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Mississippi State Bolsters Backcourt with Iowa State Transfer

Reese Beaty joins Mississippi State after a solid freshman season at Iowa State, giving Sam Purcell another key portal addition.
Taylor Hodges|
Iowa State Cyclones' guard Reese Beaty (1) drives with the ball to the basket around Arizona State Sun Devils guard Jyah LoVett (4) during the third quarter in the Big-12 women’s basketball at Hilton Coliseum on Feb. 18, 2026, in Ames, Iowa.
Iowa State Cyclones' guard Reese Beaty (1) drives with the ball to the basket around Arizona State Sun Devils guard Jyah LoVett (4) during the third quarter in the Big-12 women’s basketball at Hilton Coliseum on Feb. 18, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Mississippi State Bulldogs

Sam Purcell added another important piece to Mississippi State’s offseason puzzle on Monday, landing Iowa State transfer guard Reese Beaty.

She becomes the second portal commitment for the Bulldogs as Purcell works to reshape his roster for 2024-25, and her versatility should fit neatly into what Mississippi State wants to build.

Beaty arrives in Starkville after a solid freshman season in Ames, where she carved out a meaningful role on a young Iowa State team.

She appeared in 27 games, made two starts and averaged just over 20 minutes per outing. Her numbers were steady across the board: 4.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 38 percent from the field.

She finished with 90 assists against only 50 turnovers, a strong ratio for a first-year guard, and posted at least five assists in eight different games. Her season high in scoring was 13 points.

That experience matters for a Mississippi State team looking to add depth and reliability in the backcourt. Beaty showed she can handle the ball, facilitate and defend multiple positions, and she should compete for immediate minutes in Purcell’s rotation.

Before Iowa State, Beaty put together one of the more decorated high school careers in Tennessee. The Jamestown native starred at York Institute, where she was a two-time team captain and helped lead the program to a 116-23 record.

York reached the state tournament all four years of her career and finished as state runner-up twice. As a junior, she averaged 17.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists, establishing herself as one of the top guards in the state.

Her athletic résumé extended beyond basketball. Beaty won four state championships in the shot put and three more in the discus, showcasing the strength and explosiveness that translate well to the court.

On the recruiting trail, she held offers from Iowa State, Cal, Colorado, TCU and West Virginia. She earned a 95 grade from 247Sports, was ranked as a four-star prospect and slotted as the No. 2 player in Tennessee in her class.

Now she becomes the latest addition to Mississippi State’s roster overhaul.

With two portal commitments already in place, Purcell is starting to assemble the core of next year’s team, and Beaty’s blend of toughness, playmaking and experience gives the Bulldogs another building block heading into the summer.

Mississippi State Basketball Transfer Portal Tracker

Women

Incoming

  • Reese Beaty, 5-8, G, Fr. (Iowa State)
  • Cali Smallwood, 5-9, G, Jr. (UAB)

Outgoing

  • Awa Fane, 5-8, G, Jr.
  • Nataliyah Gray, 6-3, F, Fr.
  • Rocío Jiménez, 6-7, C, R-So.
  • Saniyah King, 5-7, G, So.
  • Jaylah Lampley, 6-2, Fr.

Men

Outgoing

  • Jamarion Davis-Fleming, 6-10, F, Fr.
  • Dellquan Warren, 6-2, G, So.
  • Amier Ali, 6-8, G/F, So.
  • Sergej Macura, 6-9, F, So.
  • Brandon Walker, 6-8, F, Sr.

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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