Bulldogs Host Spartans Sunday For Chance To Play In Sweet 16
March 19, 2016 | Women's Basketball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – A spot in the Sweet 16 is on the line Sunday as No. 14/15 Mississippi State hosts No. 16/17 Michigan State Sunday afternoon in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Tip from Humphrey Coliseum is set for 1:30 p.m. on ESPN2. Tickets can be purchased at hailstate.com/tickets or at the box office on game day.
Fans are encouraged to be True Maroon and fill the Hump with Maroon for the second-round matchup.
In addition to the national television broadcast, the contest can also be heard in the Golden Triangle on WMXU-FM 106.1.
Vic Schaefer's squad earned the opportunity to play for a spot in its second Sweet 16 by holding off a tough Chattanooga squad 60-50.
“I appreciated our crowd (Friday). I thought we had a tremendous crowd,” Schaefer said. “I think we are going to have a great college basketball environment for two great teams. We know we have a tremendous challenge in front of us in Michigan State. I think tomorrow the country is going to see two great teams battle. It should be a great day and a great ball game. We will have to do our part to make it a great game, and I expect that we will. I am excited for Starkville and for Mississippi State to have this opportunity.”
Michigan State pulled away late to claim a 74-60 win against Belmont in Friday's opening game.
Mississippi State's victory improved the Bulldogs to 27-7 on the season and matched last season's program record for victories.
Michigan State moved to 25-8 with its win.
Sunday's contest will not only be a battle between two of the top teams in the country, but also two of the nation's best players in the Bulldogs' Victoria Vivians and the Spartans' Aerial Powers.
Vivians paced Mississippi State with 19 points against Chattanooga, while Powers punched in 27 points in the Spartans' victory against Belmont.
Vivians' effort kept the Fist Team All-SEC selection second in the SEC with 17.2 ppg.
She has been stellar down the stretch for the Maroon and White, averaging 18.8 points her last five games. Vivians enters Sunday's game scoring at a 13.7 clip in three-career NCAA Tournament games and 16.2 ppg this season against ranked foes.
In addition to her 19 points, Vivians also added seven rebounds. She rates second on the team with 5.9 rebounds per game, but is averaging 7.2 boards in the team's last five contests.
Junior Chinwe Okorie claims 7.4 rpg over the last five contests after she grabbed nine to go with 12 points on Friday.
Associated Press All-SEC Honorable Mention Dominique Dillingham looks to rebound from a tough shooting night in which she scored three points on 1 of 7 shooting.
The Spring, Texas, native, who was an SEC All-Defensive Team selection, was stifling on the defensive end, collecting three blocks and a trio of steals.
Although she has continued to be a lockdown defender, Dillingham has become a threat on the offensive end, averaging 8.1 ppg for the season and 9.2 ppg her last five games.
While Dillingham has been the team's second-leading scorer down the stretch, sophomore Morgan William has been the team's No. 2 scorer for the season, chipping in 9.8 ppg.
William has also been one of the SEC's best a setting up her teammates, rating second in the SEC with 4.9 assists per game but tying for the conference lead with 167 total assists.
After holding Chattanooga to 50 points and 39 percent shooting, the Bulldogs will have to turn in another stellar defensive effort against a Spartans squad that averages 76.0 ppg and shoots 44 percent for the season.
“They are a big, physical basketball team. They have tremendous athleticism and great guard play. I think you are going to see two seasoned teams,” Schaefer said. “I think they have a little more experience than we do, but you are going to see two seasoned teams. These two teams have been to the wars and know what it is all about. They are not going to be intimidated tomorrow playing here. I have tremendous respect for their staff. Consistently, they are always in the top two or three in the B1G.”
Power's 27-point effort boosted her average to 22.0 ppg this season. Jasmine Hines put in 24 in Friday's tournament opener to put her at 10.8 ppg for the year.
That duo is two of four Michigan State players averaging double figures this year. Tori Jankoska claims 15.1 ppg while Branndais Agee adds 11.4 ppg.
Powers also paces Michigan State on the boards, hauling in 9.2 per contest.
