WBK Preview: at Tennessee
January 04, 2023 | Women's Basketball
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State hits the road for the second time in SEC play on Thursday when the Bulldogs make the trip to Knoxville, Tenn. to take on Tennessee in the first of two meetings this season. Tip-off against the Lady Vols is set for 5:30 p.m. CT.
GAME INFORMATION
Mississippi State (12-3, 1-1 SEC) vs. TENNESSEE (10-6, 2-0 SEC)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023 // Time: 5:30 p.m. CT
Location: Knoxville, Tenn. (Thompson-Boiling Arena)
Watch: SEC Network+ (Talent: Andy Brock & Kamera Harris)
Listen: MSU Radio Network (Play-By-Play: Jason Crowder)
Numbers To Know
50.9 • The Bulldogs have hung their hat on their defense this season. MSU is allowing their opponents to score just 50 .9 points per game. Their defense is ranked third nationally and second in the SEC
1K • Jessika Carter became the 28th Bulldog to join the 1,000-point club at MSU. JerKaila Jordan scored her 1000th point vs. New Mexico. MSU has four players with over 1,000 career points (Anastasia Hayes has over 2,000 & Asianae Johnson has over 1,500).
20+ • Jessika Carter has scored 20+ points in back-to-back for just the second time in her career after scoring 29 against New Mexico and 21 against Vanderbilt. She last did it on Jan. 23, 2020, at Vanderbilt (22 points) and on Jan. 26, 2020, against Ole Miss (24 points).
47% • Asianae Johnson has been one of the best bench players in the country. She's second on the team in fi eld goal percentage (57%) and leads in 3-point percentage (47%). She also ranks 4th on the team, scoring 9 .7 points per game, 2nd in assists with 40, and 2nd in steals with 29
Series History
• Tennessee leads the all-time series 38-7.
• When the game is played in Knoxville, the Lady Vols lead, 16-3.
• The Bulldogs have won three of the last four meetings.
• Tennessee won the only battle last season, 86-64, on Feb. 24.
Bulldog Takeaways
• In their last four games, Mississippi State is shooting 44% (30-for-68) from behind the 3-point line. In the previous 11 games, MSU was just 60-for-197 (31%) from deep. In this stretch, Ahlana Smith is shooting 61% (11-for-18).
• Jessika Carter enters Thursday having scored in double figures in three-straight games and 11 of her last 12 games.
• Carter Has reached double-digit points in all but two games this season.
• The Bulldogs rank fourth in the SEC in scoring at 78.3 points per game. State also ranks second in scoring defense at 50.1 ppg. • MSU's shooting the ball at a 46% clip from the floor this season. That total ranks fourth in the SEC. • State leads the SEC in total assists (252) and assists per game at 18.0.
Get-To-Know Tennessee
• Tennessee enters Thursday with a 10-6 overall record and a 2-0 record in the SEC.
• The Lady Vols opened the SEC season with wins over Florida (77-67) and Alabama (89-76).
• As a team they are averaging 79.2 points per game and allowing 65.8 ppg.
• Leading the way has been Rickea Jackson, averaging 17.4 ppg while shooting 57% from the floor and 84% from the free throw line.
• Star player Jordan Horston 15.3 points while leading the team in rebounding at 6.2 boards per game
2023 Signing Class
• The early signing period ended on Wednesday, with Mississippi State signing four players for the 2023-24 season. The class was ranked as high as 16th nationally following the signing of Quanirah Cherry-Montague but should climb with the addition of junior college star Meloney Thames.
• Quanirah Cherry-Montague (Atlantic City, N.J.) – rated as a 4-star recruit and the No. 48 player in the nation
• Jasmine Brown (Joliet, Ill.) – rated as a 4-star recruit and the No. 54 player in the nation
• Mjracel Sheppard (Bellevue, Wash.) – rated as a 4-star recruit and the No. 86 player in the nation
• Meloney Thames (Choctaw, Miss.) – Junior College All-American, Second in the nation in scoring (26.3 ppg)
Up Next
The Bulldogs will return home on Sunday, Jan. 8, when they welcome No. 1 South Carolina to Starkville. The game was recently moved to ESPN2 and will tip off at 12 p.m. CT.
