State Looks Ahead To New Year At SEC Tipoff
October 15, 2025 | Women's Basketball
Head coach Sam Purcell and his players made the rounds in Birmingham on Wednesday.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The season is just around the corner for Mississippi State women's basketball.
It's a group full of new faces, but high expectations remain for the Bulldogs.
Head coach Sam Purcell and a few of his players were in Birmingham, Ala., for the Southeastern Conference Basketball Tipoff event on Wednesday to discuss the upcoming campaign.
After two NCAA Tournament trips over the last three seasons, Purcell emphasized what he believes has been key the last three years and what he believes will be critical in the season to come.
"It's simple. In our profession it's about relationships," Purcell said. "No matter what the [roster] turnover may be, you have to connect to the players that you have. When you can connect, you can make special moments. That's what I'm most proud of going into my fourth year here at Mississippi State is those moments we were able to connect, but also at the same time make history."
While State has made that history, the Bulldogs have brought in a ton of support from the fans through it all, boasting 10 straight years of top-25 finishes in attendance. State is one of only 11 programs in the nation to be in the top 25 in that category for 10 straight years.
"When you put on that uniform at Mississippi State, it means something," Purcell said. "We have a fan base who spends their hard-working money to watch us play, and we don't take that lightly. Our fans drive from all over to watch us play. We can't thank you enough."
One player Bulldog fans will get to see back in Maroon and White this year is Chandler Prater. Prater enters her graduate season as one of the only returners for State. She said on Wednesday that she has been embracing her role as a veteran leader leading up to this season and explained how she's been bonding with her teammates.
"I learned the importance of storytelling but also building relationships," Prater said. "I think it's important that my teammates know my story and that I know theirs so we can have a closer relationship. Not everybody's the same. So, you've kind of got to understand everybody's got different needs, how to talk to them and respecting their boundaries."
One of Prater's new teammates is transfer forward Kharyssa Richardson. With a couple of SEC stops prior to playing in Starkville, Richardson's veteran experience in the league could be an X-factor for the Bulldogs' success. Richardson told those in attendance Wednesday in Birmingham why MSU was the right place for her to continue her basketball career.
"I would just say based off my first phone call with Coach Sam," Richardson said. "It was the confidence he had in me and the way he reassured me.
"He said, 'If you're in this program, you will be great.' And so far, since being here, I've never experienced a moment that's made me feel otherwise."
Freshman forward Madison Francis is another key piece for the Bulldogs. The exciting rookie can do a little bit of everything. Throughout high school, Francis played at Lancaster High School in New York and averaged 24.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 4.5 steals, 3.6 assists and three blocks per game.
Francis should have an immediate impact on this year's State squad, and she insisted on Wednesday that she's been able to fit right in at MSU.
"My dad has always coached me, and he's coached me hard," Francis shared. "It's been a transition, but it hasn't been a tough one, and I thank him for that every day."
Francis and the rest of her State teammates tip off the 2025-26 campaign on Monday, November 3 at 6:30 p.m. as they take on the Davidson Wildcats at Humphrey Coliseum. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+.
