Women's basketball team

[jdelta02]

Players starting to arrive for the summer session. Quite a few new faces and question marks with the 2025-26 team but they do bring a more than solid combination of experienced NCAA D1 players and young talent.

Biggest question mark is at the center spot...
6-7 Rocio Jimenez and 6-6 Faith Wylder (Stony Brook transfer). Not much info out there about either of these two, though enough to know that Wylder was a highly thought of high school (home school) talent around the New York area. 6-3 freshman Nataliyah Gray is very versatile and can play anywhere in the frontcourt needed. Ole Miss transfer 6-2 Kharyssa Richardson..another name.

[BravesDoggy]

Pee Wee needs to learn that he has to do the other half of his role and coach the team too.

[Quaoarsking]

Pee Wee needs to learn that he has to do the other half of his role and coach the team too.

Sure, but let's not forget that he's reached the Round of 32 twice in his first 3 seasons. That's pretty good.

[NCMSTFAN]

Purcell didn't hit the transfer portal as hard as he should have. We currently have 11 players and we can carry 15. Injuries happen, I wouldn't feel comfortable at only 11. We have enough gaurds and wings, I'd at least like to see us add another post player

[ZedFedder]

This team will have a losing record next year.

[Quaoarsking]

This team will have a losing record next year.

In the SEC? Probably.

Overall? Very unlikely.

[ZedFedder]

In the SEC? Probably.

Overall? Very unlikely.

We shall see. I think they are going to be bottom 4 in the SEC.

[Ezsoil]

Sure, but let's not forget that he's reached the Round of 32 twice in his first 3 seasons. That's pretty good.

He has won at least I post season game in each season...

[Cooterpoot]

They're not going to be good

[NCMSTFAN]

They're not going to be good

As we sit right now on paper I'd have to agree. That said I do like that we kept Destiny Mcphaul, if you watched any of our games she should have been our starting PG, she will have a good season. I also really like our Freshman class... they are all 6'1 to 6'3 and can play. 6'2" Madison Francis is a day 1 starter, there's a reason she made the USA team. But we do have alot of unknowns, especially in the post. Jimenez and Wylder are huge at 6'6 and 6'7 but are both raw and unproven. Purcell must know something we don't because Im surprised he at least didn't go grab a JUCO big as a backup, especially with these two's injury history

[NCMSTFAN]

This team will have a losing record next year.
Im not sure about that, we have enough talent with Mcphaul, Prater and Francis alone to at least have a winning OOC record.

[jdelta02]

Im not sure about that, we have enough talent with Mcphaul, Prater and Francis alone to at least have a winning OOC record.
Nataliyah Gray and Jaylah Lampley...both appear high talent level as well, advanced incoming freshmen. As talented as Madison Francis is... expect one of these two (Gray, Lampley) to lead the team in scoring 2025-26 season. This freshman class is better than #11 nationally..the scouts missed bad on ranking Nataliyah Gray out of Houston TX. Without the freshmen...yes, appears a down season record wise. Purcell and his staff gonna have to play the freshmen. Throw 6-6 sophomore Faith Wylder out there as well, let them grow through their mistakes and get better as the season progresses...best opportunity for a late season run. Also, Mcphaul is definitely a baller but the coaching staff doesn't appear sold (not completely) yet on her as a true point guard but a combo guard..and is definitely looking to give the Howard University transfer Saniyah King a long look to see if she can fill a true point guard type role for the team similar to Denim Deshields. Could initially go either way with these two but at the end of the day expect the staff to build around 2024-25 MEAC Rookie Of The Year Saniyah King as she learns and adjusts.

Possible breakout season (potential) with any of these... Destiny Mcphaul and Kharyssa Richardson, Crisp and Prater . Gotta bring it though, we shall see.

In the midst of all this...
Juco transfer Awa Fane is a talented combo guard. Her main upside appears as a point guard. Just needs more developing, experience playing at a higher level..

Rocio Jimenez?..still crickets, though we shall see

[jdelta02]

6-1, 6-2 guard/wing Jaylah Lampley is a knockdown shooter. She could have put up over 30 pts per game in high school had her team needed her to. Played against high level in and out of state competition. They had another good scorer on the team to help carry the scoring load...sister 6-2 guard Lola Lampley (#20 ESPN, a leading candidate McDonald's All American 2026) and other teammates. Lampley sisters really good. Not twins but hard to tell them apart on the court unless watching their numbers.

Another thing that helps give Jaylah Lampley an edge for a starting spot as a freshman is her ability to defend on the perimeter, defend period.