Fourth-Ranked Bulldogs Return To The Road Thursday At Alabama

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Fourth-ranked Mississippi State women's basketball returns Thursday to a place it is all-too-familiar with this season – the road.

Fresh off claiming the best start in program history on Monday, the 19-0 Bulldogs seek to claim another first as they travel to Alabama for a 7 p.m. tip at Coleman Coliseum.

Thursday's game will be streamed online on the SEC Network +. Fans can also listen in the Golden Triangle area on WKBB-FM 100.9 and in the Corinth, Tupelo and Oxford areas on WCNA-FM 95.9. Live audio streams will also be available on www.hailstate.com/plus and the TuneIn app.

A win would not only improve MSU to a school-record 6-0 in SEC play, but it would also give this year's squad the program record for road wins in a season with nine.

State also has the chance to reach 20 wins for the fourth-straight year, something MSU has only done four times prior to Schaefer becoming head coach.

The Bulldogs are coming off a thrilling 73-62 against in-state rival Ole Miss in front of a season-best crowd of 8,840, the second-largest in program history.

Junior Victoria Vivians led the way with 23 points, her 13^th-straight game in double figures and sixth 20-point outing in the last seven games.

Senior Dominique Dillingham had her best outing of the season in the win against the Rebels, pouring in 16 points.

SERIES VS. ALABAMA

Mississippi State and Alabama will face off for the 56th time. The Crimson Tide lead the series 36-19, including a 16-9 edge in Tuscaloosa.
The Bulldogs have won the last three meetings, including a 57-55 decision in the last meeting in Tuscaloosa (2/22/15).
MSU has won 15 of the last 20 going back to 2003. The Dawgs have taken six of the last seven meetings in Tuscaloosa.

ABOUT THE CRIMSON TIDE

Thursday's game will be Alabama's third straight in Coleman Coliseum. The Crimson Tide dropped the first two games of the stretch 71-54 to Kentucky and 68-50 to Arkansas.
Alabama is 14-4 overall and 2-3 in league play. Meoshonti Knight paces the Crimson Tide with 13.1 ppg this season. Shaquera Wade follows with 12.0 ppg while leading the Tide with 6.6 rpg.
Knight also tops Alabama in league contests with 12.8 ppg. Wade scores at a 12.0 clip. Ashley Williams tops the Crimson Tide on the glass in league play with 6.6 rpg.

QUOTABLE

"No rest for the weary. We have another one coming up against a good Alabama team. They're playing well. Kristy [Curry] is doing a great job with them. They're having a tremendous year, 14-4, and have been playing well in the league. We've always had some knockout/drag-outs with them, and over there it has always been tough. I am not expecting anything different Thursday night. We're going to have to go over there, execute and play well on the road. We had a good day (Tuesday), watched a lot of film, and I expect for us to have a good day today in preparation for our game tomorrow night in Tuscaloosa. Hopefully we will have a lot of fans to travel over. I know last year there were a lot of folks that went over for the game, and that was a special atmosphere for both teams." — MSU Head Coach Vic Schaefer

NEXT UP FOR THE DAWGS

Jan. 23 –No. 5 South Carolina, Columbia, S.C. at 6 p.m. CT (ESPN2)
Jan. 29 – No. 25 Texas A&M, Humphrey Coliseum at 3 p.m. CT (SEC Network

BULLDOG BITES

Mississippi State heads to Tuscaloosa seeking to set yet another record. A win on Thursday would give the Bulldogs their ninth road win, the most in a season in program history.
MSU also seeks its 20th win of the season. It would be the fourth-straight year with 20 wins. Prior to Vic Schaefer's arrival, MSU had only recorded four 20-win seasons.
State recorded the best start in program history (19-0) with Monday's 73-62 win against in-state rival Ole Miss.
The Bulldogs' 19 wins are the most in the nation, and they join UConn as the nation's only undefeated teams.
MSU has also opened SEC play 5-0 for the first time. It is now 27-10 in the SEC going back to 2014-15. That total is second-most in the SEC in that span.
State is 47-8 overall going back to 2015-16, one back of South Carolina for most in the league.
The Bulldogs are now 37-32 in league contests under Schaefer. State has won eight-straight and 12 of its last 14 regular-season SEC games. State's eight-game win streak in conference games is the best in school history.
State leads the SEC and is eighth nationally in scoring defense, allowing 53.5 ppg. The Bulldogs also hold SEC foes to a league-lowest 54.8 ppg.
MSU's 79.4 ppg scored is second in the league and 17th in the nation.
The Dawgs are tops in the SEC and fifth nationally holding foes to 25% from the 3-point arc. MSU shot 46.7% from the arc against Ole Miss, its best against a league foe since making 53.8% against Tennessee in last year's SEC Tournament semifinal.
Victoria Vivians scored 23 points against Ole Miss, her third-straight 20-point game and sixth in her last seven games. She is averaging 21.6 ppg during that seven-game stretch.
Vivians is third in the SEC in scoring this season with 17.3 ppg. She is second in league games with 20.2 ppg.
Senior Dominique Dillingham scored a season-high 16 points against the Rebels. She had scored 15 points in her first five games back from injury.
Morgan William has reached double digits in three of her last four games with her 14-point effort against Ole Miss. MSU is 35-4 when William and Vivians reach double figures.

Fourth-Ranked Bulldogs Return To The Road Thursday At Alabama

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Dominique Dillingham

Victoria Vivians

Morgan William

Mississippi State University Athletics

Fourth-Ranked Bulldogs Return To The Road Thursday At Alabama

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Dominique Dillingham

Victoria Vivians

Morgan William

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