Sam Purcell discusses reloading Mississippi State basketball roster

Mississippi State basketball coach Sam Purcell is pretty proud of the recruiting haul he brought in through the transfer portal.

It’s no secret that Mississippi State women’s basketball head coach Sam Purcell was pretty busy this offseason. After a strong first season under Purcell’s leadership, the Mississippi State Bulldogs were busy and had to do a pretty noteworthy roster overhaul during the offseason.

Mississippi State ended up losing six players to the transfer portal and had several Bulldogs graduate, by Purcell (a pretty dynamic recruiter throughout his career) countered in a pretty impressive way. The Bulldogs brought in one of the top transfer classes in the country.

During SEC Media Days, Purcell was presented with the opportunity to discuss what it was like in the offseason as he had to address multiple needs at multiple positions.

And of course, Purcell (always having a seemingly sharp wit and a quick and brilliantly apt response), made it clear to credit Mississippi State basketball fans for being passionate about the Mississippi State women’s basketball program.

Mississippi State basketball coach Sam Purcell credits MSU basketball fans for recruiting success

He very clearly credited MSU fans as his response to the question.

“Yeah, how we bring ’em in? A credit to my fan base, all right? The same way I brought them in is the same reason I took the job. Women’s basketball at Mississippi State matters,” Purcell explained, according to ASAP Sports’ transcript from SEC Media Days.

Purcell went further, noting how the Bulldogs are among the best women’s basketball programs around.

“I talk about it all the time. We’re top 15 in the country. One more time, top 15 in the country in women’s basketball,” Purcell stated.

That’s something to be proud about. And it’s been clear for several years that Mississippi State Bulldogs fans are definitely invested in seeing the Mississippi State women’s basketball program thrive.

Vic Schaefer was a thrill to watch on the sideline and Mississippi State basketball fans are more than proud of how far this team got in 2017 and 2018.

And because folks clad in Maroon and White care about women’s basketball, it makes it easy for Purcell to sell transfers on the consistent support the Bulldogs will get while representing Mississippi State.

“When I talk to a recruit on the phone, I tell them one thing: ‘You’re going to get consistency.’ Boy, it’s a vibe and an energy like no other. Also, in case we don’t win, you see the commitment of my community, my state and the people that are going to support you no matter the good or the bad times,” Purcell stated.

So yeah, that would make it easy to recruit to. And that’s probably one big reason why the Bulldogs had so much success in the transfer market.