Bulldogs Host Troy Friday In NCAA Tournament Opener

Friday, March 17

Starkville

1:30 PM

Mississippi State

Troy

Buy tickets

Bulldogs Host Troy Friday In NCAA Tournament Opener

March 16, 2017 | Women's Basketball

Starkville NCAA Tournament Central Buy Tickets Game Notes (MSU)Game Notes (Troy)Practice Photo Gallery MSU Press Conference (Video)MSU Press Conference (Transcript)

STARKVILLE, Miss. – March Madness in Starkville begins Friday as second-seeded Mississippi State hosts No. 15 seed Troy in the opening round of the 2017 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship.

Tip for the contest is slated for 1:30 p.m. following the opening game between DePaul and Northern Iowa. ESPN2 will broadcast both games from Humphrey Coliseum.

Live audio can be found on www.hailstate.com/plus and the TuneIn app, while the following stations in the state will carry the radio broadcast:

City	Station	Frequency
French Camp	WFCA	107.9 FM
Jackson	WRKS	105.9 FM
Starkville/West Point	WKBB	100.9 FM
Tupelo	WCNA	95.9 FM
Vicksburg	WVBG	105.5 FM

Individual game tickets cost $25 for adults and $10 for youth age 17 and under and MSU students.

Naismith Coach of the Year finalist Vic Schaefer's Bulldogs earned a program-best No. 2 seed after notching the best regular season in program history. MSU claimed the school record for wins in a season for the third-straight year, going 29-4 overall.

State also claimed its best SEC record at 13-3 en route to matching the highest league finish in school history with a second-place showing. The Bulldogs earned a No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament and knocked off LSU and Texas A&M to claim a second-straight trip to the SEC Tournament championship game.

Troy heads to Starkville 22-10. The Trojans defeated Arkansas State, UT Arlington and Louisiana-Lafayette to win the Sun Belt Tournament title.

SERIES VS. TROY

Friday's game will be the 14th meeting between Troy and Mississippi State. The last time the teams met was in Vic Schaefer's first season at MSU, a game won by the Bulldogs 82-60.
State has won the last four meetings and leads the all-time series 11-2, including 11-0 in Starkville.

ABOUT THE TROJANS

Troy is 22-10 and earned the Sun Belt automatic bid by winning the league tournament last weekend. The Trojans finished the Sun Belt slate 12-6.
Three Troy players average double figures this season, led by Caitlyn Ramirez's 13.2 ppg. Jayla Chills and Claresa Banks each score at a 10.3 clip.

BULLDOG BITES

Mississippi State earned its third-straight NCAA Tournament berth, the first time State has been to the Big Dance in three-consecutive seasons.
The Bulldogs earned the highest seed in program history with a No. 2 seed.
State is hosting the NCAA First and Second Rounds for the second time in as many seasons.
The Bulldogs defeated Chattanooga and Michigan State last season to advance to the program's second Sweet 16. MSU was defeated by eventual national champion UConn.
MSU is making its ninth NCAA Tournament appearance. State is 9-8 all-time in the event.
The only time State has not advanced past the first round was its inaugural appearance in the tournament (1998-99).
State's 29 victories this season are a school record. MSU has set the single-season wins record each of the last three seasons (27 - 2014-15; 28 - 2015-16; 29 - 2016-17).
Victoria Vivians became the first three-time winner of the Gillom Trophy, presented to Mississippi's top female college player. She is also on the national ballot for the Wooden Award and a semifinalist for the Naismith Trophy.
Vic Schaefer was also tabbed one of four finalists for Naismith Coach of the Year. He is one win from claiming No. 200 as a head coach.
State has scored 2,469 points this season, fifth in program history and 21 back of the third-place mark which was set last season. MSU's 74.8 ppg this year is second in the SEC.
MSU's 45.1% season field goal percentage is the fourth-best in program history and the highest since 2001-02. It is also second in the SEC this season and 21st nationally.
The Dawgs' 487 made free throws are fourth in school history. The Top 4 totals have come each of the last four years.
Morgan William was named to the SEC All-Tournament Team after averaging 15.7 points and 4.3 assists. She shot 59.3% from the field, 93.3% from the free-throw line in the three games.
William scored her 1,000th-career point in the SEC Tournament title game.
In her last five games, William is averaging 15.4 ppg is 23 of 25 (92%) at the free-thow line.
Vivians was a First Team All-SEC selection from the league coaches, while William was named to the second team. Dominique Dillingham claimed All-Defensive Team honors for the second year in a row, and Teaira McCowan became the first MSU player to receive 6th Woman of the Year.
Vivians is an AP All-SEC First Team selection. William was a second team honoree.
For their careers, Vivians averages 14.2 ppg and William 9.4 ppg in the NCAA Tournament.
McCowan had a solid SEC Tournament, averaging 11.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg and 2.3 bpg. She shot 57.7% from the field. If the season ended today, her .582 field goal percentage would be second in MSU single-season history.