Fast Facts: Ten Things to Know for State’s Valentine’s Date with Missouri

Thursday, February 14

Starkville

8:00 PM

Mississippi State

Missouri

Fast Facts: Ten Things to Know for State’s Valentine’s Date with Missouri

February 13, 2019 | Women's Basketball

Live Video Online Audio Radio Info Live Stats Game Notes

by Brian Ogden, Assistant Coordinator/Communications

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State's fifth-ranked women's basketball team has a Valentine's Day date set with Missouri on Thursday night. The Bulldogs and the Tigers will tip off at 8 p.m. CT on SEC Network with Pam Ward, Carolyn Peck and Steffi Sorensen on the call.

Fans can listen to the action on the MSU Radio Network and online via HailState.com/Plus and the TuneIn app.

The Bulldogs are second in the nation in scoring offense (88.3) and rebounding margin (15.0). They are ranked fifth in field-goal percentage (49.9). MSU leads the SEC in scoring (88.3 ppg), assists (17.3 apg) and rebounding (40.6 rpg).

Thursday's matchup will see three potential finalists for the Naismith Player of the Year step on the same floor. MSU's Teaira McCowan and Anriel Howard along with the Tigers' Sophie Cunningham all found themselves on the Naismith Midseason Team announced on Monday.

Missouri is coming off head coach Robin Pingeton's 500^th career victory, while MSU defeated Tennessee by the largest margin in the history of the series on Sunday. The Tigers lead the SEC in three-point shooting, averaging 8.0 three-pointers per game.

The Bulldogs will travel to College Station, Texas over the weekend to face No. 22/23 Texas A&M. MSU begins its sixth ranked matchup of the year at 1 p.m. CT on SEC Network.

GAME INFORMATION
Opponent: Missouri
Location: Starkville, Mississippi (Humphrey Coliseum)
Time: Thursday, 8 p.m.
Watch: SEC Network (PxP – Pam Ward; Analyst – Carolyn Peck; Sideline – Steffi Sorensen)
Listen: MSU Radio Network and HailState.com/Plus (PxP – Jason Crowder; Analyst – Charlie Winfield)

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: MSU leads 7-1
At MSU: MSU leads 3-0
At MU: MSU leads 3-1
Neutral Sites: MSU leads 1-0
Last Meeting: MSU, 57-53 (2/1/18 in Columbia)

10 THINGS TO KNOW

The Bulldogs are the nation's No. 2 scoring offense, averaging 88.3 ppg. Its 54.7 ppg allowed is 10th in the country, giving the Dawgs the highest scoring margin (+33.6) in Division I.
Jazzmun Holmes leads the nation with a 4.58 assist/turnover ratio, and over the last 5 games she has performed a 7.0 clip while averaging 5.6 assists. The next-highest player's ratio is 3.89.
Jordan Danberry has increased her scoring average by 10.5 ppg to 13.3 ppg, the 2nd-largest jump in the SEC this year behind only Texas A&M's Kayla Wells (11.2 ppg).
MSU has only trailed for a combined 2:36 out of 200 minutes in the last 5 games, and just 60:46 all season.
With a dozen rebounds at Texas, McCowan passed LaToya Thomas (2000-03) for sole possession of the MSU career rebounds record with 1,109. She has now collected 1,331 for her career and is the SEC active career leader on the boards.
MSU rose to No. 5 in this week's Associated Press Top 25 Poll, extending its 53-week streak in the Top 10. That is the fourth-longest streak in the nation.
Seniors Jazzmun Holmes and Teaira McCowan picked up career victory No. 121 on Sunday against Tennessee. That total is the 4th-most nationally since 2015-16 and 5 wins away from matching last year's class (126) for the program's career wins record.
The Bulldogs have won 26 straight SEC games with their last loss coming on Feb. 26, 2017 against Tennessee. MSU's streak is the 5th-longest active winning streak in regular season conference games in the country.
The Bulldogs are 2nd nationally in rebounding margin (+15.0). MSU has recorded a +10 or more advantage in 15 games this year.
McCowan holds the MSU record with 58 career double-doubles, and she is 4th in the SEC in scoring this season at 17.2 ppg while making shots at a 66.2% clip that tops the league and is 5th in the nation this season.

LAST TIME OUT FOR MSU...

The Bulldogs handed Tennessee the largest SEC defeat in the history of the Lady Vols' program, dominating the fourth quarter on the way to a 91-63 win.
Teaira McCowan (24 pts., 15 rbds.) and Anriel Howard (16 pts., 11 rbds.) each recorded double-doubles and Jordan Danberry joined McCowan with 20 points.
The Bulldogs scored 30 points in the fourth quarter, their highest output in that period this season. It was their 6th quarter of 30 or more points this year.
McCowan and Danberry gave State 2 players with 20 or more points in a game for the 3rd time this year.

GET TO KNOW THE OPPONENT…

Missouri defeated Vanderbilt at home on Sunday, 69-46 to improve to 18-7 (7-4 SEC). It was head coach Robin Pingeton's 500th career win.
Sophie Cunningham leads the Tigers with 16.5 points per game and has been named to Naismith Midseason Team and is the reigning SEC Player of the Week.
The Tigers lead the SEC in three-pointers per game (8.0) and are third in the league in three-point percentage (35.2 percent).
Missouri has held 22 of its 24 opponents to less than 65 points this year.