Everything Sam Purcell said after upsetting No. 7 Kentucky

Mississippi State women's basketball team needed a big win amidst what may be it's toughest stretch of the season.

The Bulldogs got it Sunday, defeating No. 7 Kentucky 71-59 at Humphrey Coliseum. Afterwards, coach Sam Purcell spoke to reporters about the win. Here's everything he said during the press conference:

Opening statement...

Shout out to everybody in the organization. It's time to finally capitalize on the last four games. In the moments you had runs you've shown you've been a top-25 team but hadn't put it to the fourth quarter. It's time for our fans which I thought were phenomenal today. And I'll take on anybody in the country here at the Hump.

The knowledge of the game and the energy provided an environment that set that three up for Tray. This place went nuts and you couldn't hear anything. I live for those moments. This game can humble you but boy, there's a lot of great moments I absolutely love coaching in this building and this was one of those moments.

On key to success against Kentucky...

Yeah, shout out to Tony Dukes, Samantha Williams, Fred Castro for having one heck of a scout. After that heartbreaker on Thursday we gave off Friday and went to the war room. We're beat up, it's that time of year.

So we put one heck of a gameplan together, coming with different matchups. I have so much respect for Kenny Brooks, he's a great friend and hall of fame coach. Obviously it's heartbreaking missing Key right now because that is a big piece. But you still have to show up against a dynamic team that's got a ton of pieces.

I thought us switching certain people contained Tony Morgan, you're not going to stop her but if we put our leading shot blocker on her maybe we can come up with some steals.

In the Vanderbilt game I thought we had a great scout. But it's got to be 50/40/10. 50% has got to come from the heart, 40% has got to come from the mind and understanding the scout. Then the last 10% has got to be a dogfight.

I kept referring back to Vanderbilt, here's that moment again. The basketball gods are testing you. It was a four or five point game, I said what are we going to do, are you going to change the course?

They had a spirit about them that they did not want to lose and that's what championship teams have to have.

On difference in play since loss to Ole Miss...

Playing at the Hump. I mean it. The energy in this building is just different. When we're loud and the noise is coming off the roof you just don't think you can get beat. And this is a young team that has normal moments, they don't have the championship DNA but our fans do. They've been through this and knew we needed to get my back and take us to another level. That play where Dez hits Tray in transition, I think it was just as loud as when we played LSU (two years ago). You're not losing at that point.

On Trayanna Crisp...

That's what seniors do. We've had great talks, I brought you here for certain reasons, just be you, kid. Third Chance U, let's make it the best one. Been at Arizona State, North Carolina, now it's your time, you get the keys. (at other programs) When things went bad you never had a chance again and here at Mississippi State the cards are different. She's like, you're right."

She's stayed the course, she believes in her teammates, most of all she believes in herself. Tonight was her night. I thought she could go for more, first half I saw a little swagger she does. I said Tray hit one and y'all haven't hit her for five possessions. Credit my team for finding her the second half.

On the starting lineup...

So we're going bigger. The SEC is the best athletes in the country. Shout out to Favour, 20 boards? That kid's heart was relentless against the second-leading shot blocker. And Rich just putting in time in the gym. Upperclassmen are doing what upperclassmen need to do. They've got to be tough, got to lead the way as we get into March so everybody else can follow.

On defensive performance...

It's just a come to Jesus meeting. We're giving up 80 to 90 points, that's terrible. Then we took it up another level in practice, you had to get three stops in a row. Because I thought we had some soft mental behavior. We did more rebounding which is not fun, you hit your teammate, they hit you for 30 seconds, how many rebounds can you get without the ball hitting the floor? Who wants it more? Dog mentality and that's the 10% I'm trying to get back to that we kind of lost early in SEC play. You saw that toughness for two top-ten matchups this week.

On Richardson...

A kid who actually has guard skills. It's almost like a Draymon Green, the perfect matchup who can post up and turn over either shoulder. Who can rip and drive and run the floor. Then I knew if she put in time she could develop a three-point shot."

The basketball gods were obviously good to her tonight, you need luck. She shot that corner three, it hit the rim and bounced up and I think the whole gym got quiet. We got a nice home court roll.

That's the vision I have for her, a three level scorer who can make a roster very special. And she made some special plays tonight.

On support selling tickets to Sunday's game...

That's why I signed an extension here, I absolutely love this job. It's as simple as this. Don't give up on me, on these young women, we take pride in wearing this Mississippi State jersey, We fighting, clawing, and scrapping for everything, and we're good with that that's the Bulldog way. For the owner of a restaurant to grab me and like 'I've got a couple of guys who love women's basketball, we want to do something special. We're going to buy 300 tickets and hand them out because your girls deserve a crowd, your girls play with heart and the Mississippi State way.

On new Bulldog Melissa Guillett...

We're taking it day by day. For her we're calling it the 48 Miracle at the Hump. Shout out to Jimmy. She was only here 48 hours, I've got to make sure no global organization is taking her from me. We did everything from passport to airline to Delta U to get her in school, get her housing. If you could have seen the work that guy did behind the scenes.

She gets here, we do an hour before practice going through plays, she goes in practice yesterday and scores 12 point. The whole team starts cheering and starts feeding her the ball.

I told her girl, if the moment presents itself I want to get the jitters out and we'll put you in. This is the perfect time to have an off week so she can get into our playbook but most importantly adapted to the way I talk! I'm a Southern boy so pray for that young lady from France she can understand me and everyone here.

But she's happy, another young lady that signed without a visit. She believes in the vision and the people and I can't wait to see her future.

On Madison Francis playing with a mask...

Yeah. She's got a little fracture in her nose. I love that kid, go back last year (high school) that was the Batman mask that she had that unbelievable dunk. She just becomes a whole different person.

Her being from Buffalo, her toughness, we joked she was my Mummy because she was wrapped up, her shoulder is banged up. Most freshmen would quit, she's just getting started. And she didn't practice yesterday, she was sick. We put on the injury report she was probable because we didn't think she was going to play.

It's just a testimony to her and the Dog DNA that I'm not letting my team down. I took her out at the six minute mark because I wanted her to breathe, she can't breathe through her nose. And she plays 30 minutes. Who does that?

The way she plays the game is special. And she had a phenomenal block there at four minutes that just really sealed the deal and made sure this wasn't a close game.