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. 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. Lawrence Central High School, Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 are talented. Not twins but not easy tell them apart on the court unless watching their numbers.

Another thing that helps give Jaylah an edge as a freshman is her ability to defend.

[ScottH]

FWIW, Had lunch this week with a friend that has to be one of their most ardent supporters.
Sees every home game and almost all of the away.
That fan?s opinion is we will be in the bottom 3 of the SEC this year and most following years.
They feel the only way we move up
Is others move back because of other?s devaluing women?s hoops.

[Tater]

They're not going to be good

Losing Okot showed where the state of this program is at. We're not prioritizing women's hoops. Purcell is trying, but we aren't allocating him enough resources.

[jdelta02]

Losing Okot showed where the state of this program is at. We're not prioritizing women's hoops. Purcell is trying, but we aren't allocating him enough resources.

Regardless, they did manage to get standout freshman point guard transfer Saniyah King out of the transfer portal and managed to keep a couple of talented, experienced guards in Destiny Mcphaul and Chandler Prater. Also, guard Trayanna Crisp is a former starter at Arizona State...12.1 pts per gm. Kharyssa Richardson started at Auburn. Picked up a junior college All American 1st team guard...Awa Fane. Possibly 6-7 Rocio Jeminez getting healthy and looking to see her first action. Picked up 6-6 transfer Faith Wylder an up and coming young post talent who was injured for her freshman season at Stony Brook. Also, they have 3 very talented freshmen coming in. Yes, could have done better at retaining players from last season and better on paper in the transfer portal... but the group that they currently have to work with is certainly nothing to hang heads down about. Also, they're still looking to fill additional roster spots. Why throw in the towel? Possible this group could surprise.

Heads up..don't sleep on 6-3 freshman Nataliyah Gray. Possibly lead this team in scoring as a freshman. Destiny Mcphaul is capable of a breakout season and filling it up as well. Chandler Prater is a baller and she's tough. Also, Prater brings much needed length and defense on the perimeter. Freshman Madison Francis..high expectations. Jaylah Lampley...highest rated of the freshmen according to ESPN. Sophomore point guard transfer Saniyah King..true point guard.

Also, Ole Miss transfer Kharyssa Richardson gonna be on a serious mission..best lookout. Trayanna Crisp on a mission.

It's just June and fans already throwing in the towel?

[jdelta02]

Got a good look at freshman Jaylah Lampley last night in the Indiana vs Kentucky All Star Girls Game action. Lampley had 17 points but appeared out of it bad, appeared mentally out of it. Huge issues holding on to the ball, turnovers, issues holding on to passes, point blank missed, ect....literally self checked herself a good bit of the game. Appeared she had over 19 missed opportunities for various reasons..including one 2 points basket with the foul..one and one opportunity waived off by the referee. Though, she did nearly have the winning basketball in regulation but the referee waived it off as well. Lampley could have had 30 points last nights. Appears some really sloppy, bad looking basketball from her that helped cause the Indiana all star team the game. Appeared to be sleep walking through this game, though you could see flashes of her talent. Lot to clean up in her game..doesn't"t appear near ready at this point ...still though it's just early June and lots of time to clean things up better before the season. Games like this can end up being a good thing for a player..a wakeup call, motivation to get to work and clean things up. The LSU incoming McDonald's All American freshman on the other all star team (Kentucky All Stars) looked really impressive . LSU's guards for next season...some serious talent.

[jdelta02]

Destiny Mcphaul
https://x.com/hailstatewbk/status/18...07/mediaviewer

[jdelta02]

Destiny Mcphaul
https://x.com/hailstatewbk/status/18...98/mediaviewer

She has always reminded me of Zia Cooke

[Pancho]

still can't open that but I feel like there are way too many unknowns on this team to be very consistent next season. maybe they all stay around and appear more cohesive in year 2 but who know nowadays? Purcells portal haul isn't near what the top SEC womens teams have brought it either. everyone loves a challenge, right?