No. 25 Mississippi State Travels To Texas For 2023 Van Chancellor Classic

STARKVILLE – No. 25/RV Mississippi State women's basketball travels to the Lone Star State to compete at the 2023 Van Chancellor Classic at the Merrell Center in Katy, Texas this weekend.

GAME INFORMATION
Mississippi State (5-0) vs. Clemson (4-1), Arkansas Pine-Bluff (1-2), Tulsa (3-1)
Clemson Series History: Mississippi State leads 2-1
Arkansas Pine-Bluff Series History: Mississippi State leads 6-0
Tulsa Series History: Mississippi State leads 1-0
Date: Friday-Sunday, Nov. 24-26 | Location: Katy, Texas (Merrell Center)
Watch: ESPN+ | Listen: MSU Radio Network - Starkville 96.1 (Play-By-Play: Jason Crowder)

The Bulldogs' side of the tournament bracket, which will feature round robin action with Clemson, Arkansas Pine-Bluff and Tulsa, is named after Mississippi State graduate and hall of fame coach Van Chancellor.

Fans who are not expected to make the trip can follow action on ESPN+ through the link above or their affiliate radio station with play-by-play radio talent Jason Crowder. Live statistics will be available through the link above at statbroadcast.com.

Mississippi State tips off play on Friday at 6:00 p.m. with Clemson followed by a match up with Arkansas Pine-Bluff at 3:45 p.m. on Saturday. Mississippi State closes out the tournament with Tulsa at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Following a 5-0 start, Mississippi State reentered the Associated Press Top 25 poll at 25 on Monday. It marks the first time that the Bulldogs have been ranked in an in-season edition of the poll under head coach Sam Purcell and the first overall since Feb. 1, 2021.

Mississippi State opened its second season with Purcell at the helm in 2023-24 ranked in the AP Preseason Top 25 poll at 25, the program's first time listed in the preseason edition since 2020-21. Despite three wins over the first week of the season, Mississippi State was the team receiving the most votes in week two of the poll on Nov. 13 before returning its original slot in the latest edition.

Through the initial two weeks of the season, Mississippi State boasts one of the nation's top defenses. The Bulldogs ranked second nationally in scoring defense at 44.2 points per game, while leading the SEC in field-goal percentage defense at 29.7 percent and three point field-goal percentage defense at 22.5 percent.

These defensive statistics are all achieved without fouling better than any other team in the nation. The Bulldogs lead the nation with only 9.4 fouls per game and have allowed less than five free throws made and 10 attempts from the line in four of five contests.

The Bulldogs have forced double-digit turnovers in all five games and recorded 10-plus steals in three of the five.

Mississippi State benefits from a deep rotation that features all players averaging double-digit minutes and seven averaging 15-plus minutes. The Bulldogs' bench scored 25-plus points in three of five games and are outscoring their opponent 108-67 off the bench. Mississippi State is 12-0 under Purcell when the bench scores 25-plus points.

Mississippi State is currently averaging 50.8 rebounds per game, which ranks eighth nationally, and is outrebounding its opponents by 21.8 per game, which stands sixth nationally. Mississippi State has outrebounded all five of its opponents and is 26-2 under Purcell when doing so. The Bulldogs also hold an 85-26 edge in second-chance points.

Senior guard Darrione Rogers corralled a loose ball rebound and finished a second-chance putback with 17 seconds left in regulation to lift Mississippi State ahead for the final time in a 63-62 road win over Belmont in the Curb Center last Sunday. Graduate student center Jessika Carter finished with a game-high 17 points, 11 of which came in the third quarter, and eight rebounds in 38 minutes.

With the win at Belmont last time out, Mississippi State earned its first road win of the season and improved to 4-2 in contests decided by five points or less under head coach Sam Purcell.

Mississippi State will host Miami (Fla.) in the SEC/ACC Challenge next Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 6:15 p.m. on SEC Network.

No. 25 Mississippi State Travels To Texas For 2023 Van Chancellor Classic

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Players Mentioned

Jessika Carter

Darrione Rogers

Mississippi State University Athletics