Chandler Prater ready for fresh start with Mississippi State

Last year was supposed to be Chandler Prater’s breakout season but life would throw her a curveball.

After transferring to Oklahoma State for her senior season, Prater was off to a solid start off the bench averaging 8.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in the first five games and her minutes were beginning to climb. One of her best games was transpiring against a top 25 Ohio State team when she had scored 10 points in 19 minutes until things came crashing down.

Prater went down with Achilles injury and her season was over in a flash.

“It was really difficult in terms of emotions mentally and physically. Basketball is my love and not being able to play was really difficult,” Prater said. “I feel like God took me to a low place to prepare me fore a high place. Being in that and growing physically, mentally and emotionally, I feel like I’m ready.”

After the last few months rehabbing, Prater hit the transfer portal and is looking for a fresh start and one last stop. After spending three years at Kansas and a year with OSU, she’s now coming to the SEC.

Relationships key in Prater’s decision

Mississippi State and Sam Purcell welcomed in Prater for a three-day weekend in Starkville. After taking in that trip, Prater decided she had found her new home.

“It was dope. I feel like the visit was perfect and I got to learn a whole lot about the coaching staff and the University the last couple of days and got a genuine feel for it,” Prater said. “I really like visiting with the players and coach Sam at his house. It was a generous thing for him to invite me to his house and he and his family treated me like I was a part of their family.”

Relationships are big with Purcell and it’s gotten him in the game with several big names in the transfer portal during his first three seasons at State. His relationship with Prater dates back to six years ago.

The two first connected when Prater came to camp at Louisville when Purcell was an assistant coach. Though she ended up making two stops elsewhere during her career, she hadn’t forgotten the genuine connection that they had and it helped the Bulldogs get her signature this past weekend.

“Our relationship started all the way back in 2018 when I went to the Louisville camp and Sam was coaching under Jeff Walz,” Prater said. “I met him and had a great vibe with him and it was just a great fit. Coach Fred Castro and coach Anita Howard really did a good job building a relationship with me as well so I love the staff.”

Prior to her injury at OK State, Prater had emerged as one of Kansas’ best players.

Prater ready to lead

As a junior at Kansas, Prater started in 33 games and averaged 9.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.7 steals a game in 2022-23. She finished the year with 79% makes from the free throw line while hitting 41% from the field and she scored in double figures 14 times that season with a career-high 24 points coming against TCU in Big 12 play.

She played a total of 86 games in Lawrence over three years before transferring to play for the Cowgirls. Prior to that, the Kansas City native was an All-State performer from Kansas City, Mo., and won a state championship her senior year.

Prater now looks to add that winning mindset, and her talents, to the Bulldog roster next season. She is taking it easy on her Achilles, but she believes that she will be back and better and ever during the summer.

Though there will be many new faces on the squad, Prater is excited to see it all come together.

“I feel like I can provide a lot of leadership to this team but also be a defender and a pull up shooter,” Prater said. “We have some dogs on our team. I haven’t gotten a chance to meet everybody, but I did my research and reached out to them beforehand. I talked to Jerkaila Jordan and we had a good conversation about our goals this year. I had a lot of respect for her. I knew she was a great player and now I’m excited to play with her and do some big things for State.”

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