In WBIT, Jessika Carter is Mississippi State basketball's present. Quanirah Montague is future

STARKVILLE — When Jessika Carter arrived at Mississippi State, she wasn’t the women’s basketball star TCU faced on Sunday.

The version of Carter who posted 17 points, eight rebounds and three blocks against the Horned Frogs and star Sedona Prince in a 68-61 win at Humphrey Coliseum to advance to the quarterfinals of the WBIT? That’s not who Carter was when she got to Starkville, and she didn’t need to be.

She appeared in 36 games as a freshman in the 2018-19 season under then-coach Vic Schaefer, but Carter didn’t start, and she averaged fewer than 11 minutes per game. That’s because she was behind program-changing players such as Anriel Howard and Teaira McCowan.

“Jess has had a lot of big sisters during her time,” coach Sam Purcell said Sunday.

Her growth has been evident, capped by her play to lead No. 2 seed Mississippi State (23-11) past No. 3 seed TCU (21-12). However, her lasting legacy on the program was shown in the seven minutes Quanirah Montague took the floor.

The freshman forward has been limited this season, appearing in 31 games but not starting any. She averages 2.9 points and 2.4 rebounds in less than seven minutes per game. However, her development was shown in the two points, one assist and one steal she collected against the Horned Frogs.

Montague is making strides, highlighted by the midrange jumper she hit. She’s a crucial piece as Mississippi State prepares for life without Carter — who set the program record by appearing in her 150^th career game Sunday — next season.

“She’s the future for Mississippi State,” Carter said.

Montague was a top-50 recruit in the 2023 class, according to ESPN’s rankings. She came to Mississippi State from Atlantic City High School in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Against Mississippi Valley State on Dec. 29, she posted a career-high 14 points and 13 rebounds. Behind the scenes, her teammates and coaches believe she has made the biggest strides. It’s linked to her battles with Carter in practice.

“She’s showing the people that we have a future here,” Carter said. “We have a post player, a strong post player. Me going against her, Erynn (Barnum) going against her — we’re making each other better. Not only are we getting her better, but she’s getting us better. She’s preparing us for something way bigger than just college basketball.”

That gives Purcell confidence in Montague’s future, but it also brings hope to the standard the second-year coach is looking to implement.

“This is Jess’ character, which I love,” he said. “For her to come full circle and pour into these freshmen like she was poured into by (McCowan), it (gives) me chill-bumps because that’s what I want in the culture. That’s what I want here.”

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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: In WBIT, Jessika Carter paving Mississippi State basketball's future