Mississippi State hosting Pitt in women's 2025 SEC-ACC Challenge

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State hosts the Pittsburgh Panthers as part of the annual SEC/ACC Women’s Basketball Challenge, the conferences and ESPN announced Thursday.

Both teams come into the new season with rosters changing like everything else in college basketball.

Bulldogs coach Sam Purcell enters his fourth season in Starkville with a rapidly retooled roster.

After leading the Bulldogs to a 22-12 record last year, including a trip to the NCAA Tournament where Mississippi State topped Cal before falling to Southern California, Purcell faces perhaps his toughest rebuilding job yet.

“It’s a new challenge, but this program is built on resilience and grit,” Purcell said earlier in the offseason. “We lost some key contributors, but I believe in the players we have and the culture we’re building here."

Mississippi State’s roster turnover has been significant. Only two regulars from last year’s squad are set to return, while Purcell and his staff have actively worked the transfer portal to fill gaps.

New additions include guard Saniyah King, senior Trayanna Crisp, and transfer forward Kharyssa Richardson.

“We’re excited about what our newcomers bring,” Purcell said. “They fit the Mississippi State standard of tough, hardworking, and hungry to compete in the SEC.”

Mississippi State’s recent history in the SEC/ACC Challenge hasn’t been kind.

The Bulldogs fell to Miami 74-68 in last year’s event but hold a 2-0 all-time record against Pitt, with previous victories in Pittsburgh (1997) and Cancun (2001). This year marks the first time the Panthers have played at Humphrey Coliseum.

Pitt, meanwhile, is coming off a 13-19 campaign under third-year coach Tory Verdi. Like Purcell, Verdi is in the midst of a roster transformation, with a highly-touted recruiting class highlighted by five-star guard Nylah Wilson, the highest-ranked recruit in program history.

“I know that we can win here,” Verdi told local media. “The players we’re bringing in are ready to compete at the highest level and represent Pitt with pride."

The 2025 matchup will be part of the third annual women’s edition of the SEC/ACC Challenge, which features 16 games between two of the country’s premier women’s basketball conferences. The SEC has dominated the event, winning 10 of 16 games last season after splitting the series the year before.

For Purcell, the contest against Pitt will be a big test for Mississippi State’s new-look squad seeks to regain traction in a loaded SEC.

“What are you willing to sacrifice to make one last special run?” Purcell challenged his team publicly before last year’s postseason.

For Pitt, the game provides a national stage for a program eager to prove it can contend in the ACC. Verdi has spoken about the importance of culture and recruiting.

“I want you to be proud of them," he said. "I want you to feel good about the women I’m bringing here to represent our program and this great university."

The SEC/ACC Women’s Challenge begins December 3, with networks and tip-off times to be announced.

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