Mississippi State women's basketball coach Sam Purcell adds player he coached at Louisville

Mississippi State women's basketball coach Sam Purcell's connections to Louisville have already helped bring a new player to Starkville.

Ramani Parker, a 6-foot-4 forward, has transferred to MSU after two seasons with the Cardinals, according to a news release.

"I have had the chance to get to know Ramani since she was in high school," Purcell said. "I had the pleasure of helping recruit her to Louisville and then watched her put in the work to become a very skilled basketball player. At Louisville, she learned from some of the best minds in the game and learned what it meant to be a part of a championship-level program and the effort it takes to become a champion."

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Purcell spent nine years at Louisville as an assistant coach.

The Fresno, California, native was the No. 99 prospect and No. 14 forward in the Class of 2019, according to ESPN. She appeared in 14 games last season, averaging 3.1 minutes and 1.4 points.

"Ramani sat behind some special players that have gone on to play in the WNBA," Purcell said. "And there is no doubt in my mind that she is ready for her opportunity to show off her skill set. Ramani has the size, skill and winning mentality that I am looking for her at Mississippi State. I've recruited many special players in my career, and Ramani is one of those special players, and I'm excited for her to get to Starkville and show the world what she can do."

Mississippi State returns two of its top three scorers from last season in Anastasia Hayes and Jerkaila Jordan. Rickea Jackson, who was leading the SEC in scoring when she entered the transfer portal, transferred to Tennessee.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State women's basketball adds Louisville's Ramani Parker