Madison Francis

Madison Francis named to the 2026 Naismith Defensive Player of The Year Watch List.
She definitely has the ability to make a hard push to win.this thing coming down the stretch of the season.

My opinion she's the type player along with fellow freshman Jaylah Lampley that can be big keys to helping get Miss. State's women's basketball program back on the map, back to the Final 4. ect. They just need to keep getting experience, keep working hard and getting better, and the coaching staff get them some more help. Also, freshmen Melissa Guillet (France transfer) and Nataliyah Gray "Tally" are promising young players on this roster as well. All of these are freshmen. Not to mention rising sophomore guard Saniyah King but just basically focusing on the freshmen here in this particular context. Not saying give up on this season but that the future looks bright for this team.

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Originally Posted by jdelta02

Madison Francis named to the 2026 Naismith Defensive Player of The Year Watch List.
She definitely has the ability to make a hard push to win.this thing coming down the stretch of the season.

My opinion she's the type player along with fellow freshman Jaylah Lampley that can be big keys to helping get Miss. State's women's basketball program back on the map, back to the Final 4. ect. They just need to keep getting experience, keep working hard and getting better, and the coaching staff get them some more help. Also, freshmen Melissa Guillet (France transfer) and Nataliyah Gray "Tally" are promising young players on this roster as well. All of these are freshmen. Not to mention rising sophomore guard Saniyah King but just basically focusing on the freshmen here in this particular context. Not saying give up on this season but that the future looks bright for this team.

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Wait, people still follow women's basketball since Vic left?

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Originally Posted by TheLostDawg

Wait, people still follow women's basketball since Vic left?

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No. Jdelta gives us the quick take of the highlights. Or lowlights.

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Originally Posted by jdelta02

Madison Francis named to the 2026 Naismith Defensive Player of The Year Watch List.
She definitely has the ability to make a hard push to win.this thing coming down the stretch of the season.

My opinion she's the type player along with fellow freshman Jaylah Lampley that can be big keys to helping get Miss. State's women's basketball program back on the map, back to the Final 4. ect. They just need to keep getting experience, keep working hard and getting better, and the coaching staff get them some more help. Also, freshmen Melissa Guillet (France transfer) and Nataliyah Gray "Tally" are promising young players on this roster as well. All of these are freshmen. Not to mention rising sophomore guard Saniyah King but just basically focusing on the freshmen here in this particular context. Not saying give up on this season but that the future looks bright for this team.

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What's the chances of even keeping them here? I know MF is from the east coast and can't recall on Lampley atm.

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Originally Posted by EdwardDrayton

No. Jdelta gives us the quick take of the highlights. Or lowlights.

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S/He? does this for free?


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Not on the same page with Coach Purcell and staff on everything but feel that they're doing a good job overall and are still in the process of adjusting to this new era of college basketball as well as this stronger version of SEC women's basketball. A big key is that Coach Purcell wants to win at a high level and appears to have that competitive fire in him to do his best to move the program back to where it once was and even further if he can. He continues to reach out to the fan base for support. Also he actively supports the other Miss. State athletic programs. A lot does depend on the fans and university supporting the women's basketball program. Not saying that the fans owe the women's program anything but the players, Coach Purcell, the staff all seem like good people, they appear to work hard, have some really good up and coming talent on the current roster and looking to bring in more, and could use as much support as they can get.

He ain?t taken them to a National Finalist game. Not gonna happen. U need to put that crack pipe down and just walk away.

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Originally Posted by Reunion Dog

He ain?t taken them to a National Finalist game. Not gonna happen. U need to put that crack pipe down and just walk away.

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The lack of faith from many of these Miss. State posters is amazing to me. What little faith there is appears to be with baseball.

Psalms 2:1

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Originally Posted by jdelta02

The lack of faith from many of these Miss. State posters is amazing to me. What little faith there is appears to be with baseball.

Psalms 2:1

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That's just the typical offseason/preseason hope of State fans. We soothe the disappointment of the previous season with the hope of what might be. And Indiana has only magnified that for us.

