WBK Preview: NCAA Tournament vs Illinois
March 14, 2023 | Women's Basketball
STARKVILLE – The Mississippi State women's basketball squad will play in the first game of the 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. The No. 11 seeded Bulldogs will take on the No. 11 seeded Fighting Illini in a First Four contest scheduled to tip-off at 6 p.m. CT in South Bend, Ind. The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU.
GAME INFORMATION
Mississippi State (20-10, 9-7 SEC) vs. Illinois (22-9, 11-7 Big Ten)
Date: Wednesday, March 15, 2023 // Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: South Bend, Ind. (Purcell Pavilion)
Watch: ESPNU (Talent: Jenn Hildreth & Mike Thibault)
Listen: MSU Radio Network (Play-By-Play: Jason Crowder)
Numbers To Know
12 • Mississippi State is making its 12th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs own a 22-11 record in the tournament.
2 • Mississippi State has played in two NCAA Final Fours and National championship games in program history. The Bulldogs last appeared in the National Championship game back in 2018 against Notre Dame.
25 • The current Bulldog roster has little NCAA Tournament experience. The roster has played a combined 25 career NCAA Tournament games, with Ahlana Smith leading the way, having played in 11 games.
20 • Head coach Sam Purcell is the only head coach in program history to win at least 20 games in their first season leading the program. He is also the first coach to have a winning SEC record in their first season leading the team.
Series History
• This will be the third all-time meeting between Mississippi State and Illinois. The Bulldogs hold a 2-1 advantage in the series.
• MSU is 2-0 when the game is on a neutral court.
• The last meeting between the two programs came back on January 4, 2004, in Starkville. Illinois won that game, 75-72
• The first meeting came back on March 17, 2001, in the WNIT. The Bulldogs won that contest, 86-77.
NCAA Tournament History
• Mississippi State is 22-11 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
• Mississippi State has made 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, two of which were national finals.
•The Bulldogs have been a No. 1 seed twice in program history.
• State is 3-0 in NCAA Tournament overtime games.
• Mississippi State is 13-3 in the NCAA Tournament since the 2016-17 season.
• The Bulldogs have only played a Big Ten team four times in program history. State is 3-4 in those games.
• This is MSU's second time being an 11 seed, the first since 2008-09. The Bulldogs are 1-1 when seeded 11th. The win came against Texas (71-63) before falling to Ohio State in the second round.
Mississippi State Noteables
• Anastasia Hayes leads the SEC in assists per game at 4.6 per contest. If she ends the season leading the SEC, she will become the first Bulldog to accomplish that.
• The Bulldogs defeated current Illinois head coach Shauna Green last season when she was the head coach at Dayton. MSU defeated the Flyers 65-54 in Daytona Beach, Fla.
• Only two Bulldogs are averaging double figures this season. Jessika Carter leads the team in both scoring (14.8) and rebounding (7.7), while JerKaila Jordan ranks second in both (11.9 ppg and 5.1 rpg).
• Mississippi State is 1 of 14 schools to make a bowl game, and its men's and women's basketball programs make the NCAA tournament. In the SEC, Tennessee and Alabama are the only other schools to accomplish that feat. MSU's NCAA Tournament opponent Illinois is also one of the 14 schools.
• Mississippi State and Illinois also met on the gridiron this season at the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Fla. The Bulldogs won that contest 19-10.
SEC Postseason Honors
• Jessika Carter, a preseason All-SEC pick, earned Second Team All-SEC honors. Carter was also named to the SEC All-Defensive Team. This is Carter's second career All-SEC honor. She earned Second Team honors back in 2020.
• Debreasha Powe earned SEC All-Freshmen Team honors. This is the 4th straight season MSU has had someone named to the All-Freshman team.
• Mississippi State, who finished the regular season tied for 5th in the SEC Standings, was predicted to finish tied for 5th by the League's head coaches in the preseason poll and was predicted to finish 8th by the SEC media in the preseason media poll.
Get-To-Know Illinois
• Shauna Green coaches Illinois. She is in her first year at Illinois after spending the previous six seasons at Dayton. She led the Flyers to five Atlantic 10 regular season championships and four NCAA Tournaments. Green was a three-time Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year and led the Flyers to the Atlantic 10 championship and an opening-round victory in the NCAA Tournament, finishing the season with a final record of 26-6 in 2021-22.
• The Illini are making their eighth trip to the NCAA Tournament, their first since 2003, and own an 8-8 record.
• Illinois has had one of the best turnarounds in the country. After finishing last season with a record of 7-20, 1-13 in the Big Ten, Illinois is 22-9, 11-7 in the Big Ten this season.
• Four Illini earned all-conference honors: Makira Cook (All-B1G first team), Genesis Bryant (All-B1G second team), Kendall Bostic (All-B1G second team and B1G sportsmanship award), and Adalia McKenzie (All-B1G honorable mention).
