NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - MISSISSIPPI STATE VS CREIGHTON

March 17, 2023

Sam Purcell

Anastasia Hayes

Ahlana Smith

JerKaila Jordan

Purcell Pavilion

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Media Conference

SAM PURCELL: Talk to me nicely, but most importantly talk nice to them. All right, what a special group of young women, like I keep saying I'm coaching. I've got the best seat in the house. They have that look.

We talked about coming up here and getting that championship DNA, talked about it after we had those two losses that, you know, we had a bad tastes in our mouth. You got two ways you can do things. You can say, man, we're not good or, you know what we got to roll up the sleeves and look in the mirror.

We have looked in the mirror. We've got great chemistry, but most importantly we believe in each other and we just got a special thing going on.

So much respect for Creighton. That was a huge game. I know we probably watched more film in 24 hours than we have ever because that's how much respect we have for that program. So for us to be in the hotel with a quick turnaround and a rollercoaster like no other, but being able to be locked in, I couldn't be more of a proud coach.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for the student-athletes?

Q. JerKaila, Creighton players and coach were in here and talking about how much emphasis they had on trying to slow down Jessika in the paint. Did you anticipate that and did you know knocking down threes would be a place you would have opportunity?

JERKAILA JORDAN: Definitely. We knew that coming in. Jess had a good first game and that the attention was going to go to her. Props to Jess by noticing that they were going to double team her, which just leave opportunity for the guards to just knock down shots.

She made it easy for us tonight.

Q. JerKaila, you guys had more threes today than the past two games combined. With that, is it that just confidence or is there more to it with knocking down three-pointers?

JERKAILA JORDAN: I'll say confidence, but also say just playing together. When we share the ball we're just as good as anybody in the country.

Dang, I lost it.

No, but just creating space for each other, knowing when to make the extra pass, make the pass to the other teammate, and just props to my teammate for knocking it down.

Q. Debreasha opens the game with two three-pointers. From there did you know you were going to get rolling?

Anastasia you also had one shortly after that.

AHLANA SMITH: That definitely kind of turnt you us up a little bit I would say. We still knew it was going to be a dogfight. That was a great start, but we knew it was going to be a dogfight.

Q. Anastasia, for you, kind of what did you see from what they were doing defensively and how were you able to exploit what they were doing? I think seven assists today.

AHLANA SMITH: Yeah, I saw they were trying to sag off, so making that first three is kind of what got me going. I knew once I made one they didn't know if I was going to shoot or drive. I was driving to kick and look for my teammates. I was finding the open reads and I knew they were going to knock them down, and I'm going to make a good pass for them to knock it down.

Q. Any of you guys, going into the half up ten, what's the message from the coaching staff gave at that point?

AHLANA SMITH: I'll start. Just to stay composed, know that it's zero-zero, and the first five minutes of the third is very important. Like we said, Creighton is a great team, and so, yeah, just keep our foot on their necks and understand that what got us to that point. We had to keep going.

ANASTASIA HAYES: And not to let up.

Q. For Anastasia and JerKaila, last season was a tough season and Coach Purcell came in and set the message of why not us. What was it about this team after the struggles of last season that you guys were able to truly by into and believe in that?

AHLANA SMITH: I mean, I wasn't happy with how we ended last year, but why not us? I'm surrounded by great players, and with our team we have multiple people who can score, multiple people who can do defensive things.

We've been the underdog all year, so why not us? (Smiling.)

Q. You talk about being the underdog all year. Dropped the first SEC tournament game and now upset in the tournament. How do you guys feel just hearing all 6of that and where you started and where you are now?

AHLANA SMITH: I think that kind of adds fuel to our fire. We don't mind being the underdog. I think it makes us work harder and understand that there is a lot at stake. But we love being the underdog. I mean, it's great. The pressure is not on us so we're able to play free, confident, and play for each other.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much.

AHLANA SMITH: Thank you.

ANASTASIA HAYES: Thank you.

JERKAILA JORDAN: Thank you.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for coach.

Q. First question I have is are there any new additions to the list?

SAM PURCELL: Real quick, I had the talk to me nicely to me and let me give a shoutout. Katie Smith. I saw you on social media. I think she currently works with the Minnesota Links, right. Katie Smith, thank you for believing in the Bulldogs. Definitely want did give her a shoutout.

Again, I'm with Ahlana. I've got some dogs in that locker room, some of Mississippi State Bulldogs. We love playing the underdog role. Again, taking it one game at a time.

I told them, enjoy this in the locker room. Go back to the hotel. Going to have a nice meal and we're going to repeat the same behavior. What are you willing to sacrifice? How much film can you watch, because it's going to be an absolute battle here.

I've played here several times. This is one of the best environments of women's basketball, and they have some of the best fans in the country.

Q. And then as a long-time coach, are there certain stats that you identify as we need to win this category to pull off an upset?

SAM PURCELL: You know, that's a great question. For me, and one of the questions earlier talking about the Texas A&M loss, I wasn't about a stat, I was about a look. I know my team. That's why I keep saying -- I said, why not us, when I had it on paper. I knew how special they could be.

I told everybody it was going to take time. I'm some of their fourth our fifth head coach, and even though they're playing basketball that's a lot. So for me, you're seeing all the hardships, because people have wrote, man, why do they look so bad? This team just believed behind closed doors, stayed the path, and had faith.

I told them when you get here, somebody like Creighton who I think they went Elite Eight last year, all right, and brought everybody back, they have championship DNA. I told them if you want to try to knock off a heavyweight you have to have a look.

For me tonight it was all about a look, and I couldn't be more happy for how hard they played.

Q. What was that look?

SAM PURCELL: That look is you know what? I had to call a timeout in the second half. 6-0 in the huddles were okay. No panic, no pointing finishes or getting mad. Let's get a stop, score, stop. Like Ahlana alluded to, there was dialog.

