."
Playing hard, energetically and with evident love for each other – what else could State need? Well, Purcell added another emotion that he hopes his team shows: joy.
"When you bring the joy, I think effort takes care of itself because there's a joy that you don't want to let your teammates down," Purcell said. "That allowed you to play at a high level and have an attitude that, you know what, every possession matters, and that's the kind of attitude you need in March."
MSU's game against Texas A&M will be lots of things. It'll be a chance to continue in the SEC Tournament, the potential first conference tournament victory for Purcell and a shot at a huge accomplishment that is well within reach. The opportunity to go dancing is obviously something that the entire team and coaching staff have been striving for since offseason workouts began, and now, that opportunity is only a few more days away.
"There's one goal that usually is the Mecca of the time you spend, and it's getting to the NCAA Tournament," Purcell said.
A win over the Aggies would, at minimum, help boost the Bulldogs' resume as Selection Sunday quickly approaches, but they have no plans of stopping there. The determination to succeed is evident in every athlete that suits up in the Maroon and White for this team, and State is going to approach every game with the same fire and attitude in hopes of pulling off one of the sport's greatest accomplishments.
"We're not just trying to win one game, we're trying to win the whole thing," Powe said.
As for how the team feels about that big goal?
"I feel like we're ready," Powe said. "We're all locked in."
Tip-off for tomorrow's game against ninth-seeded Texas A&M will be at 11 a.m. CT from Bon Secours Wellness Arena. If No. 8 seed Mississippi State wins, the team will move on to face No. 1 seed South Carolina on Friday at 11 a.m. CT.
