The Impact Of The MSU Women’s Basketball Team

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The MSU Women’s Basketball team’s journey has been one filled with successes, emotions, and historic moments.

While they may not have brought home the NCAA Women’s National Championship title, they’ve brought so much to the state as a whole.

This group of Lady Bulldogs has reshaped the program and put the spotlight on Mississippi and the university in a new way.

Throughout the season, there was a full house here at The Hump, as fans cheered on the girls at every home game.

It’s an atmosphere that hasn’t always been that way.

“It’s been a great four years just wearing Mississippi State across my chest and having these people around here and just seeing the growth. I mean, to see all of our games we have, how many people traveled with us and supported us, and the March Madness and SEC Tournament and stuff like that so, it really means a lot.”

Mississippi State Senior Morgan William will leave a legacy behind when she graduates, but not just in basketball.

“I think we’ve drawn a lot of attention. We’ve impacted the women’s basketball industry, Starkville, and the community, and everything like that.”

Their success has changed the way people view women’s college basketball.

“I never got into this except, until maybe, two in a half, three years ago and now, I have to watch every ballgame and they are just really good and I hate that I didn’t watch them years before,” says MSU fan, Sue Smith.

It’s this attention that’s putting Mississippi on the map.

“It’s exciting for Mississippi as a whole. Mississippi State and Mississippi and we have family in California, and they asked for cowbells, so it’s spreading. It’s contagious now,” says MSU fan, Kineta Sherrod.

Fans say the contagious vibe does a lot for recruiting.

“It puts our name out there, where people can see it and people will associate our campus with a winning attitude and a winning program, and that’s what young people want to be, they want to be a part of something that’s a winning team and I think it’s something that will serve us well,” says MSU fan, Steve See.

It’s something all Bulldog fans can agree with and couldn’t be more proud of.

“Because of the notoriety, I mean, because we have done so good,” says MSU fan, Ginny Belk.

“I just wanted to cheer them on because they did so great,” says MSU fan, Owen Hogges.