Madison Francis

[klong-dog]

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

[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.

[StarkVegasSteve]

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

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.

[99jc]

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

[Pancho]

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

[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.

[jdelta02]

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.

[Pancho]

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.

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

[99jc]

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..

[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

[jdelta02]

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

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.

[Alphadog]

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

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

[jdelta02]

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.

[jdelta02]

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

[eyeonu]

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.

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