Women’s Basketball Climbs to No. 5 in AP Poll
December 10, 2018 | Women's Basketball
by Brian Ogden, Assistant Coordinator/Communications
STARKVILLE – Having held off a challenge from then-No. 18 Marquette last week, Mississippi State's women's basketball program moved up one spot in the latest Associated Press Top 25 Poll to No. 5.
The Bulldogs won a back-and-forth game that featured 25 lead changes on Thursday night, 87-82.
State has now extended its ranking streak to 80 consecutive weeks and has been in the Top 10 for 44 straight weeks. MSU is one of three teams to have its football, men's basketball and women's basketball teams all ranked in the AP poll (Kentucky and Syracuse).
Vic Schaefer's team is the highest of five SEC programs in the Top 25. The Bulldogs are among the top-15 in the nation in 14 different statistical categories. MSU tops the nation in scoring margin (+41.8) and is second in scoring offense, averaging 93.0 ppg. The Bulldogs are fourth in the country in field goal percentage (51.9%) and sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.5).
Individually, Teaira McCowan is third in the country with 27 total blocks and is fourth in the country with seven double-doubles this season. Jazzmun Holmes dished out a career-high and Humphrey Coliseum-record 13 assists against Marquette and now leads the country in assist/turnover ratio (5.4).
The Bulldogs now face a three-game stretch on the road, beginning on Friday night at Southern Miss. MSU and the Golden Eagles will tipoff at 6 p.m. CT in Hattiesburg.
Associated Press Poll – December 10, 2018
Rnk. Team Rcd. Pts. Pvs.
1 Connecticut (31) 9-0 775 1
2 Notre Dame 8-1 736 2
3 Baylor 7-0 705 4
4 Louisville 10-0 685 5
5 Mississippi State 9-0 654 6
6 Maryland 9-0 605 7
7 Oregon 7-1 576 3
8 Oregon State 7-1 555 8
9 Tennessee 8-0 545 9
10 North Carolina State 10-0 486 10
11 Stanford 6-1 464 11
12 Texas 7-2 389 12
13 Minnesota 8-0 374 14
13 California 9-0 374 13
15 Syracuse 8-2 336 15
16 Iowa 7-2 299 16
17 Arizona State 7-2 226 17
18 Kentucky 9-1 196 19
19 Marquette 7-2 184 18
20 DePaul 7-3 182 20
21 Gonzaga 9-1 142 24
22 Missouri 8-2 122 23
23 Michigan State 8-1 121 NR
24 Miami (FL) 8-2 82 25
25 South Carolina 5-4 77 22
Others receiving votes: Drake 39, Texas A&M 24, Florida St. 22, Virginia Tech 21, South Florida 16, Iowa St. 14, Indiana 12, Georgia 11, South Dakota 10, Utah 5, West Virginia 5, Southern California 3, North Carolina 1, South Dakota St. 1, Central Michigan 1.
STARKVILLE – Having held off a challenge from then-No. 18 Marquette last week, Mississippi State's women's basketball program moved up one spot in the latest Associated Press Top 25 Poll to No. 5.
The Bulldogs won a back-and-forth game that featured 25 lead changes on Thursday night, 87-82.
State has now extended its ranking streak to 80 consecutive weeks and has been in the Top 10 for 44 straight weeks. MSU is one of three teams to have its football, men's basketball and women's basketball teams all ranked in the AP poll (Kentucky and Syracuse).
Vic Schaefer's team is the highest of five SEC programs in the Top 25. The Bulldogs are among the top-15 in the nation in 14 different statistical categories. MSU tops the nation in scoring margin (+41.8) and is second in scoring offense, averaging 93.0 ppg. The Bulldogs are fourth in the country in field goal percentage (51.9%) and sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.5).
Individually, Teaira McCowan is third in the country with 27 total blocks and is fourth in the country with seven double-doubles this season. Jazzmun Holmes dished out a career-high and Humphrey Coliseum-record 13 assists against Marquette and now leads the country in assist/turnover ratio (5.4).
The Bulldogs now face a three-game stretch on the road, beginning on Friday night at Southern Miss. MSU and the Golden Eagles will tipoff at 6 p.m. CT in Hattiesburg.
Associated Press Poll – December 10, 2018
Rnk. Team Rcd. Pts. Pvs.
1 Connecticut (31) 9-0 775 1
2 Notre Dame 8-1 736 2
3 Baylor 7-0 705 4
4 Louisville 10-0 685 5
5 Mississippi State 9-0 654 6
6 Maryland 9-0 605 7
7 Oregon 7-1 576 3
8 Oregon State 7-1 555 8
9 Tennessee 8-0 545 9
10 North Carolina State 10-0 486 10
11 Stanford 6-1 464 11
12 Texas 7-2 389 12
13 Minnesota 8-0 374 14
13 California 9-0 374 13
15 Syracuse 8-2 336 15
16 Iowa 7-2 299 16
17 Arizona State 7-2 226 17
18 Kentucky 9-1 196 19
19 Marquette 7-2 184 18
20 DePaul 7-3 182 20
21 Gonzaga 9-1 142 24
22 Missouri 8-2 122 23
23 Michigan State 8-1 121 NR
24 Miami (FL) 8-2 82 25
25 South Carolina 5-4 77 22
Others receiving votes: Drake 39, Texas A&M 24, Florida St. 22, Virginia Tech 21, South Florida 16, Iowa St. 14, Indiana 12, Georgia 11, South Dakota 10, Utah 5, West Virginia 5, Southern California 3, North Carolina 1, South Dakota St. 1, Central Michigan 1.
Players Mentioned
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