PREVIEW: WBK Hoops vs. West Virginia

by Josh Lively, Assistant Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State returns to Humphrey Coliseum after a five-game stretch away from home to host West Virginia in this year's Big 12/SEC Challenge on Sunday at 1 p.m.

The 10th-ranked Bulldogs (8-1) are coming off a second-place finish in the Greater Victoria Invitational over Thanksgiving, claiming victories over San Francisco and Green Bay. State fell in the championship game to now No. 1 Stanford, 67-62. MSU erased a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter to have a chance to tie the ballgame with less than 30 seconds remaining but its rally came up short.

Fans can receive free admission to the game by bringing either a canned good, nonperishable food or toiletry item to the ticket office at Humphrey Coliseum to benefit Bully's Closet & Pantry. A list of items needed can be found HERE.

"For our game Sunday, we have a stock the pantry that benefits Bully's Closet and Pantry," said head coach Vic Schaefer. "Anybody that will bring a canned good or non-perishable item can get in free. I have been here eight years. We don't have too many games where you can do something to get in free. It is that time of year. It is the reason for the season. It is a time of giving. What that can do for people in our community is special. I just want to encourage everyone to do that, from tuna to chicken noodle soup to a box of oatmeal and anything in between."

Before the game, members of last year's SEC Championship team will be honored by receiving their championship rings along with a banner ceremony.

After winning his 200th game at Mississippi State on the road against Marquette, custom Vic Schaefer 200 wins jersey rally towels will be given to the first 1,000 fans.

For fans unable to attend the game, the contest will be televised live on SEC Network and will be carried by the MSU Radio Network. It can also be streamed free on HailState.com/plus and the Tune In app.

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.
• The last time State faced West Virginia was in the semifinals of the Preseason NIT in 2014. MSU would defeat the No. 17 Mountaineers and go on to win the title. The following week, • Mississippi State was ranked 25th in the AP Poll. The Bulldogs have been ranked ever since.
After being ranked No. 10 in every AP Top 25 poll this season, State has been in the AP rankings 99 straight weeks, including 63 weeks in a row in the Top 10.
• With the victory at Marquette on 11/25/19, Vic Schaefer's claimed his 200th win at MSU in just his 256 game, making him the second-fastest coach to ever achieve that with an SEC program.
• With the departure of SEC Player of the Year Teaira McCowan, Mississippi State had a major void to fill in the post this season. Sophomore forward Jessika Carter has answered that need, leading the team with 15.1 points, 11.3 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game. As a sophomore, McCowan averaged 8.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
• 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. This season, she leads the team in steals (3.1 spg) and ranks second in scoring (12.8 ppg) and assists (2.9 apg).
• Rickea Jackson has shown why she was one of the top players in last year's signing class. The freshman forward is third on the team in scoring at 11.2 points per game and is shooting 47 percent from the field. She has scored in double figures in four of the last five games and had a team-high 15 points against No. 3 Stanford.
• Mississippi State leads the nation in scoring (89.2 ppg) and turnover margin (12.22). The Bulldogs also rank inside the top 10 in scoring margin (4th) and blocks per game (6th).

Schaefer Becomes 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 State's victory at Marquette on Nov. 25, 2019, the two-time National Coach of the Year became the second-fastest coach to reach 200 victories at an SEC school.
• Achieving the milestone in just 256 games, Schaefer ranks 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 was 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).

State's Offense Among Best in the Country
• Although Vic Schaefer's teams are widely known for their defense, Mississippi State has established itself as one of the best offensive teams in Division I.
• Through nine games, State leads the nation in scoring offense at 89.2 ppg and ranks fourth in scoring margin (+32.2).
• With four players shooting over 50 percent from the field, the Bulldogs rank 12th in the country and top the SEC in field-goal percentage with a .480 clip.
• Another key to MSU's early offensive success has been its ability to take care of the ball and make the extra passes for better shots. State leads the SEC and ranks 21st in the country in assist/turnover ratio (1.30).
• When the Bulldogs aren't knocking down shots, State is crashing the glass to get a second opportunity at a basket. With 146 offensive rebounds on the season, Mississippi State has gotten the rebound on 44 percent of its missed baskets and turned that into 171 second-chance points.

Secretary of Defense
• Vic Schaefer's teams have always had a major emphasis on one area: defense. If you want to play for him, you have to play lockdown, tenacious and suffocating defense for 40 minutes every game. It's this expectation and mentality that has earned Schaefer the nickname "Secretary of Defense."
• So far this season, State's relentless defense has forced opponents into turning the ball over 215 times for an average of 23.9 turnovers per game. That number ranks 12th in the nation and leads the SEC.
• The Bulldogs have been excellent at rejecting shots with an average of 6.6 blocks per game, which is sixth in the Division I. Jessika Carter has led the charge by posting 2.6 bpg this season to rank 16th in the country and second in the SEC. The sophomore forward has four games with three or more blocks on the year.
• State's on-ball pressure has been suffocating all season, especially in the press. MSU ranks second in the SEC and 44th in the country with 10.9 steals per game. Jordan Danberry is pacing the team in the category with 3.11 spg to rank third in league and 23rd in the nation.
• While there is no ranking for the stat, Mississippi State certainly ranks amongst the country's best teams at drawing charges. So far, the Bulldogs have taken 31 charges, led by 18 from Myah Taylor.

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 99 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 63 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 came out on Oct. 30, Mississippi State earned its eighth preseason ranking in program history, checking in at No. 10 in the country.

PREVIEW: WBK Hoops vs. West Virginia

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Players Mentioned

Jessika Carter

Jordan Danberry

Rickea Jackson

Teaira McCowan

Myah Taylor

Mississippi State University Athletics