PREVIEW: Big Week for Women’s Basketball Begins with Home Contest vs No. 19 Florida

STARKVILLE – A stretch of four games in eight days begins on Thursday when the Mississippi State women's basketball squad hosts No. 19 Florida. The game will have significant implications on the SEC standings that have just two games separating teams three through nine. Tip-off between the Bulldogs and Gators is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

GAME INFORMATION
Mississippi State (14-7, 5-4 SEC) vs No. 19 Florida (17-6, 7-3 SEC)
Date: Thursday, Feb. 10 // Time: 5:30 p.m. CT
Location: Starkville, Miss. (Humphrey Coliseum)
Watch: SEC Network+ // Listen: MSU Radio Network (Play-By-Play: Jason Crowder)

Series History
• Mississippi State leads the all-time series 26-25 with a 15-8 advantage when the game is played in Starkville.
• The Bulldogs enter Thursday winners of the last eight games in the series, most recently in last year's contest on Jan. 7 when MSU defeated Florida, 68-56.
• Prior to State's 8-game winning streak, Florida had won nine in a row.
• The series has been one of streaks. Only 12 times in the series history has a team not won at least two games in a row, and it hasn't happened since the 2007-08 season.

Hot Shooting From Three
• Over the last three games, the Bulldogs have been firing on all cylinders from behind the arc.
• MSU has been shooting 56% (30-54) from three the last three games after shooting just 26% (105-395) in the first 18 games of the season.
• A big reason for the turnaround has been the combination of Aislynn Hayes and Caterrion Thompson. In the last three games Hayes is shooting 71% (10-14) from three while Thompson is shooting 58% (11-19). Hayes' percentage is up from 20% and Thompson is up from 31%.

Myah Taylor, All-Time Career Lists
• With 402 career assists, Taylor ranks 7th on the all-time career assists leaderboard at Mississippi State. She recently surpassed Polly Branch (391 assists) and Laura Springer (392 assists).
• Taylor is just five assists shy of passing LaCharlotte Smith (406 assists) for 6th on the all-time list.
• She is 46 assists away from cracking the top 5.
• With 182 career steals, Myah passed Morgan Williams (2015-18) for 10th on the all-time steals list at MSU. In 9th is Nitra Perry (1997-00) with 186, and in 8th is Angela Harris (1997-00) with 189 career steals. 211 career steals would move Taylor into the top 5 all-time.

STATE by the Numbers
• Mississippi State averages 72.3 points per game which is the third-best points per game average in the SEC
• State is ranked 7th in the country in blocked shots (131) and third in blocked shots per game (6.2)
• MSU's 42% field goal percentage on the year is the sixth-best mark in the SEC.
• The Bulldogs are averaging just 11.6 turnovers per game, the fifth-fewest in the country.

Anastasia Hayes in SEC Play
• Annie is leading the team, and less than a point from leading the SEC, in scoring (21.9 ppg).
• She is 5th in the field goal percentage (52%) and 3rd in free throw percentage (86%).
• Ranks 13th in assists per game (3.1) and 4th in minutes played per game (37 mpg).

Get-To-Know Florida
• Florida enters Thursday as one of the hottest teams in the country. The Gators have won seven of their last eight games, with five of those wins against teams ranked in the top 25.
• They earned their first top 25 ranking since 2016 when they debuted at No. 19 in the latest AP poll.
• This past weekend, they defeated No. 7 Tennessee and No. 14 Georgia on the road.
• UF is 17-6 on the year and 7-3 in the SEC and is led by interim head coach Kelly Rae Finley.
• They are led by Kiara Smith, averaging 14.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game.
• Florida will have a considerable size advantage on Thursday with five players 6-2 or taller and all but three players on their roster above 5-10.
• As a team, they average 69.0 points per game and shoot 41% from the field.

Promotions
• Gator Bites from Oby's of Starkville
• It will be women's basketball's annual "Maroon Game" and the team will be wearing their Maroon jersey's.

Up Next
Mississippi State begins a stretch of four games in eight days, starting with Florida on Thursday. The stretch of games will continue on Sunday when State hosts Ole Miss at 3 p.m.

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 –

PREVIEW: Big Week for Women’s Basketball Begins with Home Contest vs No. 19 Florida

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Players Mentioned

Aislynn Hayes

Anastasia Hayes

Myah Taylor

Caterrion Thompson

Mississippi State University Athletics