Top-10 Matchup in Store for MSU in SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Sunday

Sunday, December 2

Austin, Texas

1:00 PM

Mississippi State

#10 Texas

Top-10 Matchup in Store for MSU in SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Sunday

December 01, 2018 | Women's Basketball

Live Video Online Audio Radio Info Live Stats Game Notes

by Brian Ogden, Assistant Coordinator/Communications

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State's women's basketball team will meet the No. 10 Texas Longhorns in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Sunday in Austin, Texas.

Tipoff from the Frank Erwin Center is set for 1 p.m. CT with the game airing on FS1. Fans can listen to the action on the MSU Radio Network and online via HailState.com/Plus and the TuneIn app.

MSU brings a 43-game winning streak in regular-season non-conference contests to Austin. The last time the Bulldogs lost such a game came three years ago to the day against the Longhorns in Austin on Dec. 2, 2015.

The No. 6 Bulldogs have opened the season 7-0 for the third consecutive year and the fifth time in last six – the lone misstep coming in that same 2015 season with the loss to Texas. State is ranked in the Top 15 in NCAA Division I in 17 statistical categories, including second in scoring offense (97.6 ppg) and rebounding (50.0), third in scoring defense (47.1 ppg), and fourth in both field goal percentage (53.3 percent) and field goal percentage defense (29.2 percent).

State also tops the country in blocked shots with 8.7 per game. Individually, Teaira McCowan is tied for the national lead with 25 total blocks (3.6 bpg), while freshman Jessika Carter followed in ninth with 19 (2.7 bpg).

McCowan, a candidate for the Senior CLASS Award who leads MSU with a 19.4 scoring average, returns to her home state. The Brenham, Texas, native is second in the SEC in scoring and third in rebounding (11.7 rpg).

Graduate transfer Anriel Howard will meet former Texas A&M teammate Danni Williams. Howard's 1,061 career rebounds rank fourth among active Division I players.

GAME INFORMATION
Opponent: No. 10/10 Texas
Location: Austin, Texas (Frank Erwin Center)
Time: Sunday, 1 p.m.
Watch: FS1 (PxP – Ron Thulin; Analyst – Monica McNutt)
Listen: MSU Radio Network and HailState.com/Plus (PxP – Jason Crowder; Analyst – Charlie Winfield)

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Series Tied 2-2
At MSU: MSU leads 1-0
At UT: UT leads 1-0
Neutral Sites: Tied 1-1
Last Meeting: MSU, 79-68 (11/20/16 in Starkville)

BULLDOG BITES

State has won 43 straight regular-season non-conference contests. The Dawgs have won 10-straight non-conference road games, with the last setback coming at Texas on Dec. 2, 2015.
Seniors Jazzmun Holmes and Teaira McCowan have won 106-career games, 4th-most in the nation since 2015-16. Their 78 wins since 2016-17 are tied for the most in the nation.
State has been in the AP poll 78 straight weeks, including 42 weeks in a row in the Top 10.
The Bulldogs are the nation's 2nd-best scoring offense, averaging 97.6 ppg. Its 47.1 ppg allowed is 5th in the country. Both are tops in the SEC.
State tops the SEC in FG% (53.3%) and FG% defense (29.2%). It is 4th in DI in both categories.
The Bulldogs continue to lead the nation in blocked shots with 61 on the year, 8.7 bpg. Teaira McCowan's 25 blocks lead the nation, while Jessika Carter's 19 are 7th. They are 1st and 2nd in the SEC, respectively.
Jazzmun Holmes rates 4th in the country, 1st in the SEC, with a 5.7 assist/turnover ratio. Jordan Danberry is 3rd in the league (3.1). They have helped MSU to DI's 2nd-best ratio (1.6).
McCowan scored double figures in 13-straight games going back to last season, with 9 of those being 20-point efforts. In her last three games, McCowan is averaging 22.0 ppg, 10.3 rpg and shooting 76.9% from the field.
McCowan needs 12 rebounds to break the MSU career record (1,108 - LaToya Thomas).
With 16 points Wednesday, Anriel Howard has reached double figures her last 5 games.
Bre'Amber Scott had 13 points in her hometown on Wednesday. Scott is averaging 13.5 ppg the last 2 games and is 8-of-9 from the field and 10-of-11 at the line in that stretch.
Chloe Bibby is 4th in the SEC averaging 2.9 3-pointers per game. She is 1st in the SEC, 8th in the nation, sinking the triple at a 58.8% clip.

LAST TIME OUT FOR MSU...

MSU used a 31-point 2nd quarter and 32-point 3rd quarter to pull away and defeat Little Rock 98-63 Wednesday at the Jack Stephens Center.
Teaira McCowan led 5 Bulldogs in double figures with 23 points and 15 rebounds. Anriel Howard scored 16 points, Chloe Bibby had 15, Bre'Amber Scott totaled 13 in her hometown and Jordan Danberry scored 10.

GET TO KNOW THE OPPONENT…

No. 10 Texas brings a 7-0 record into Sunday's game. The Longhorns are 3-0 at home this year.
UT averages 76.1 ppg and shoots 47.4% from the floor and 29.2% from 3-point range. Jatarie White tops Texas with 12.7 ppg after Lashann Higgs (13.8 ppg) was sidelined with an injury.

BIG T MAKING BUCKETS

A 23-point effort at Little Rock moved McCowan into 2nd in the SEC in scoring this season at 19.4 ppg, but she is making shots at a 71.3% clip that tops the league and is 4th in the nation this season.
McCowan has scored double figures in 13-straight games going back to last season. In 9 of those games she has scored 20+ points after tallying 23 on Wednesday.
Against Furman, McCowan was 11-for-11 from the field, the first time a Bulldog has gone perfect from the field when attempting 10-plus attempts. In her last 3 games, she has averaged 22.0 ppg and made 30-of-39 from the field (76.9%).
McCowan had the 2nd-best field goal percentage in school history a year ago (60.1%), and her 58.2% career tally is tops in Bulldog annals.
McCowan passed Morgan William for 9th in MSU's career scoring records with 1,416 points. That total is 2nd among active SEC players.

STATE SCORES THE POINTS

Mississippi State's offense came 2 points shy of a 5th-straight 100-point game. The Bulldogs, however, boast the nation's 2nd-highest scoring offense, best in the SEC, at 97.6 ppg.
State's average is around 14 ppg more than last year's squad through the first 7 games.
MSU has scored 72 points or higher in every game. It set a school record for points in a half with 69 in the second half against Lamar.
MSU's 50.4 scoring margin is also tops in Division I.