Mississippi

How Sam Purcell thinks Mississippi State women’s basketball can solve its inconsistency problem

Published

1 year ago

February 9, 2025

How Sam Purcell thinks Mississippi State women’s basketball can solve its inconsistency problem

STARKVILLE — Sam Purcell called two timeouts in the first quarter of Sunday’s Mississippi State women’s basketball game versus Alabama.

The third-year MSU coach said he can’t recall ever doing that.

And then he admitted he should’ve called the third of his four allotted timeouts.

The Bulldogs were crushed 26-11 in the quarter, setting up an 80-60 loss to the No. 23 Crimson Tide (20-5, 7-4) at Humphrey Coliseum. They trailed by 25 points at halftime, their largest deficit through two quarters this season.

“They did a great job jumping on us 8-0,” Purcell said. “And then the next thing you know is the hustle plays, which were unacceptable. Kid goes diving out of bounds, throws it over her head, those are 50-50 balls that you got to win. We dribble it up, don’t have awareness, they steal it. Next thing you know, that’s where I’m finding another (timeout) because obviously we didn’t learn from the first timeout.”

It was another game in which Mississippi State’s wild in-game inconsistencies were apparent.

MSU (17-8, 4-7 SEC) outscored Alabama in the third and fourth quarters, whittling a once 28-point lead to 13 with 4:06 to play. The deficit was too much to overcome.

It’s also not the first time this season in which the Bulldogs’ production swung like a pendulum. The result is losses: This was Mississippi State’s fifth defeat in the past seven games.

“Today was, again, an example when you play in this league, you got to bring it for four quarters,” Purcell said. “So that’s where my focus is coming out the gate, sustaining hard work for four quarters to give yourself a chance at the end.”

Where Sam Purcell thinks Mississippi State can be more consistent

Purcell said he thought the game played out similarly to the Feb. 2 loss at LSU. Mississippi State was outscored 24-12 in the first quarter of that game and fell behind by 18 in the second quarter before losing 81-67.

He also pointed to the Jan. 2 loss at Kentucky in which the Bulldogs were inconsistent quarter-by-quarter en route to a 91-69 loss.

The Jan. 5 loss to South Carolina is another example. MSU had an 11-point lead in the second quarter but was outscored 51-17 in the next 16:46 in a 27-point loss.

“You got to get defensive stops right in this league to win,” Purcell said “And again, because we missed some layups and some open shots, I thought it affected us on the defensive end. And that’s the parts why I keep on referencing this game, the LSU, the Kentucky, is, OK, you didn’t come out the gate and make shots. You got to have another layer and another toughness, and that’s what I’m fighting with this team. That’s where we’re not going to settle as a coaching staff to continue because we got great basketball ahead of us to get an identity that’s a little bit more tough on the defensive end.”

Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.

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Mississippi

Former pro wrestler Ted DiBiase Jr. acquitted in Mississippi welfare scandal

Published

12 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Press Room

JACKSON, Miss. — A former professional wrestler accused of misspending millions of welfare dollars in part of Mississippi’s largest public corruption scandal was found not guilty by a jury Friday.

Ted “Teddy” DiBiase Jr. was facing 13 charges related to conspiracy, wire fraud, theft and money laundering.

“It’s, I think, just a weight off his chest,” said Sidney Lampton, who represented DiBiase. “The jury got it right.”

A federal indictment had accused DiBiase of fraudulently obtaining millions of federal welfare dollars and using the money for his own personal gain, including the purchase of a vehicle, boat and home down payment.

“While I remain confident in our case, I respect the jury’s verdict,” U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger said. “I commend the prosecution team for their diligent efforts.”

DiBiase, a WWE wrestler in the 2000s and 2010s, is the only person charged in the scandal to face trial.

The welfare scandal came to light in 2020 when the former director of the Mississippi Department of Human Services, John Davis, was indicted on fraud and embezzlement charges alongside several others, including DiBiase’s brother, former pro wrestler Brett DiBiase.

Federal indictments accused Davis of directing the federal dollars to two nonprofits, which then awarded “sham contracts” to various people and organizations, including several companies owned by DiBiase, for social services that were never provided.

DiBiase’s companies were awarded more than $2 million in contracts for services that included leadership outreach, an emergency food assistance assessment and a program for inner-city youth, according to the indictment.

Much of the money came from two federal safety-net programs, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and the Emergency Food Assistance Program, and was intended to help some of the poorest people in the nation.

More than $77 million in TANF funds were misspent, according to the Mississippi state auditor.

Davis, multiple nonprofit executives and Brett DiBiase have all pleaded guilty to charges related to the scheme.

The scandal also ensnared several high-profile individuals, including former Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant and retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre. Both Bryant and Favre have denied wrongdoing and neither have been criminally charged.

Favre, the DiBiase brothers and their father, a former pro wrestler known as the “Million Dollar Man,” Ted DiBiase Sr., are among dozens of defendants in a lawsuit filed by the Mississippi Department of Human Services in an attempt to recover more than $20 million in misspent money.

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Mississippi

What Mississippi State baseball bullpen is missing heading into Vanderbilt series

Published

2 days ago

March 19, 2026

Press Room

What Mississippi State baseball bullpen is missing heading into Vanderbilt series

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State baseball was tied against Arkansas in the eighth inning or later in both of its losses in the SEC opening series.

