MSU No. 3 In Coaches Poll Heading Into Wednesday Contest In Jackson

Wednesday, November 29

Jackson, Miss. (Mississippi Coliseum)

7:00 PM

Mississippi State

Louisiana-Lafayette

MSU No. 3 In Coaches Poll Heading Into Wednesday Contest In Jackson

November 28, 2017 | Women's Basketball

Tickets MSU Game Notes UL Game Notes Live Audio Live Stats

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Three has been Mississippi State's number so far this season.

In addition to rating as one of the country's best at knocking down the 3-pointer, the Bulldog women's basketball team remained No. 3 in this week's USA Today Coaches Poll heading into a Wednesday night contest against Louisiana at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson.

Tip for the game, which is sponsored by American Medical Response, First Commercial Bank and The Westin Jackson, is set for 7 p.m. Tickets for the contest are available at www.hailstate.com/tickets or the Mississippi Coliseum box office on game day. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for youth age 17 and under.

Bully's Kids Club members get free entry with their membership card.

Following the game, the Bulldogs will sign autographs for fans.

Fans unable to attend Wednesday's game can listen to the contest on the MSU Radio Network with Jason Crowder and Charlie Winfield. In the Golden Triangle and surrounding areas, WKBB-FM 100.9 and WFCA-FM 107.9 will have the call, while WVBG-FM 105.5 will carry the game in Vicksburg.

Vic Schaefer's squad heads to the "Capital City" 6-0 on the season after winning the Mayan Division of the Cancun Challenge with victories against No. 24 Arizona State, Columbia and a Green Bay squad that boasted the nation's top scoring defense.

Those three wins moved MSU up to No. 6 in the Associated Press poll while keeping it third in Tuesday's USA Today Coaches Top 25.

Victoria Vivians was named Mayan Division MVP in Cancun last week after averaging 19.0 ppg in the three victories. Vivians returns to the building she won two state championships with Scott Central High School topping the team and rating sixth in the SEC with 18.8 ppg this season.

Junior Teaira McCowan joined her on the all-tournament team after averaging 15.0 points, 12.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in the three games. McCowan, the SEC leader on the offensive glass with 5.2 per game, is averaging a double-double this season with 14.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per contest.

She follows right behind senior Roshunda Johnson in the scoring column, as the Little Rock, Ark., native has poured in points at a 15.5 clip this season and shot 47.2 percent from the field and an SEC fourth-best 50 percent from the 3-point arc.

Senior Morgan William heads to Jackson tops in the country in assist/turnover ratio (9.3) and second in the SEC with 6.2 assists per game.

GAME INFORMATION
Opponent: Louisiana
Time: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
Doors Open: 6 p.m.
Admission: $5 adults/$3 age 17 & under/Free Bully's Kids Club (age 12 and under)
Where To Buy: www.hailstate.com/tickets or Mississippi Coliseum Box Office
Listen: MSU Radio Network and HailState.com/Plus

PROMOTIONS

Postgame autographs

SERIES HISTORY
LOUISIANA (MSU leads 9-0)
At MSU: MSU leads 7-0
At Louisiana: MSU leads 2-0
At Neutral Sites: 0-0

12/17/2014            W             66-51                      A
12/4/2013               W             78-51                      H
12/19/2011            W             72-38                      H
11/28/2008            W             71-38                      A
12/30/2007            W             80-55                      H
12/16/2000            W             101-68                    H
12/2/1999               W             101-56                    H
12/17/1982            W             63-62                      H
12/1/1981               W             71-51                      H

BULLDOG BITES

MSU has won 28-straight regular season non-conference games after going 3-0 in Cancun, Mexico, over the weekend.
The Bulldogs are playing in Jackson for the 2nd time. The first was a 61-54 win against New Orleans on Dec. 21, 2006.
The State seniors have amassed 95 career wins, T7th most nationally, 2nd in the SEC since 2014-15.
MSU moved up to No. 6 in this week's Associated Press Poll and stayed No. 3 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
The Bulldogs are 1 of 7 programs in the nation, the only SEC school, to have undefeated men's and women's teams.
MSU has won the turnover battle in 5 of 6 games this season and is 111-26 under Vic Schaefer, 83-13 since 2014-15, when doing so.
The Dawgs have made 10-plus 3-pointers in 3 games this year. Last year's squad had double-digit 3-pointers 4 times.
Victoria Vivians, who won 2 prep state championships in Jackson, was named Cancun Challenge Mayan Division MVP after averaging 19.0 ppg in the 3 games.
Vivians is 6th in the SEC in scoring this season (18.8 ppg).
Teaira McCowan was named to the Mayan Division All-Tournament Team. She averaged 15.0 points, 12.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in the 3 games.
The Bulldogs are Top 40 nationally in 12 statistical categories. Morgan William leads the nation in assist/turnover ratio (9.3).
State is in the Top 4 in the SEC in 13 categories. The Bulldogs lead or tie for the top spot in scoring defense (52.7 ppg), scoring margin (+28.5) and turnover margin (+8.8).
Vivians is 3rd among active Division I players in career scoring (1,867 pts.). William is 3rd in assists (517) and 10th in FT% (84.3%).

LAST TIME OUT FOR MSU...

The Bulldogs won the Mayan Division of the Cancun Challenge to improve to 6-0 on the season. MSU started the 3-game slate rallying to defeat No. 24 Arizona State 65-57. Victoria Vivians scored a game-high 17 points, while Roshunda Johnson tallied 16 and Teaira McCowan had 15 points and 14 rebounds. McCowan scored all 15 points and grabbed 13 boards in the second half as MSU erased a one-point halftime deficit.
Vivians also led the Bulldogs in Friday's 90-54 win against Columbia, knocking down 9-of-13 shots from the field, including 5-of-8 from 3-point range, for 23 points. She also dished 4 assists and had 3 steals in the game. Vivians had 10 points in the third quarter as the Bulldogs out-scored the Lady Lions 29-15 to open up an 8-point halftime advantage.
Blair Schaefer added 14 points and Teaira McCowan tallied 21 points and 10 rebounds to help lead MSU into a championship game contest against Green Bay.
In the final game of the event, MSU faced a Green Bay squad that led the nation in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense. State's 67 points and 38.6% from the field were both highs allowed by the Phoenix, but the Bulldogs made their mark defensively, holding UWGB to 6 first-quarter points en route to limiting Green Bay to its fewest points since 2015.
Vivians once again led all scorers with 17 points, and three other Dawgs joined her in double figures as Johnson tallied 14, Blair Schaefer 13 and Morgan William 10. McCowan grabbed 13 rebounds to go with 9 points.

GET TO KNOW THE OPPONENT

Louisiana heads to Jackson 2-4 on the season after going 1-1 in Las Vegas at the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout. The Ragin' Cajuns fell 54-45 to Cleveland State after halting a 3-game skid with a 68-52 win against Niagara.
UL averages 58.2 ppg and shoots 37.9% from the field, 26.7% from 3-point range and 67.4% from the free-throw line.
Skyler Goodwin is the lone player averaging double figures with 11.5 ppg. Kimberly Burton and Simone Fields are tied for the top spot on the boards with 5.3 rpg each.