Mississippi State Lets Late Lead Slip in 68-64 Loss at Texas A&M

Mississippi State led in the fourth quarter but couldn’t close, falling to Texas A&M despite big nights from Madison Francis and Chandler Prater.

Mississippi State senior guard Trayanna Crisp drives past a Texas A&M defender during Thursday night's game against the Aggies. | Mississippi State Athletics

Mississippi State walked off the floor Thursday night with that familiar, frustrating feeling of a game that was right there and somehow slipped away.

A five‑point lead in the fourth quarter should’ve been enough, especially in a game where the Bulldogs had stretches of control. Instead, Texas A&M steadied itself late, made the cleaner plays, and left with a 68-64 win that felt more like a missed opportunity than a mismatch.

“It is a quiet locker room, and obviously, there are tears,” Bulldogs’ coach Sam Purcell said in his post-game radio interview. “Everyone is frustrated because I thought we had a good game plan coming into the game. This was a game we could have won, but now it is about playing for the seniors on senior night and finishing the regular season strong.”

What makes it tougher is that Mississippi State got plenty from the players it usually leans on. Madison Francis once again looked like the most dependable thing in maroon, stacking up 19 points on efficient shooting, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks. She’s now just two blocks shy of the program’s freshman record, and she’s doing it while carrying a workload most first‑year players never touch.

She leads the country in blocks for a reason! pic.twitter.com/tazIUjvRGV

— Mississippi State Women's Basketball (@HailStateWBK) February 27, 2026

Chandler Prater gave them exactly the kind of spark you want from a veteran coming off the bench. Thirteen points, nine boards, four assists, four steals, the kind of presence that keeps a team afloat when the offense stalls.

“She had a look in her eye where she didn't want to lose, so we rode her coattails there,” Purcell said of Prater.

And it did stall, more than once.

That’s been the recurring issue: long stretches where the Bulldogs can’t quite string together enough good possessions to create separation.

Favour Nwaedozi added another double‑double, her 13th of the season, and did it in her usual steady way. Eleven points, fourteen rebounds, nothing forced, nothing flashy. Trayanna Crisp knocked down three threes, something that had been a good omen, given Mississippi State’s 6-1 record when she hit that mark, but this time it wasn’t enough to tilt the game.

BALL MOVEMENT! pic.twitter.com/xq6C5lEOMD

— Mississippi State Women's Basketball (@HailStateWBK) February 27, 2026

The pieces were there. The effort was there. The production was there. What wasn’t there was the late‑game sharpness that separates a solid performance from a win. Texas A&M found it; Mississippi State didn’t.

“We had a moment where we were up four, and we had a chance to extend it late, but we missed some free throws,” Purcell said. “You have to seize the moment and not let the crowd get back into it. Whenever you miss those free throws, [Texas A&M] can feel the momentum and the opportunity. Again, you have to tip your hat to them; they made the plays down the stretch that we didn't.”

Now the Bulldogs get one more shot to close the regular season on a stronger note, hosting No. 6 LSU on Sunday. It’s a tough matchup, but also a chance to reset the tone before the SEC Tournament next week.