Mississippi State University women’s basketball knocked off the University of Arkansas 87-73 Thursday night in the final home game of the season at Humphrey Coliseum.
MSU added to its postseason resume by soundly defeating the Razorbacks in the Hump. The Bulldogs began the game with a dominant first quarter and never trailed for the entirety of the contest, giving MSU its 20th victory of 2023.
Four Bulldogs scored in double figures, including guard JerKaila Jordan and forward Jessika Carter. Jordan led the Bulldogs in scoring with 19 points and four assists, and Carter recorded a double-double with sixteen points and 13 rebounds. Guard Ahlana Smith had 13 points and guard Kourtney Weber had 11 points coming off the bench for the Bulldogs.
Thursday night was a particularly special night for redshirt senior  Carter. Prior to tip-off, Carter and her family were introduced on the court, and she was presented with a framed jersey to commemorate her time at MSU.
Carter had missed the previous two games and could not participate in last Sunday’s the senior day ceremony during MSU’s game against Alabama. Thursday night, Carter was back on the court to give her team four quarters of quality basketball. Carter finished the night with a double-double and left the game to a tremendous ovation from the Bulldog faithful.
MSU head coach Sam Purcell called Carter the college story of the year in women’s basketball and said that the Bulldogs’ final home game was an appropriate time for Carter’s standout performance.
“I get choked up that she gets her moment on the last day in the Hump, where she’s able to rise up, her family’s able to be here, and she plays like no other,” Purcell said. “After that little break, it’s just, it’s her year. It’s her moment. I couldn’t be happier for the young woman”
Carter kept her post-game comments relatively brief. She said she enjoyed being back on the court and having fun with her teammates.
“It felt really great, the love from the fans I got and being out there with my teammates. Missing those games, I would be like, ‘Dang, they’re doing so good I can’t wait to get back out there with them’, and so it was really fun,” Carter said.
MSU has responded well since losing back-to-back contests against Ole Miss and Georgia back in January. The Bulldogs have won five of their last six games and are playing some of their best basketball of the season.
The win over Arkansas made Coach Purcell the winningest first-year head coach in MSU women’s basketball history. Purcell said he is grateful for what his team has been able to accomplish this season, but he did not want the spotlight to be on himself.
“It’s not about me,” Purcell said after the game. “I never scored a point, but I know how to lead. I know what winning looks like because I’ve experienced it over my 20 years.”
The Bulldogs will look to add one more win to their total Sunday as they face the fifth-ranked LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The game is set for a 5 p.m. tip-off and will be broadcast on the SEC Network.