SEC Title On The Line As No. 2 MSU Hosts Lady Vols For Senior Day

Sunday, February 26

Starkville

4:00 PM

Mississippi State

Tennessee

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SEC Title On The Line As No. 2 MSU Hosts Lady Vols For Senior Day

February 25, 2017 | Women's Basketball

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STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State seniors Ketara Chapel, Dominique Dillingham, Chinwe Okorie and Breanna Richardson have accomplished many program firsts en route to winning 104 games during their Bulldog careers.

They have the opportunity to add another on Senior Day, as the Bulldog women's basketball team seeks to win the program's first SEC regular-season championship when they host Tennessee Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m.

Doors open at 2:30. Tickets cost $5 for adults, with youth age 18 and under receiving free admission. The contest will be a True Maroon Game presented by Barnes & Noble, with fans being asked to pack the Hump with Maroon.

ESPN2 will televise the game nationally, with WatchESPN carrying the online stream. WKBB-FM 100.9 will have the radio broadcast in the Golden Triangle, and WCNA-FM 95.9 will carry the game in the Tupelo, Corinth and Oxford areas. A free live audio stream will be available at www.hailstate.com/plus and the TuneIn app.

Prior to the game, Mississippi State will recognize the winningest senior class in program history. The quartet is the first to win 20-plus games four-straight years and is expected to become the first class to earn three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

The four seniors have helped guide Mississippi State to Top 2 finishes in the SEC for the first time, and their contributions have led the Bulldogs to the Top 3 season wins totals in program annals.

While this weekend honors this year's Bulldog seniors, it also includes a reunion of former Mississippi State players, coaches and support staff. The former Bulldogs, who helped set the groundwork for the program's current rise, will be recognized on court at halftime.

Sitting at 27-2 overall and 13-2 in SEC play, the Bulldogs are one victory shy of matching the single-season wins record set by last season's squad.

To do so, Vic Schaefer's squad will have to knock off a Tennessee squad that is 18-10 on the year, 9-6 overall. It's the second meeting of the season between the squads, as the Bulldogs claimed their first-ever win in Knoxville 74-64 on Jan. 8.

State has won three-straight against Tennessee after claiming its first win in the series, 65-63 in overtime, last season in Starkville.

QUOTABLE

"For me, the biggest thing is my seniors. They have dedicated themselves to our program for four years. They have done so much for our community and our University, so I think a great way to show our appreciation to them would be to have the largest crowd in the history of Humphrey Coliseum. That's my goal, and I think it's the least we can do. It's my hope that Bulldog fans across this great state would come support our team in a very meaningful game and show their love and appreciation for four tremendous seniors." — MSU Head Coach Vic Schaefer

PROMOTIONS

True Maroon Game presented by Barnes & Noble – Fans encouraged to wear Maroon
Free pom-poms
Former MSU player/coaches/staff recognition at halftime
MSU Student Lounge – Opens 1:30 p.m. and at halftime
Maroon Memories – www.hailstate.com/memories
Bully's Kidz Kourt – Open 2:30-3:45 p.m.

SERIES VS. TENNESSEE

Tennessee leads the overall series 36-3, but MSU has won the last three meetings, including its first-ever win in Knoxville (74-64) on Jan. 8.
Morgan William scored 21 points in that win, while Victoria Vivians added 20 points. Teaira McCowan chipped in 14 to go with nine rebounds.
The two teams met in Starkville last season, where MSU claimed its first-ever win in the series 65-63 in overtime. MSU used a 15-3 fourth quarter to tie the game, and back-to-back baskets by Chinwe Okorie and William clinched the win in the extra period.
Vivians and Dominique Dillingham tallied 14 points each in the historic win, while William added 11 and Okorie 10.

ABOUT THE LADY VOLS

Tennessee heads to Starkville 18-10 overall and 9-6 in SEC play. The Lady Vols have won back-to-back games, defeating Arkansas last Sunday and Florida 74-70 on Thursday.
Diamond DeShields leads UT with 17.2 ppg for the season and 18.4 ppg in SEC contests. Mercedes Russell follows with 17.0 points and 9.9 rebounds in league games, while Jamie Nared is tallying a 15.3 average in conference play.

NEXT UP FOR THE DAWGS

Mississippi State begins postseason play next week with the SEC Tournament. The Bulldogs will start action in Friday's quarterfinals.
If the tournament started today, State would play the winner between Alabama and Georgia.

BULLDOG BITES

Sunday's game will be Senior Day for MSU, with Ketara Chapel, Dominique Dillingham, Chinwe Okorie and Breanna Richardson being honored before the game. The quartet is now 104-31 (.770) since 2013-14, the second-most wins in the league in that span. Their 40-23 (.635) four-year SEC record is fifth best in the conference.
Sunday will also feature a reunion of former Mississippi State basketball players.
The Bulldogs can clinch their first SEC regular-season championship with a win Sunday. It would be the first SEC title for an MSU women's team in any sport.
State's 27 wins this season tie the 2014-15 squad for second-most in program history behind the 2015-16 squad (28).
MSU moved to No. 2 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, the school's highest ranking. The Bulldogs stayed No. 3 in the Associated Press poll. State has been in both 52-straight weeks.
In SEC games, MSU is Top 3 in the league in 11 statistical categories.
Thursday was the 10th time in SEC play MSU has put 70-plus points on the scoreboard. The last time MSU did that was 2002-03 (11 times).
State shot 48.1% from the field Thursday, its second-straight game and sixth in SEC play making 45% or better from the floor. MSU's 45.4% season tally is third-highest in school history and the best since 2001-02.
The Dawgs made 41.2% from 3-point range at Kentucky, the sixth time State has shot 40% or better from the arc in league games. MSU is making 35.7% for the season, the second-best percentage in program history.
MSU's bench out-scored Kentucky 17-7. The Bulldog reserves have claimed a 200-75 scoring edge the last eight games. State's bench averages 25.7 ppg this season.
Victoria Vivians reached double figures for the 23rd-straight game and notched her second-straight game with 25-plus points as she tallied 27 at Kentucky. She has 10 20-point games this season and 31 for her career. Seven of her 20-point games this season have come against SEC opposition.
Vivians is fifth in the SEC this season at 17.2 ppg, fourth in league games with 18.1 ppg.
Vivians has scored a personal-best 271 points in SEC play. She also passed 1,600 points for her career on Thursday.
Vivians is averaging 20.3 ppg in four-career games against Tennessee, while Morgan William is scoring at a 12.0 clip against the Lady Vols after scoring 21 in the first meeting.
William is 19 of her last 21 (90.5%) at the free-throw line, while Vivians is 22 of 27 (81.5%).
William has dished 31 assists to just 13 turnovers her last five games.
Teaira McCowan has 17 blocks her last seven games (2.4 bpg) after swatting 21 her first 22 contests. McCowan is averaging 12.5 rpg the last four games.