No. 5/3 Bulldogs To Face UNLV, No. 22 Syracuse In Las Vegas

STARKVILLE, Miss. – No. 5/3 Mississippi State looks to wrap a perfect pre-Christmas slate as it heads to Las Vegas to face UNLV and No. 22 Syracuse in the Duel in the Desert.

State opens play Wednesday against the host Lady Rebels. The following day, MSU meets the 22^nd-ranked Orange in a matchup against the last two NCAA national runner-ups.

Both games tip at 4:30 p.m. CT. Live video will be available at www.flohoops.com (subscription required). Jason Crowder and Charlie Winfield will broadcast on the MSU Radio Network and online on www.hailstate.com/plus and the TuneIn app.

The Bulldogs make the trip 11-0 on the season after defeating No. 9 Oregon (90-79) and Maine (83-43) to stay No. 3 in this week's USA Today Coaches Poll and earn NCAA Team of the Week honors.

Sunday's win against Maine gave Bulldog seniors Morgan William, Victoria Vivians and Blair Schaefer their 100^th-career victory. It also marked the 33^rd victory in a row against non-conference competition in the months of November and December.

State was paced last week by a dominant performance from SEC Player of the Week Teaira McCowan. The junior center averaged 26.5 points and 15.0 rebounds in the two wins.

McCowan heads to Las Vegas averaging an SEC seventh-best 17.5 ppg. She also pulls down 12.2 rpg, second-best in the league and eighth nationally. McCowan also ranks second in the SEC and 11^th in NCAA Division I making 64.8 percent from the field.

Senior Victoria Vivians scored 30 points against the ninth-ranked Ducks and followed it with 12 points against Maine to sit third in the SEC in scoring this season with 19.4 ppg.

Vivians also rates ninth in the league in field goal percentage (53.5 percent) and fifth in free-throw percentage (84.1 percent).

State's first true road test of the season comes against a UNLV squad that returns home 5-4 on the season after suffering a 74-33 setback at No. 18 Stanford last Saturday.

Brooke Johnson had 19 points against the Cardinal to raise her team-leading season average to 14.9 ppg. Katie Powell tops the Lady Rebels on the boards with 9.4 rpg to go with 13.7 ppg.

Like MSU, Syracuse also comes to Las Vegas undefeated on the season at 11-0. They are two of eight undefeated teams in the nation.

The Orange are coming off a 69-57 win against Coastal Carolina on Sunday. Miranda Drummond and Tiana Mangakahia paced Syracuse's scoring attack with 17.5 and 16.0 ppg, respectively.

GAME INFORMATION
Tournament: Duel in the Desert
Location: Las Vegas, Nev. (Cox Pavilion)
Opponents: UNLV (Dec. 20); No. 22 Syracuse (Dec. 21
Time: 4:30 p.m. CT both days
Watch Online: FloHoops.com (Subscription Required)
Listen: MSU Radio Network and HailState.com/Plus (PxP – Jason Crowder; Analyst – Charlie Winfield)

SERIES HISTORY
UNLV (UNLV leads 2-0)
At MSU: 0-0
At UNLV: UNLV leads 2-0
At Neutral Sites: 0-0

12/28/2003            L               51-62                      A
12/12/1986            L               44-62                      A

SYRACUSE (First Meeting)

BULLDOG BITES

MSU has won 33-straight regular season non-conference games and 32-consecutive non-conference home games.
State looks to post a perfect non-conference record for the 2nd-straight year and 4th time in program history.
The State senior class won its 100th-career game Sunday. That total is 2nd in the SEC, T6th-most in the nation.
The Bulldogs were named NCAA Team of the Week after defeating No. 9 Oregon and Maine..
MSU has started 11-0 for the 2nd-straight year and 3rd time in the last 4 years. MSU is 1 of 8 undefeated teams nationally.
MSU has won the turnover battle 10 times this year. It is 116-26 under Vic Schaefer, 88-13 since 2014-15, when doing so.
State leads the SEC in turnover margin (+8.7) and is 2nd in assist/turnover ratio (1.3).
After holding Maine to 43 points on Sunday, State is 2nd in the SEC in scoring defense (54.5 ppg). The Dawgs are 3rd in scoring offense (83.5 ppg).
Teaira McCowan was named SEC Player of the Week after averaging 26.5 points and 15.0 rebounds in wins against No. 9 Oregon and Maine.
McCowan is 11th nationally in FG% (.648), 8th in rebounds (12.2 rpg).
McCowan has recorded 7 double-doubles (10th in DI) and 10+ rebounds in 10 of 11 contests this year.
Victoria Vivians has scored double figures in 17-straight games going back to last season.
Vivians averaged 21.0 ppg and shot 58.3% from the field, 50% from 3-point range and 83.3% from the arc last week.
Vivians is 3rd in the SEC in scoring at 19.4 ppg.
Morgan William is 2nd in DI in assist/turnover ratio (5.3).

LAST TIME OUT FOR MSU...

State won its 11th-straight game to start the year as it rolled to an 83-43 win against Maine on Sunday to wrap a 4-game, pre-Christmas homestand.
The Bulldogs got 18 points, 11 rebounds from Teaira McCowan and shot 50% from the field and forced 27 Maine turnovers. State jumped out to a 17-point lead after the opening quarter and scored the final 12 points of the opening half to take a 45-18 halftime lead.
Victoria Vivians joined McCowan in double figures with 12 points.

GET TO KNOW THE OPPONENT

UNLV is 5-4 on the season and is coming off a 74-33 road setback at No. 18 Stanford on Saturday. Prior to that, the Lady Rebels snapped a run of 3-straight losses with a 52-50 win at Gonzaga.
The Lady Rebels average 67.0 ppg and shoot 36.3% from the field, 24.5% from the arc and 66.4% from the line.
Brooke Johnson had 19 points at Stanford to boost her team-leading season average to 14.9 ppg. Katie Powell is 2nd on the team in scoring (13.7 ppg) while grabbing a team-best 9.4 rpg.
Syracuse is 11-0 on the season after defeating Coastal Carolina 69-57 on Sunday. Miranda Drummond paces the Orange with 17.5 ppg, while Tiana Mangakahia scores at a 16.0 clip. Digna Strautmane grabs a team-high 8.2 rpg.

Mississippi State University Athletics

No. 5/3 Bulldogs To Face UNLV, No. 22 Syracuse In Las Vegas

Players Mentioned

Teaira McCowan

Blair Schaefer

Victoria Vivians

Morgan William

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