The Bulldogs lost on a walk-off home run on March 13 and then 7-3 the next day in the second game of a doubleheader to ultimately lose the series.

No. 6 MSU (17-4, 1-2 SEC) doesn’t have many glaring weaknesses to start coach Brian O’Connor’s first season. All four of its losses before it hosts Vanderbilt (13-9, 2-1) at Dudy Noble Field March 20-22 are against teams ranked in the top 15. Texas A&M is the only other SEC team that hasn’t lost to an unranked opponent.

But if there’s one aspect where Mississippi State could get even better, it’s the bullpen.

“Our starting pitching has been really outstanding,” O’Connor said after MSU’s 17-1 win against Jackson State on March 17. “I’d like to see us be a little bit more consistent in the bullpen and have an understanding of what we’re going to get when we put somebody out there. That’s not a knock on anybody, it just hasn’t shown up yet. Typically, that happens with youth.”

Does Mississippi State baseball have a closer?

There isn’t a strict rule in baseball that a team needs one designated closer, but it’s often preferred. MSU doesn’t seem to have a closer that’s emerged so far.

Ben Davis was the preseason favorite for that role and leads MSU with two saves, but he hasn’t been super sharp. He allowed four runs to UCLA in 3⅓ innings on March 1. The right-handed senior surrendered two runs in two innings in his last appearance against Arkansas to raise his ERA to 5.25.

Three other pitchers have one save each: Maddox Webb, Tyler Pitzer and Brendan Sweeney.

The Bulldogs haven’t had many save opportunities, but more will come in SEC play. They are 15-0 after six innings when leading, but 0-2 when tied.

Mississippi State’s best, worst relief pitchers so far

One of Mississippi State’s best relievers has been a bit of a surprise in Jack Gleason.

After redshirting in 2025, there wasn’t much buzz about the right-hander. He has a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings in 2026. Gleason and Davis are tied for the most innings pitched out of the bullpen.

Left-hander Dane Burns hasn’t allowed a run in nine appearances, but only 5⅓ innings. He threw only one pitch in his last outing, hitting an Arkansas batter and then immediately getting pulled. Burns and Gleason are tied for first on MSU with a 0.75 WHIP.

Webb has a 2.35 ERA, Pitzer a 2.70 ERA and Sweeney at 5.73 ERA.

Mississippi State has eased freshman Parker Rhodes in, but after two no-hit innings against Jackson State, his ERA is down to 1.42 in 6⅓ innings. Rhodes leads the SEC with a .050 opponent batting average.

“He’s a young kid with a really good arm that I think can help us and help maybe solidify that bullpen a little bit,” O’Connor said. “We’ll see.”

Mississippi State has a few pitchers off to slow starts.

Charlie Foster began the season as the third weekend starter but is now in the bullpen. He walked the first three batters he faced in a relief appearance against Jackson State and holds a 5.06 ERA.

Maddox Miller has a 6.23 ERA in 8⅔ innings and one start; Chris Billingsley Jr. has a 6.75 ERA in 6⅔ innings; Jack Bauer, the freshman who can throw 103 mph, has a 22.50 ERA in only two innings and hasn’t pitched since Feb. 28.

How Mississippi State pitching matches up with Vanderbilt

From strictly a numbers standpoint, Vanderbilt will be a tougher challenge for MSU’s pitching than Arkansas was. Though there could be an advantage for MSU playing in front of its home crowd.

The Commodores are seventh in the SEC in runs scored, while Arkansas is 14th. Vanderbilt has crushed the second-most home runs in the conference at 52. The Commodores are also second in slugging percentage at .603, but have the second-most strikeouts in the SEC.

Braden Holcomb is tied for second in the SEC with 11 home runs.

Mississippi State is 10th in the SEC with a 3.69 ERA.

Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.

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Mississippi

Southern Living says MS gem one of ‘South’s Most Legendary Restaurants’

Published

2 days ago

March 19, 2026

Press Room

Southern Living says MS gem one of ‘South’s Most Legendary Restaurants’

Southern Living released its 2026 list of the most legendary restaurants in the South. These places are longtime favorites that became community icons. They’re fan favorites from breakfast through date night.

“The South’s most legendary restaurants have shaped their cities, hosted generations of celebrations, and perfected the dishes that keep guests coming back,” Southern Living wrote. “From white-tablecloth dining rooms to beloved small-town cafés, these long-standing eateries with decades of history serve up more than just wonderful meals.”

Here’s what we know about the only Mississippi restaurant to make the list.

Southern Living says this Mississippi restaurant is ‘legendary’

City Grocery Restaurant is on the Square in Oxford, Mississippi.

Chef John Currence founded it in 1992 in a converted livery stable. The City Grocery was a 2025 Michelin Guide American South Recommended Restaurant.

“Grounded in a mix of culinary styles and featuring homegrown flavors that define Southern cooking, this spot catalyzed a new interest in North Mississippi restaurants that’s still going strong over three decades later,” Southern Living wrote.

People can grab a drink at the upstairs bar. Or you can experience fine dining downstairs.

Today, the James Beard award nominee runs four restaurants in Oxford: