Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Jackson and Hayes Named to Preseason Wooden Award Top 50
November 09, 2021 | Women's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – Mississippi State women's basketball placed two on the 2021-22 John R. Wooden Award Top 50 Preseason Watch list, the organization announced Tuesday. Junior Rickea Jackson and redshirt senior Anastasia Hayes were chosen by a preseason poll of national basketball experts as front-runners for the most prestigious honors in college basketball.
Jackson is coming off an impressive sophomore season where she earned WBCA All-America Honorable Mention accolades and was a member of the WBCA All-Region II team. Jackson was recently named to the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Watch List, the Cheryl Miller Award watch list and was voted to the Preseason All-SEC First Team by the League's head coaches.
As a sophomore, Jackson led Mississippi State in scoring at 14.9 points per game and finished third on the team in both rebounds per game (4.4) and assists per game (2.0). Jackson scored at least 15-points in 11 contests last season and eclipsed the 20-point mark in three different outings. Her best performance of the year came at home against Troy when she scored 30-points on 11-of-20 shooting, including 6-for-10 from three.
Hayes, who enters her first season in Starkville, was one of the nation's most prolific scorer's last season, averaging 26.5 points per game, the second-best scoring average in America. She was named Conference-USA's Player of the Year while earning the second-straight First Team All-C-USA honor of her career.
While leading Middle Tennessee to a 17-8 record, she averaged 5.1 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game. She ranked 13th national in steals (69) and 19th in assists (128) while leading all of Division I in free throws attempted (265) and free throws made (169). Hayes eclipsed the 30-point margin in six different games with a career-best 42-points against UAB on Jan. 30, 2021. In 2018, at Tennessee, Hayes was named the SEC's Sixth Woman of the Year.
Adding to her Preseason Wooden Award watch list honor, Hayes was also named to the Nancy Lieberman Award watch list this season, honoring the nation's best point guard.
The Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 list represents eight conferences: the Pac-12 leads all conferences with 10 selections, followed by the SEC and Big Ten with nine each, the ACC with eight, the Big 12 with seven, the Big East with five and the Summit and ASUN with one selection apiece. The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2022 John R. Wooden Award Women's Player of the Year presented by Wendy's. Players not chosen to the preseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award™ midseason list, late season list, and the National Ballot.
State will tip-off its 2021-22 season at 6 p.m. on Tuesday when they host Alabama State. The game will be broadcast live on SEC Network+. Fans can purchase tickets to the event by clicking HERE.
To the extent possible, all transactions will be contactless, such as mobile ticketing, ticket scanning, touchless restroom fixtures, cashless concessions, and fan apparel sales. With contactless transactions, all concession stands throughout The Hump will be cashless.
For the most up-to-date information on the Bulldogs, follow MSU women's basketball on Twitter, like them on Facebook, and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateWBK.
Jackson is coming off an impressive sophomore season where she earned WBCA All-America Honorable Mention accolades and was a member of the WBCA All-Region II team. Jackson was recently named to the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Watch List, the Cheryl Miller Award watch list and was voted to the Preseason All-SEC First Team by the League's head coaches.
As a sophomore, Jackson led Mississippi State in scoring at 14.9 points per game and finished third on the team in both rebounds per game (4.4) and assists per game (2.0). Jackson scored at least 15-points in 11 contests last season and eclipsed the 20-point mark in three different outings. Her best performance of the year came at home against Troy when she scored 30-points on 11-of-20 shooting, including 6-for-10 from three.
Hayes, who enters her first season in Starkville, was one of the nation's most prolific scorer's last season, averaging 26.5 points per game, the second-best scoring average in America. She was named Conference-USA's Player of the Year while earning the second-straight First Team All-C-USA honor of her career.
While leading Middle Tennessee to a 17-8 record, she averaged 5.1 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game. She ranked 13th national in steals (69) and 19th in assists (128) while leading all of Division I in free throws attempted (265) and free throws made (169). Hayes eclipsed the 30-point margin in six different games with a career-best 42-points against UAB on Jan. 30, 2021. In 2018, at Tennessee, Hayes was named the SEC's Sixth Woman of the Year.
Adding to her Preseason Wooden Award watch list honor, Hayes was also named to the Nancy Lieberman Award watch list this season, honoring the nation's best point guard.
The Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 list represents eight conferences: the Pac-12 leads all conferences with 10 selections, followed by the SEC and Big Ten with nine each, the ACC with eight, the Big 12 with seven, the Big East with five and the Summit and ASUN with one selection apiece. The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2022 John R. Wooden Award Women's Player of the Year presented by Wendy's. Players not chosen to the preseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award™ midseason list, late season list, and the National Ballot.
State will tip-off its 2021-22 season at 6 p.m. on Tuesday when they host Alabama State. The game will be broadcast live on SEC Network+. Fans can purchase tickets to the event by clicking HERE.
To the extent possible, all transactions will be contactless, such as mobile ticketing, ticket scanning, touchless restroom fixtures, cashless concessions, and fan apparel sales. With contactless transactions, all concession stands throughout The Hump will be cashless.
For the most up-to-date information on the Bulldogs, follow MSU women's basketball on Twitter, like them on Facebook, and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateWBK.
– HailState.com –
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