How quiet moment defined win for Mississippi State women's basketball, Sam Purcell vs. LSU

STARKVILLE — The sellout at Humphrey Coliseum didn’t matter in that moment. The DJ blaring music was irrelevant. The sea of more than 9,000 fans wearing white was invisible.

In that moment, with Mississippi State women’s basketball coach Sam Purcell looking guard Lauren Park-Lane eye to eye, there was silence inside their bubble.

Park-Lane was an All-Big East talent at Seton Hall who transferred to MSU (17-5, 4-3 SEC) in the offseason. She came to Starkville because she dreamed of scenarios like this — playing against the defending champs, No. 9 LSU (18-4, 5-3), on national television with her family in attendance.

But her dream wasn’t going as envisioned, despite Mississippi State being on its way toward a 77-73 upset victory. She was a minus-14 in the opening half, and it was evident freshman Mjracle Sheppard was the better option for the Bulldogs.

So Purcell walked across the court as his team loosened up prior to the start of the second half. He walked behind the basket closest to MSU’s bench, where he called Park-Lane over. He put his hands on the 5-foot-3 guard’s shoulders as they flushed out the scene around them.

“Listen, the first half is over,” Purcell told her. “You’ve still got two more quarters. We’ve got plenty of time, and you came here for this moment. If it works in your favor, let’s ride it like no other.”

Park-Lane didn’t score in the second half, but she was a plus-10 in eight minutes of action. When she was off the court, she was energized on the bench — to the point where she was too loud for Purcell to get his play calls in.

But the moment felt bigger than a veteran improving her play. That interaction proved that the second-year coach has built a program where star transfers slide away from the spotlight for the betterment of the team if needed.

It’s that moment, among a plethora of clutch plays, that proved Mississippi State may not be too far removed from the Final Four banners hanging in the rafters.

“It’s nothing new,” LSU coach Kim Mulkey said after the game of MSU’s success. “He’s just come in and brought a lot of energy. He wants to win. He’s been around winners all his life . . . He’s now got it in his blood, and he’s the head man in charge. This was a good win for them tonight and a great crowd.”

While Purcell doesn’t have the résumé or salary — and the latter feels important, because Purcell promised his three daughters a pool if MSU beat LSU — of Mulkey, he has shown the ability this season to build an experienced roster capable of meshing.

Jerkaila Jordan (24 points, five steals) and Jessika Carter (plus-13) were the stars who stayed when Purcell was hired in March 2022 — Mississippi State’s third coach since Vic Schaefer’s departure in 2020. Darrione Rogers (19 points), Erynn Barnum (six points, plus-14) and Park-Lane were the all-conference transfers.

Yet none of them seemed to mind that Sheppard, who scored 12 points and collected six steals while defending Hailey Van Lith, was the difference-maker.

“Mjracle is a miracle,” Purcell said. “She’s my miracle. Tonight, she was a miracle. I know it’s cliché, but it’s the truth. The kid is a freshman, and you could never tell. She doesn’t play like one. She’s just relentless.”

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The culmination of the individual performances resulted in a “dream night” for Purcell. For a program desperate to return to its glory rather than fade from it, it felt like the torch was finally passed from Schaefer to Purcell.

Can he get to the point where new banners are being added at The Hump? The LSU win suggests it’s possible, but it’s a question for another day — or perhaps another month known for its madness.

“All I know is I’m celebrating tonight,” Purcell said as he held back tears.

Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, @skrajisnik3.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: What upset win vs. LSU means for Mississippi State women's basketball