No. 3 MSU, No. 24 Sun Devils Meet Thanksgiving Day In Cancun Challenge

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Third-ranked Mississippi State faces its first ranked opponent of the season as it takes on 24^th-ranked Arizona State in Thursday's opening day of the Cancun Challenge.

Tip for the Thanksgiving Day contest at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya is set for 12:30 p.m. CT. Fans can access live stats and a live video stream at www.cancunchallenge.net.

Bulldogs driving to StarkVegas for the Egg Bowl can tune in to the radio broadcast on WKBB-FM 100.9, WFCA-FM 107.9 and WVBG-FM 105.5. The radio call with Jason Crowder and Charlie Winfield can also be heard online on www.hailstate.com/plus or the TuneIn app.

Mississippi State heads to Cancun 3-0 on the season following a 91-56 win against Southern Miss on Sunday. The Bulldogs capped a perfect season-opening homestand behind a career-best 29 points from Roshunda Johnson and double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds from SEC Player of the Week Teaira McCowan.

They were two of five Bulldogs in double-figures in the game, as Victoria Vivians added 15 points and Blair Schaefer and Chloe Bibby chipped in 10 points each.

Vivians and Johnson lead the team in scoring this season with 18.7 ppg. McCowan follows right behind with 14.3 ppg and leads the team with 8.3 rebounds per contest.

Senior Morgan William notched her 500^th-career assist in Sunday's contest. She leads the SEC with an 8.0 assists average that is sixth nationally.

Thursday's game will be just the second time MSU has faced Arizona State. The other also came in Cancun, a contest won by ASU 70-48 in the 2005 Caribbean Classic.

Arizona State heads to Cancun 4-0 on the season. The Sun Devils moved into this week's Associated Press poll after Oklahoma dropped out.

ASU is led in scoring by Kianna Ibis' 14.5 ppg. Charnea Johnson-Chapman tops the team on the boards with 7.0 rpg while averaging 10.8 ppg.

Following Thursday's game, State wraps play in the Mayan Division against Columbia at 10 a.m. CT Friday and Green Bay at 10 a.m. CT Saturday.

GAME INFORMATION
Tournament: Cancun Challenge
Location: Cancun, Mexico (Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya)
Opponents: Arizona State (Nov. 23, 12:30 p.m. CT), Columbia (Nov. 24, 10 a.m. CT), Green Bay (Nov. 25, 10 a.m. CT)
Watch: CancunChallenge.net
Listen: WKBB-FM 100.9, WFCA-FM 107.9 WVBG-FM 105.5 and HailState.com/Plus

MSU VS. THE FIELD
ARIZONA STATE (ASU leads 1-0)
At MSU: 0-0
At Arizona State: 0-0
At Neutral Sites: ASU leads 1-0

11/26/2005 L 48-70 N

COLUMBIA (First Meeting)

GREEN BAY (First Meeting)

BULLDOG BITES

MSU has won 25-straight regular season non-conference games. State has won six-straight regular-season tournaments going back to 2014-15.
The Bulldog seniors have amassed 92 career wins, T7th most nationally, 2nd in the SEC since 2014-15.
MSU is No. 3 in the first USA Today Coaches Poll released Tuesday. State stayed No. 7 in this week's Associated Press Poll.
State knocked down 13 3-pointers on Sunday against Southern Miss, 2nd-most in program history. The Bulldogs are 2nd in the SEC in 3-point percentage (39.2%).
State dished 25 assists vs. USM, the most since Nov. 29, 2015. Morgan William had 9 assists against USM. She is 6th nationally with 8.0 apg.
William collected her 500th-career assist on Sunday. Her 504 assists are tops by an active SEC player, 247 more than 2nd place.
Roshunda Johnson scored a career-high 29 points against USM. Her 4.0 3-pointers per game are tied for 2nd in the SEC.
Victoria Vivians and Johnson are tied for 8th in the league in scoring (18.7 ppg).
Teaira McCowan was named SEC Player of the Week after recording her 11th-career double-double on Sunday.

LAST TIME OUT FOR MSU

State ran its record to 3-0 on the year as it handed in-state foe Southern Mississippi its first setback of the season 91-56 decision. The game closed a season-opening, three-game homestand for MSU.
The Bulldogs raced out to a 31-8 lead after the first quarter, and MSU scored 31 points off 26 USM turnovers and had 33 second-chance points on 23 offensive rebounds.
Roshunda Johnson scored a career-high 29 points on the day honoring her as a senior. Teaira McCowan added a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Victoria Vivians added 15 points and Blair Schaefer and Chloe Bibby tallied 10 points each as MSU hit a school 2nd-most 13 3-pointers and dished 25 assists.

GET TO KNOW THE OPPONENT

Arizona State brings a 4-0 record to Cancun. The Sun Devils defeated Colgate 65-54 on Sunday after knocking off Sacramento State 106-58 a day earlier. ASU shoots 48.9% from the field and is out-rebounding opponents by 14.8 rpg. Kianna Ibis tallied 20 points Sunday to sit atop the team with 14.5 ppg this season. Charnea Johnson-Chapman owns a team-best 7.0 rpg while averaging 10.8 ppg.
Columbia improved to 2-2 on Sunday as it defeated Vermont 73-66 to halt a two-game losing streak. Camille Zimmerman has sparked the Lions in scoring and on the boards, averaging 22.8 ppg and 9.5 rpg. Riley Casey also averages double figures with 12.8 ppg.
Green Bay heads to Cancun 3-0 on the season after opening with wins against Chattanooga, Wisconsin and South Dakota State. The Phoenix average 60.7 ppg and are one of the nation's top defensive teams allowing 35.0 ppg. Jessica Lindstrom paces Green Bay with 13.0 ppg and 8.3 rpg, and Allie LeClaire also averages double digits scoring with 11.7 ppg.

No. 3 MSU, No. 24 Sun Devils Meet Thanksgiving Day In Cancun Challenge

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Chloe Bibby

Roshunda Johnson

Teaira McCowan

Blair Schaefer

Victoria Vivians

Morgan William

Mississippi State University Athletics

No. 3 MSU, No. 24 Sun Devils Meet Thanksgiving Day In Cancun Challenge

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Chloe Bibby

Roshunda Johnson

Teaira McCowan

Blair Schaefer

Victoria Vivians

Morgan William

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