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Originally Posted by TheLostDawg

Wait, people still follow women's basketball since Vic left?

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Yes, there are alot of us that still follow the girls. We made it to 2 National Championships in WBB, why not support them even with a new coach? I know alot of State fans are mostly Football and Baseball fans (As am I, mostly football and basketball though) but from a National viewpoint Women's College basketball has caught up... these girls don't play basketball the same way they did when alot of us were growing up.

Quote Originally Posted by msstate7 View Post
Grace, macura, and JD-F are guys we have to bring back next season
Absolutely need to bring them back. They are young and learning. Keep Hubbs and get a few portal players and we should be back in the tournament next year. Now LSU is awful and they played the NET well but getting to 7 conference wins would be success after everything

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Originally Posted by jdelta02

Quote Originally Posted by msstate7 View Post
Grace, macura, and JD-F are guys we have to bring back next season
Absolutely need to bring them back. They are young and learning. Keep Hubbs and get a few portal players and we should be back in the tournament next year. Now LSU is awful and they played the NET well but getting to 7 conference wins would be success after everything

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Same with the women's basketball team's freshmen Francis, Lampley, Guillet, and Gray.

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Originally Posted by jdelta02

The lack of faith from many of these Miss. State posters is amazing to me. What little faith there is appears to be with baseball.

Psalms 2:1

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I mean unless Purcell VASTLY improves as a floor coach, or he gets a mega booster to completely fund women's basketball independent of other sports, he's going to have a hard time ever matching the success that Schaefer had.


And btw, I like Sam. I think he's an incredible recruiter and evaluator. He's just still learning how to be a good floor coach.

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Originally Posted by StarkVegasSteve

I mean unless Purcell VASTLY improves as a floor coach, or he gets a mega booster to completely fund women's basketball independent of other sports, he's going to have a hard time ever matching the success that Schaefer had.


And btw, I like Sam. I think he's an incredible recruiter and evaluator. He's just still learning how to be a good floor coach.

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I feel more the opposite in that keep things on a more simpler, deliberate system, especially with constantly bringing in new players with less time to merge them into your system. Also, focus more on retaining players so that they have more time to get better and grow in your system. Use the portal to fill needs, holes in roster instead of compete rebuilds. Saw where Coach Purcell recently indicated that they are in the process of retaining players on the roster, and that he's out recruiting as well...bringing in help. No doubt he still needs support from the university and fans, ect. His floor coaching may not be near the top of the SEC at this point but it isn't near the bottom of the league either. Also, having good assistants, staff matters. Navigating these tough SEC women's basketball schedules will help get any coach better. Both Richard Williams and Rick Stansbury had to fight to get to the points where they could consistently compete with the top teams in the SEC. They didn't just start out doing it, they learned a lot from being assistants, and experince as they navigated the SEC as young up and coming coaches. Ask Coach Richard Williams about how it was when he first started...you say no way this guy ever gets this team to an SEC championship let alone a Final 4 but the man was a really good recruiter, as well as had learned a lot from being an assistant under Bob Boyd and started bringing in players like Doug Hartsfield. Tony Watts, Caneron Burns, Greg Carter, Todd Merritt, Super D, E Dampier. Dontae' Jones. It was easier in some aspects then because atleast they hand more time to keep the players and build.

Oof, tough day for the haters.

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Originally Posted by Quaoarsking

Oof, tough day for the haters.

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I approve this message

STARKVILLE – Lani Smallwood was named a nominee for the 2026 McDonald's All-American Game. Smallwood is one of five nominations for the state of Alabama.

Smallwood, a guard out of Albertville, Alabama, was named the best high school player in the state of Alabama by MaxPreps earlier this season. In her final season at Albertville High School, Smallwood is averaging 26.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.3 steals and 3.3 assists per game.