The best practice I had all year we brought out a circle of chairs and talked to each other and we had conversation.

Again, in today's generation of social media, Instagram and Twitter, sometimes just genuine conversations are the best thing for a team. That's also a part of a look.

And then like Annie just said, and I'm going to give a big shoutout to her. That was the leading scorer in the SEC last year. What you just heard is she loves to play with her other teammates who are very good.

When you have teammates who are saying they're so privileged and happy to play with others, now you got a team and now you got a look.

So talk to me nicely.

Q. Given the size advantage that you had, and I think Coach Flanery talked about that yesterday in his press conference, did you expect to get so many open looks from deep early in the game like you did? Is that something you kind of game planned for?

SAM PURCELL: Yeah, we expected it. Again, I got to give a shoutout to my staff. I can't say enough good things about them. They are working so hard behind the scenes to make me look good.

We probably watched nine games in less than 24 hours, broke it up and watched how different coverages on other opponents who had bigs and how they double down and what they had to do to try to disrupt from the inside.

So they did a phenomenal job putting a video presentation to give visual to my young women. I though thought they saw the reads we showed them in the hotel room and made plays, and most importantly made open shots.

Q. Was that a Gabe Lazo?

SAM PURCELL: Shoutout Gabe Lazo.

Q. What is it about the way he breaks down film and whatnot coming up with those scouts that has been so effective for you this season?

SAM PURCELL: Gabe is passionate. He almost got a technical today. I said Gabe -- he was on the court at one time and that's my guy, but if you don't sit down you'll be walking back to the hotel.

No, again it's just like the team. It's a shoutout to Gabe, but Gabe has help. We're one unit right now. Even my coaching staff. As much as the chemistry is going on with them, there is chemistry within us. We're learning each other. Like I've said, I'm a first-year head coach, so with the leadership of Joy Williams, Miro Page, Corey Irvin, and Gabe Lazo, along with Jimmy the Juice, the best managers in the house, all right? All right? First of all, I hope somebody got on camera a picture of how good my guys looked.

One of my guys actually broke his arm, all right, and we had to get him in a cast last night. So we working up here, okay?

Again, there is no job too big or no job too small. I've got a village. Katie, my strength coach, one of the best. We're just all body in and all excited. I got the right people on the bus and we're moving the wheels the right way.

Q. You guys tied a season high for most three-pointers made in the game with 11 today. I know you like that number.

SAM PURCELL: Yes.

Q. Is that something that you think in the area they didn't always excel and throughout the season, but what did you think about it today made them step up in that area?

SAM PURCELL: Yeah, it's -- again, when I was referencing me being a new coach, got so many transfers. There is a DNA that has to happen. Even though we're playing basketball you got to get confident in the offense.

I was teaching a lot. If you reflect back early in the year when we had that losing streak I told you all I was doing too much, adding too much. So we pumped the brakes, mastered the plays we had in, and I think you're starting to see a confident group because now they're not having to think. They know the reads and now they're just making shots.

Q. At some point earlier this season, you said that you've been listening to Whitney Houston, I Want to Dance With Somebody. Where is that song playing now? How does it feel to have two back-to-back very big wins?

SAM PURCELL: Man, thank you for that question. Well, that song is playing right now in my head. All right, because, again, I've been in this business so long. When you're a college coach, we live a different life than other people.

It's a blessing. But also there is a lot of sacrifices. We don't have the same Christmases or Thanksgiving as a normal person. When March comes it's our Christmas.

So for me, it's the beauty of all the hard work and you can see the prize and if you can make people believe in your circle no matter the good times or bad, but you had how beautiful this can end you just want to dance like no other and dance with somebody.

And we're riding that wave and boy are we dancing.

Q. Looking ahead you mentioned a couple times since you've been here just how some of the matchups at this site have been good for the women's college basketball game. Having Mississippi State playing for a chance at the Sweet 16, obviously who have played in a national championship, just what does that mean for the sport from your perspective?

SAM PURCELL: Yeah, no, I think there is great storylines here. Again, I was honored to know that we were coming up here. I have a lot of respect for this place. I mentioned it multiple times, the people here are the nicest people, and I'm not just saying that because I'm here.

I've been coming here for ten years. I'm serious. It's like a treat like no other.

Like the ushers, and people think I'm joking. They are the nicest people. Now, be interesting to see how nice when we play Notre Dame they are to me. I got to give a shoutout to my Irish Pub bar right down from the hotel? What's the name of that place.

O'Roarkes. Don't put that on Twitter, okay? But they were great. The bartenders and the waitresses are awesome. When I go in there tomorrow I doubt I'm going to get the same services. I might be sitting in the hotel.

Again, I respect that. That's the beauty of sports. I think anybody who is learning me really quick loves to have fun. I'm having fun with this but most importantly my young women are, too.

Q. You talked about how different the lifestyle is of being a coach and just talking about that song there, it played during the game. I looked over and saw your daughters belting out every single word. I think they had all of them memorized. What is it like to have the support of your three girls and wife there behind your bench your cheering you on the entire time?

SAM PURCELL: You get me with every good question. First of all, just like the people here, she is the best question person ever. She's got me to cry twice in Starkville. I'm not going to cry today.

No, it means the world to me. Again, gosh, you're going to get me. It's sacrifices. It's time. You know, because I don't get the same time -- golly, you get me -- you know, with my family. So to have March Madness and be able to fly them up here, you know, I don't get to go to all the basketball games. I miss gymnastics. My wife is the best and we just live for this moment.

For them to be proud of me and there is always guilt because I'm not there for them but for them to have my back, and cheer me like no other is the best feeling.

And you got me, so I'm honored, yep.