Purcell Inks Flores and Smallwood To 2026 Signing Class
November 12, 2025 | Women's Basketball
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State women's basketball added two impact players on the first day of the 2026 early national signing period in the form of Lani Smallwood and Andrea Flores.
"Lani and Andrea are not only great players to add to our program, but they are great people and will help define the culture at Mississippi State," coach Sam Purcell said. "We look to bring high quality people that come from a winning background into our program. These two have a high work ethic that will help this program continue to compete for championships."
Smallwood, a 5-7 guard out of Albertville, Alabama and Albertville High School, is the 75th ranked prospect in the 2026 SportsCenter NEXT 100 and is a consensus four-star recruit. She is also the highest ranked player out of the state of Alabama. Last season, Smallwood averaged 23.0 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.9 steals and 2.7 assists per game.
"Lani is a dawg on the court," Purcell said about Smallwood. "Early in her career, she was not highly ranked. She had one of the best summers across the country to propel herself into the top 100 and I couldn't be prouder of her for that. You can tell that her best basketball is still ahead of her. She's relentless on the defensive side of the ball but also has a heart of gold. She has a knack for making the big plays."
Flores is a 5-10 guard out of Jonesborough, Tennessee and attends Daniel Boone High School. Flores is listed as the fourth best player in the state of Tennessee. She is listed as a three-star prospect according to 247Sports.
"We've got one of the best shooters in the country with Andrea," Purcell said about Flores. "Her release is ultra quick and can always get her shot off. She has competed against some of the best teams on the AAU circuit and she continues to expand her abilities. Her game will translate well into the SEC."
Visit HailState.com for the latest news and information on women's basketball. Fans can also follow the program on social media by searching 'HailStateWBK' on X, Facebook and Instagram.
"Lani and Andrea are not only great players to add to our program, but they are great people and will help define the culture at Mississippi State," coach Sam Purcell said. "We look to bring high quality people that come from a winning background into our program. These two have a high work ethic that will help this program continue to compete for championships."
Smallwood, a 5-7 guard out of Albertville, Alabama and Albertville High School, is the 75th ranked prospect in the 2026 SportsCenter NEXT 100 and is a consensus four-star recruit. She is also the highest ranked player out of the state of Alabama. Last season, Smallwood averaged 23.0 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.9 steals and 2.7 assists per game.
"Lani is a dawg on the court," Purcell said about Smallwood. "Early in her career, she was not highly ranked. She had one of the best summers across the country to propel herself into the top 100 and I couldn't be prouder of her for that. You can tell that her best basketball is still ahead of her. She's relentless on the defensive side of the ball but also has a heart of gold. She has a knack for making the big plays."
Flores is a 5-10 guard out of Jonesborough, Tennessee and attends Daniel Boone High School. Flores is listed as the fourth best player in the state of Tennessee. She is listed as a three-star prospect according to 247Sports.
"We've got one of the best shooters in the country with Andrea," Purcell said about Flores. "Her release is ultra quick and can always get her shot off. She has competed against some of the best teams on the AAU circuit and she continues to expand her abilities. Her game will translate well into the SEC."
Visit HailState.com for the latest news and information on women's basketball. Fans can also follow the program on social media by searching 'HailStateWBK' on X, Facebook and Instagram.
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