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."
GAME INFORMATION
Mississippi State (12-3, 1-1 SEC) vs. TENNESSEE (10-6, 2-0 SEC)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023 // Time: 5:30 p.m. CT
Location: Knoxville, Tenn. (Thompson-Boiling Arena)
Watch: SEC Network+ (Talent: Andy Brock & Kamera Harris)
Listen: MSU Radio Network (Play-By-Play: Jason Crowder)
Numbers To Know
50.9 • The Bulldogs have hung their hat on their defense this season. MSU is allowing their opponents to score just 50 .9 points per game. Their defense is ranked third nationally and second in the SEC
1K • Jessika Carter became the 28th Bulldog to join the 1,000-point club at MSU. JerKaila Jordan scored her 1000th point vs. New Mexico. MSU has four players with over 1,000 career points (Anastasia Hayes has over 2,000 & Asianae Johnson has over 1,500).
20+ • Jessika Carter has scored 20+ points in back-to-back for just the second time in her career after scoring 29 against New Mexico and 21 against Vanderbilt. She last did it on Jan. 23, 2020, at Vanderbilt (22 points) and on Jan. 26, 2020, against Ole Miss (24 points).
47% • Asianae Johnson has been one of the best bench players in the country. She's second on the team in fi eld goal percentage (57%) and leads in 3-point percentage (47%). She also ranks 4th on the team, scoring 9 .7 points per game, 2nd in assists with 40, and 2nd in steals with 29
Series History
• Tennessee leads the all-time series 38-7.
• When the game is played in Knoxville, the Lady Vols lead, 16-3.
• The Bulldogs have won three of the last four meetings.
• Tennessee won the only battle last season, 86-64, on Feb. 24.
Bulldog Takeaways
• In their last four games, Mississippi State is shooting 44% (30-for-68) from behind the 3-point line. In the previous 11 games, MSU was just 60-for-197 (31%) from deep. In this stretch, Ahlana Smith is shooting 61% (11-for-18).
• Jessika Carter enters Thursday having scored in double figures in three-straight games and 11 of her last 12 games.
• Carter Has reached double-digit points in all but two games this season.
• The Bulldogs rank fourth in the SEC in scoring at 78.3 points per game. State also ranks second in scoring defense at 50.1 ppg. • MSU's shooting the ball at a 46% clip from the floor this season. That total ranks fourth in the SEC. • State leads the SEC in total assists (252) and assists per game at 18.0.
Get-To-Know Tennessee
• Tennessee enters Thursday with a 10-6 overall record and a 2-0 record in the SEC.
• The Lady Vols opened the SEC season with wins over Florida (77-67) and Alabama (89-76).
• As a team they are averaging 79.2 points per game and allowing 65.8 ppg.
• Leading the way has been Rickea Jackson, averaging 17.4 ppg while shooting 57% from the floor and 84% from the free throw line.
• Star player Jordan Horston 15.3 points while leading the team in rebounding at 6.2 boards per game
2023 Signing Class
• The early signing period ended on Wednesday, with Mississippi State signing four players for the 2023-24 season. The class was ranked as high as 16th nationally following the signing of Quanirah Cherry-Montague but should climb with the addition of junior college star Meloney Thames.
• Quanirah Cherry-Montague (Atlantic City, N.J.) – rated as a 4-star recruit and the No. 48 player in the nation
• Jasmine Brown (Joliet, Ill.) – rated as a 4-star recruit and the No. 54 player in the nation
• Mjracel Sheppard (Bellevue, Wash.) – rated as a 4-star recruit and the No. 86 player in the nation
• Meloney Thames (Choctaw, Miss.) – Junior College All-American, Second in the nation in scoring (26.3 ppg)
Up Next
The Bulldogs will return home on Sunday, Jan. 8, when they welcome No. 1 South Carolina to Starkville. The game was recently moved to ESPN2 and will tip off at 12 p.m. CT.
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 –
Players Mentioned
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