Smallwood is one of two signees to State's 2026 High School Recruiting class. She is the 75th ranked player and 43rd ranked guard in the 2026 signing class according to ESPN's SportsCenter NEXT 100.

The final selections for the McDonald's All-American game are still to be made. The 2026 McDonald's All-American Game will take place on April 1, 2026, in Brooklyn, New York.

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Originally Posted by 99jc

STARKVILLE – Lani Smallwood was named a nominee for the 2026 McDonald's All-American Game. Smallwood is one of five nominations for the state of Alabama.

Smallwood, a guard out of Albertville, Alabama, was named the best high school player in the state of Alabama by MaxPreps earlier this season. In her final season at Albertville High School, Smallwood is averaging 26.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.3 steals and 3.3 assists per game.

Smallwood is one of two signees to State's 2026 High School Recruiting class. She is the 75th ranked player and 43rd ranked guard in the 2026 signing class according to ESPN's SportsCenter NEXT 100.

The final selections for the McDonald's All-American game are still to be made. The 2026 McDonald's All-American Game will take place on April 1, 2026, in Brooklyn, New York.

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Purcell recruits his butt off. If we can keep alot of this team together to go along with another nice recruiting class, we will be trouble in the future. Heck we are becoming trouble right now, this team is coming together

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Originally Posted by NCMSTFAN

Purcell recruits his butt off. If we can keep alot of this team together to go along with another nice recruiting class, we will be trouble in the future. Heck we are becoming trouble right now, this team is coming together

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There's the problem. Keeping the good players. Odds we keep Madison?? I'd put it at low.

gotta get up off that wad of cash

WoooF another egg laid. At home against a 2-7 SEC team.

Kelli Harper was let go too quick in Knoxville. She is a quality coach and her ball movement Offense made our D look unprepared.

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Originally Posted by Pancho

Kelli Harper was let go too quick in Knoxville. She is a quality coach and her ball movement Offense made our D look unprepared.

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Tennessee will end up getting tired of Kim Caldwell and firing her after 2-3 years as well. They'll then try to go get Molly Miller at Arizona St and the same thing will happen.

Tennessee women's basketball is like Florida football, and what Bama football was post Bryant and is becoming after Saban. They are still trying to replace a legend instead of understanding that no one did it like them and the climate was different.

we have a problem beating Missouri even Vic had issues with them....they couldn't miss a 3 the other day!

maybe the excellent screens they ran aided them? Our D looked lifeless

Coach Purcell and staff could possibly go take a look at a junior college power forward in Mississippi named Alorian Story. She's the daughter of former Miss. State offensive lineman Michael Story. Also. she's one of the strongest most physical players availabe. Appears she's currently unsigned, uncommitted.
Northwest Mississippi Community College stats
17.3 points per game
14.2 rebounds per game (3rd in nation..njcaa)

Wouldn't hurt for Coach Purcell to go take a look at this young lady. Could use a local player or two on the roster and this appears to be one of the top two junior college players in the state, and according to Google searches she's the best rebounder on the junior college level. Why not give some of these local players an opportunity? Again, her father played football at Miss. State.

OK. see where Alorian Story is following Coach Sam Purcell on Twitter. One thing about Coach Purcell is that if you can play he normally finds you. Also, noticed she scored 44 points in a game at Ripley High School, had another game with 42 points, had 42 points and 26 rebounds in another game, 40 points in game, ect....
Also, just recently had a 26 point, 19 rebound game at Northwest Community College. According to an article she's good defensively at making it difficult for opponents to get good looks at the basket.

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Originally Posted by jdelta02

Coach Purcell and staff could possibly go take a look at a junior college power forward in Mississippi named Alorian Story. She's the daughter of former Miss. State offensive lineman Michael Story. Also. she's one of the strongest most physical players availabe. Appears she's currently unsigned, uncommitted.
Northwest Mississippi Community College stats
17.3 points per game
14.2 rebounds per game (3rd in nation..njcaa)

Wouldn't hurt for Coach Purcell to go take a look at this young lady. Could use a local player or two on the roster and this appears to be one of the top two junior college players in the state, and according to Google searches she's the best rebounder on the junior college level. Why not give some of these local players an opportunity? Again, her father played football at Miss. State.

