Nov. 20, 2024-Mississippi State women’s basketball coach Sam Purcell earned the 50th win of his career when Mississippi State handled Mercer, 81-44, inside Humphrey Coliseum on Wednesday.
Purcell is the fastest head coach to reach 50 wins at Mississippi State, achieving the feat in 73 games, which is eight faster than the next.
With the win, Mississippi State improves to 5-0 on the season and 22-1 in non-conference home games under Purcell.
Graduate student guard Jerkaila Jordan posted the 12th double-double of her career with 15 points and 11 rebounds on 6-12 from the field and 3-4 from three in 23 minutes, while junior guard/forward Debreasha Powe added 13 points on 5-7 from the field and 3-5 from three in 25 minutes.
Powe’s three threes made from behind the arc placed her within the top 10 in program history in career threes made, now at 121, which passed Stacie Farris, who was previously in 10th at 120.
Mississippi State converted on 60.0 percent from the field in the first quarter to build an early 21-10 lead. Mississippi State then extended their margin to 38-18 entering the locker room after it limited Mercer to 6-24 from the field and 0-4 from three through the initial 20 minutes.
Powe turned in 10 of her 13 points on 4-6 from the field before the halftime break.
Mississippi State once more shined coming out of the locker room, outscoring Mercer 32-7 in the third quarter. It was the second 30-point third quarter of the early season for the Bulldogs.
Mississippi State has outscored all five of its opponents and owns an 127-43 advantage in the third quarter.
Mississippi State held Mercer to its lowest point total of the early season at 44 points on 27.8 percent from the field. The Bulldogs’ suffocating defense entered the game with the nation’s best opponent field-goal percentage defense and has now held all five opponents under 30.0 percent from the field.
Mississippi State displayed its inside dominance outscoring Mercer 44-12 in the paint.
Following the five-game homestand, Mississippi State will be on the road for the first time this season when it faces Jacksonville in the inaugural 2025 WBCA State Farm Showcase at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla. on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 2:30 p.m. CT.
