PREVIEW: WBK Hoops vs. Troy (Teddy Bear Toss Game)

by Josh Lively, Assistant Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – No. 10 Mississippi State is set for its final matchup of the Bulldogs' four-game home stand to begin the season, hosting Troy in Humphrey Coliseum on Monday at 7 p.m.

At halftime, State will conduct its annual Teddy Bear Toss where fans throw stuffed teddy bears onto the court to benefit Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. Fans who bring a teddy bear will receive free admission.

Fans unable to attend the game can watch on the SEC Network + with Charlie Winfield and Bart Gregory on the call. The game will also be streamed on MSU Radio Network with Jason Crowder and Jonathan Holmes on the call. State's clear bag policy and walk-through metal detectors will be in place for all home games this season.

For all gameday information, visit www.HailState.com/Gameday.

The Bulldogs (3-0) are coming off the most dominant offensive effort in program history, setting the single-game scoring record with 124 points against Murray State. The previous record was set on February 24, 1986, when Mississippi State defeated Judson College, 117-35. MSU never trailed in the outing and had six players finish the game with double-digit scoring.

Forward Jessika Carter led the way with a 25-point, 18-rebound performance, both marking career highs. It was her first career double-double, which she had secured by the end of the first quarter.

Troy enters the game with a 3-0 record and has five players averaging double-figures in scoring, led by 16.0 ppg from Japonica James. The Trojans are coming off a 94-64 win against Jacksonville State. Forward Alexus Dye finished the game with 21 points and 15 rebounds to lead the effort.

With 11 opportunities to watch the Bulldogs in Humphrey Coliseum during the 2019-20 schedule, season tickets are $150 for 200 level side court reserved seats and general admission is $85. To purchase, go to hailstate.com/tickets or call the Mississippi State Ticket Office at 662.325.2600 or 888.GO.DAWGS.

For more information on the Bulldogs, follow MSU women's basketball on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateWBK."

Bulldog Bites
• Mississippi State is coming off a 2018-19 campaign that saw the Bulldogs post a 15-1 conference record to clinch the second title in program history. State followed that up by winning the team's first ever SEC Tournament Championship with a commanding 101-70 victory over Arkansas and then earning a third straight Elite Eight appearance.
• The Bulldogs entered the 2019-20 season with their sights set on a third consecutive SEC title, a feat that no program has accomplished outright since 2001-04.
• State broke the MSU single-game scoring record with a 124-43 victory against Murray State (11/15/19). The previous record was set on February 24, 1986, when Mississippi State defeated Judson College, 117-35.
• Graduate guard Jordan Danberry was granted a fifth year of eligibility by the NCAA in August after not redshirting when she transferred to Mississippi State in January 2017. She is currently pursuing an MBA after earning her bachelor's degree in Business Economics last December.
• Chloe Bibby ranked No. 22 in the country and third in the SEC in 3-point field goal percentage, shooting a 45-percent clip from beyond the arc, at the time of her injury last season. Through two games, she leads the conference and ranks eighth in the nation in the category with an 80-percent clip.
• As two of Mississippi State's top returners from a year ago, Jordan Danberry and Chloe Bibby earned preseason All-SEC recognition from league coaches. Danberry earned first-team honors as State's leading returner in points (13.1 ppg), assists (3.5 apg) and steals (1.8 spg), while Bibby earned the nod with second team recognition.
• Although it's still very early in the season, Jessika Carter has been a major bright spot on the team, leading the team with 18.7 ppg and 11.7 rpg. Coaches think the sophomore forward is only scratching the surface of her potential. While she is dominant in the paint, Carter has shown she can step out and knock down a mid-range jumper confidently. She recorded her first-career double-double against Murray State, posting 25 points and 18 rebounds in the win.
• After being ranked No. 10 in every AP Top 25 polls this season, State has been in the AP poll 96 straight weeks, including 60 weeks in a row in the Top 10.
• Mississippi State leads the SEC in 10 different categories this season, including assist/turnover ratio, assists per game, field-goal percentage, scoring margin, scoring offense, steals per game, 3-point field-goal percentage, turnover margin and turnovers forced.