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I severely doubt michael storey is her dad. she is 20 years old. he must have started bad young

Daughter of Aceana Story-Ford and Wesley Ford...has four siblings: Aleigha Story, Antwain Zinn, Ava Ford and Averi Ford...relative, Michael Story, played football for Mississippi State from 2015-19..

She has a cousin who is a SS commit to USM in the 26 class as well. Justin Word, his mom was a Story. Also has another relative with the Story name who was the only black player on the 76 school up north team that beat montana and notre dame

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Originally Posted by Pancho

I severely doubt michael storey is her dad. she is 20 years old. he must have started bad young

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Posted the info that I had at the time. Another source indicates that Michael Story is a relative of hers that played football for Miss. State...apologize.

Appears to be a tough, strong, physical player. Blocks out really well, very good rebounder and low post scorer. I say that if you had a scholarship available to give and was looking to bring in 1 local Mississippi player to the team for 2026... this appears to be best unsigned/committed at this point. She's from Ripley MS.

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Originally Posted by Pancho

She has a cousin who is a SS commit to USM in the 26 class as well. Justin Word, his mom was a Story. Also has another relative with the Story name who was the only black player on the 76 school up north team that beat montana and notre dame

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Actually the mom was a Cowan. Melissa Cowan. Her dad was one of the best teachers I have had and a great man. I?m pretty sure the Cowans and Storys are related though. Story is a big name in Tippah county sports. It was James Storey played for ole miss and caught a couple of touchdowns against Notre Dame back in the day

Madison Francis selected SEC Freshman Of The Week. Also, she was selected National Freshman Of The Week earlier in the season. She appears to be a surprisingly versatile player. If you've noticed she has played spot minutes or atleast helped out in some manner or form at every position on the court this season. This includes her defense.

Faith Wylder? Last I heard she and Chandler Prater were out for the first game against Tennessee back in early January.

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Originally Posted by jdelta02

Not on the same page with Coach Purcell and staff on everything but feel that they're doing a good job overall and are still in the process of adjusting to this new era of college basketball as well as this stronger version of SEC women's basketball. A big key is that Coach Purcell wants to win at a high level and appears to have that competitive fire in him to do his best to move the program back to where it once was and even further if he can. He continues to reach out to the fan base for support. Also he actively supports the other Miss. State athletic programs. A lot does depend on the fans and university supporting the women's basketball program. Not saying that the fans owe the women's program anything but the players, Coach Purcell, the staff all seem like good people, they appear to work hard, have some really good up and coming talent on the current roster and looking to bring in more, and could use as much support as they can get.

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You're a true fan jdelta. Kudos. Keep supporting the program. It needs good people like you.

On the realistic side of things, the program isn't progressing forward. It's basically lateral. Purcell gets one big win per year. Last year, it was LSU. This year, it's Tennessee. The program is in the bottom half of the SEC. The roster is almost a complete overhaul from year to year. Chandler Prater and Destiny McPhaul are the only ones back from last season. Lost Okot to South Carolina, which is a no-brainer that she'd make that move, but you can't lose your best player. Having her would have had Mississippi State potentially competing with the teams in that second tier of the SEC, behind South Carolina, LSU and Texas. With Okot, they could have regularly competed with with Vanderbilt (although Vandy is teetering on that first tier), Tennessee, Oklahoma, Alabama, Ole Miss and Kentucky.
Sam recruits well. He's likable. He's a good "salesman" for certain. But he hasn't proven to truly advance the program. I wish him/them all the best though.
2022?23: 22?11 (8?8 SEC), NCAA Tournament First Four, Second Round
2023?24: 23?12 (8?8 SEC), WBIT Quarterfinals
2024?25: 22?12 (8?8 SEC), NCAA Tournament Round of 32