No. 2 Bulldogs Seek To Wrap Perfect Regular Season At Kentucky

STARKVILLE, Miss. – No. 2 Mississippi State has the opportunity to add another historical milestone to the program timeline as it travels to Kentucky to wrap the regular season Sunday afternoon.

After winning a program-record 29-straight games, including a school-best 15-straight SEC wins, the Bulldogs can become the first SEC team since 1997-98 to finish the regular season.

Tip from Memorial Coliseum is set for 11 a.m. CT, with Beth Mowins, Rebecca Lobo and Andy Landers calling the game to a national audience on ESPNU. A live stream of the game can be found at www.WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app.

Jason Crowder and Charlie Winfield will describe the action on the MSU Radio Network, www.HailState.com/Plus and the TuneIn app.

The SEC regular-season champion Bulldogs improved to 29-0 overall, 15-0 in the league with an 82-61 win against Auburn Thursday in Humphrey Coliseum. The 29-straight wins, the most victories in the nation, tied the 1988-89 Auburn Tigers for the second-longest win streak in SEC history.

This season's 29 wins are the second-most in program history behind last year's 34-win campaign.

State capped the first perfect season in Humphrey Coliseum history behind a balanced offensive attack that saw Teaira McCowan, Roshunda Johnson and Victoria Vivians score 16 points each while Morgan William added 13.

McCowan also grabbed 18 rebounds to claim the MSU single-season double-doubles record with her 21^st of the year.

Vivians and McCowan enter the game the SEC's top-scoring duo with a combined 38.4 ppg this season. Vivians rates third in the SEC averaging 19.7 ppg, while McCowan follows in fourth with an 18.7 average. McCowan also tops the league with a nation's third-best 13.3 rpg.

Johnson has had the hot hand for MSU down the stretch, averaging 16.8 ppg and shooting 51.7-percent from the field and 54.5-percent from 3-point range. She is averaging 11.9 ppg in league play, knocking down an SEC third-best 45.6-percent.

State seeks to in Lexington for the first time since 2009. The Bulldogs snapped a string of 11-straight losses to Kentucky with a 74-55 win in Starkville on Feb. 11.

UK returns for its home finale 14-15 overall and 6-9 in SEC play. The Wildcats are paced by Maci Morris' 17.0 ppg and 11.4 ppg from Taylor Murray.

GAME INFORMATION
Opponent: Kentucky
Location: Lexington, Ky. (Memorial Coliseum)
Date: Sunday, February 25
Time: 11:02 p.m. CT
Television: ESPNU (PxP – Beth Mowins; Analysts – Rebecca Lobo, Andy Landers)
Watch Online: WatchESPN.com or WatchESPN App
Listen: MSU Radio Network, HailState.com/Plus, TuneIn App (PxP – Jason Crowder; Analyst – Charlie Winfield)

SERIES HISTORY
KENTUCKY (Kentucky leads 27-18)
At MSU: UK leads 10-9
At Kentucky: UK leads 12-8
At Neutral Sites: UK leads 5-1

Last 10 Meetings
2/11/18                    W             74-55                      H
2/23/2017               L               75-78 (OT) A
2/18/2016               L               60-83                      H
3/6/2015                 L               67-76                      N
2/12/2015               L               90-92 (2OT) A
2/27/2014               L               74-81 (OT) H
1/17/2013               L               47-100                    A
2/26/2012               L               40-76                      H
1/8/2012                 L               40-88                      A
1/16/2011               L               60-72                      A

BULLDOG BITES

MSU seeks to become the first SEC team to finish the regular season undefeated since Tennessee in 1997-98.
Thursday's win against Auburn was MSU's 29th win of the season, 2nd-most in program history.
State is 1 of 2 undefeated teams in DI men's or women's basketball.
The 29 wins are most in the nation and the longest active win streak in the country. It also ties with Auburn (1988-89) for the 2nd-longest win streak in SEC history.
The 15 SEC wins are a new program record for league wins.
MSU's senior class won its 118th-career game, most in school history, 2nd in the SEC and 6th in DI since 2014-15.
State's .926 winning percentage the last 2 years is 2nd-best in Division I. Its 63 wins are tied with UConn for most in DI.
Vic Schaefer is a semifinalist for Naismith Coach of the Year.
State tops the SEC in offense (83.4 ppg) and defense (55.2 ppg). MSU is 1 of 2 DI teams to rank in the Top 10 in offense (8th) and Top 20 in defense (16th).
MSU's 11.0 turnovers per game is 3rd-fewest in Division I.
The Dawgs top the league from 3-point range, making 39%. They are 2nd in league games (41.2%).
State is the only team in the SEC with 3 players shooting 40% or better from the arc (min. 100 attempts).
The last 5 games, Ro Johnson is averaging 16.8 ppg and shooting 51.7% from the field, 54.5% from 3-point range.
Victoria Vivians and Teaira McCowan are the SEC's top-scoring duo at 38.4 ppg. Vivians' 19.7 average is 3rd, and McCowan's 18.7 ppg is 4th.
Blair Schaefer makes an SEC-best 2.9 3FG/game in league play. Schaefer's roommate, Morgan William, is 2nd in DI in assist/turnover ratio (4.2). She had 8 assists, 0 turnovers in the first meeting with Kentucky.

LAST TIME OUT FOR MSU...

A strong first quarter put MSU on top for good as it wrapped the first undefeated season in Humphrey Coliseum history with an 82-61 win against Auburn on senior night. The Bulldog seniors combined for 51 of MSU's 82 points, with Vivians and Johnson tallying 16 points each. Morgan William added 13 while Blair Schaefer knocked down 6 points. Teaira McCowan also added 16 points while hauling in 18 boards.

GET TO KNOW THE OPPONENT

Kentucky has gone 2-1 since the first meeting with MSU to sit at 14-15 overall and 6-9 in SEC play. Maci Morris paces UK on the year with 17.0 ppg, while Taylor Murray also hits double digits with 11.4 ppg.
In SEC play, Morris is scoring at an 18.1 clip and Murray is tallying 11.9 ppg.

No. 2 Bulldogs Seek To Wrap Perfect Regular Season At Kentucky

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Roshunda Johnson

Teaira McCowan

Blair Schaefer

Victoria Vivians

Morgan William

Mississippi State University Athletics

No. 2 Bulldogs Seek To Wrap Perfect Regular Season At Kentucky

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Roshunda Johnson

Teaira McCowan

Blair Schaefer

Victoria Vivians

Morgan William

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