Schaefer on Pace to be Second-Fastest Coach to Win 200 Games at SEC Program
• Vic Schaefer has been one of the most successful coaches in women's basketball since joining Mississippi State. With a 196-56 record with MSU, the two-time National Coach of the Year is on pace to be the second-fastest coach to reach 200 victories at an SEC school.
• The quickest Schaefer can reach 200 wins with Mississippi State is in 256 games, which would rank behind only Georgia's Andy Landers, who reached his 200th victory in 251 games.
• The next closest coach to have accomplished the feat is Auburn's Joe Ciampi (258), while legendary head coach Pat Summitt reached victory No. 200 in her 259th game at Tennessee.
• Also worth noting, Schaefer is on pace to be the fourth-fastest coach to reach the mark amongst active coaches at their current program, trailing only Duke's Joanne P. McCallie (240), Baylor's Kim Mulkey (245) and Stanford's Tara VanDerveer (255).

Bulldogs in the AP Rankings
• On Nov. 24, 2014, the Associated Press voted Mississippi State back into the top 25 for the first time in four years. With MSU earning a spot in the preseason poll heading into the 2019-20 season, the Bulldogs have now spent 96 consecutive weeks inside the AP Top 25, marking the longest streak in program history.
• During the stretch, State has been ranked inside the top 10 for 60 straight weeks, a streak that is also active heading into this season as MSU was ranked No. 10 in this year's preseason poll.
• Since beginning the streak, MSU has been ranked as a top-five team for 33 weeks, including a stretch of 14 straight weeks during the 2017-18 season.
• When the preseason rankings come out on Oct. 30, Mississippi State will be looking for just its eighth preseason ranking in program history after beginning the 2018-19 campaign at No. 6 in the country.

Bulldogs Set MSU Single-Game Scoring Record
• In its win against Murray State, Mississippi State's offense exploded for 124 points against the Racer, breaking the MSU single-game scoring record.
• Standing for 33 years, the previous record was set on February 24, 1986, when Mississippi State defeated Judson College, 117-35.
• The 124 points also marks the highest-scoring performance of any Division I team so far this season.
• State was just one point shy of tying the program record for margin of victory, which stands at 82 points set in the contest against Judson College.
• MSU has now scored at least 100 points 22 times in Schaefer's eight seasons and has eclipsed the 110-point margin six times with him at the helm.

Bulldogs Sign Two Top-100 Players in 2020 Class
• Once again, Vic Schaefer and the Mississippi State women's basketball team found success on the recruiting trail, landing a pair of top-100 players in five star guard Madison Hayes and four star forward DeYona Gaston.
• Hayes, who could potentially be State's second-ever McDonald's All-American signee, is rated as the No. 29 player in the country by espnW. The 2019 USA Today Tennessee Player of the Year is the third top-30 prospect to sign with MSU in the last two classes.
• Hayes earned a spot on the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Watch List and the USA Today All-USA Preseason Team for the 2019-20 season. As a junior, she averaged 25.2 ppg, 12.2 rpg and 4.0 spg in helping her team to a district championship and received All-Tennessee first team honors by USA Today.
• Rated 95th in the country, Gaston was one of the most highly-touted players in the 2020 class early on. As a freshman at Pearland High School in Texas, she averaged a double-double with 17.5 ppg and 11.3 rpg to go along with 3.0 bpg and 2.0 spg. However, she missed all of her sophomore season due to injuries, dropping her in the rankings.
• Gaston proved she was still one of the best players in the country, posting 18.1 ppg on 52 percent shooting as a junior in 2018-19. She also averaged 9.5 rpg and 1.9 bpg. In two seasons, she's totaled 926 points, 542 rebounds, 128 blocks, 92 steals and 58 assists.
• With the goal of putting together an impressive senior year, Gaston is coming off a campaign where she claimed TGCA 6A District Player of the Year as well as the Defensive Player of the Year honors en route to earning a spot on the All-State team.

PREVIEW: WBK Hoops vs. Troy (Teddy Bear Toss Game)

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Players Mentioned

Chloe Bibby

Jessika Carter

Jordan Danberry

Mississippi State University Athletics