• Illinois is averaging 75.9 points per game while allowing 65.1. They shoot 46% from the floor, 38% from three and 76% from the free throw line.
• Illinois is led by Cook, averaging 18.2 ppg and shooting 42% from the field. She's also dished out 121 assists and earned 35 steals.
• Four players average at least 10 points per game: Cook, Bryant (15.1), McKenzie (13.7) and Bostic (10.5). Bostic also leads the team in rebounding at 9.9 per game.
• Of the 13 girls that have appeared in a game this season for Illinois, six are averaging at least 25 minutes per game, with three averaging more than 30 minutes. Only seven players play at least 10 minutes a night.
Up Next
The Mississippi State vs. Illinois winner will advance to the field of 64, where they will take on the No. 6 seeded Creighton Bluejays. That game is scheduled for Friday, March. 17 at 5:00 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 –
GAME INFORMATION
Mississippi State (20-10, 9-7 SEC) vs. Illinois (22-9, 11-7 Big Ten)
Date: Wednesday, March 15, 2023 // Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: South Bend, Ind. (Purcell Pavilion)
Watch: ESPNU (Talent: Jenn Hildreth & Mike Thibault)
Listen: MSU Radio Network (Play-By-Play: Jason Crowder)
Numbers To Know
12 • Mississippi State is making its 12th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs own a 22-11 record in the tournament.
2 • Mississippi State has played in two NCAA Final Fours and National championship games in program history. The Bulldogs last appeared in the National Championship game back in 2018 against Notre Dame.
25 • The current Bulldog roster has little NCAA Tournament experience. The roster has played a combined 25 career NCAA Tournament games, with Ahlana Smith leading the way, having played in 11 games.
20 • Head coach Sam Purcell is the only head coach in program history to win at least 20 games in their first season leading the program. He is also the first coach to have a winning SEC record in their first season leading the team.
Series History
• This will be the third all-time meeting between Mississippi State and Illinois. The Bulldogs hold a 2-1 advantage in the series.
• MSU is 2-0 when the game is on a neutral court.
• The last meeting between the two programs came back on January 4, 2004, in Starkville. Illinois won that game, 75-72
• The first meeting came back on March 17, 2001, in the WNIT. The Bulldogs won that contest, 86-77.
NCAA Tournament History
• Mississippi State is 22-11 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
• Mississippi State has made 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, two of which were national finals.
•The Bulldogs have been a No. 1 seed twice in program history.
• State is 3-0 in NCAA Tournament overtime games.
• Mississippi State is 13-3 in the NCAA Tournament since the 2016-17 season.
• The Bulldogs have only played a Big Ten team four times in program history. State is 3-4 in those games.
• This is MSU's second time being an 11 seed, the first since 2008-09. The Bulldogs are 1-1 when seeded 11th. The win came against Texas (71-63) before falling to Ohio State in the second round.
Mississippi State Noteables
• Anastasia Hayes leads the SEC in assists per game at 4.6 per contest. If she ends the season leading the SEC, she will become the first Bulldog to accomplish that.
• The Bulldogs defeated current Illinois head coach Shauna Green last season when she was the head coach at Dayton. MSU defeated the Flyers 65-54 in Daytona Beach, Fla.
• Only two Bulldogs are averaging double figures this season. Jessika Carter leads the team in both scoring (14.8) and rebounding (7.7), while JerKaila Jordan ranks second in both (11.9 ppg and 5.1 rpg).
• Mississippi State is 1 of 14 schools to make a bowl game, and its men's and women's basketball programs make the NCAA tournament. In the SEC, Tennessee and Alabama are the only other schools to accomplish that feat. MSU's NCAA Tournament opponent Illinois is also one of the 14 schools.
• Mississippi State and Illinois also met on the gridiron this season at the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Fla. The Bulldogs won that contest 19-10.
SEC Postseason Honors
• Jessika Carter, a preseason All-SEC pick, earned Second Team All-SEC honors. Carter was also named to the SEC All-Defensive Team. This is Carter's second career All-SEC honor. She earned Second Team honors back in 2020.
• Debreasha Powe earned SEC All-Freshmen Team honors. This is the 4th straight season MSU has had someone named to the All-Freshman team.
• Mississippi State, who finished the regular season tied for 5th in the SEC Standings, was predicted to finish tied for 5th by the League's head coaches in the preseason poll and was predicted to finish 8th by the SEC media in the preseason media poll.
Get-To-Know Illinois
• Shauna Green coaches Illinois. She is in her first year at Illinois after spending the previous six seasons at Dayton. She led the Flyers to five Atlantic 10 regular season championships and four NCAA Tournaments. Green was a three-time Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year and led the Flyers to the Atlantic 10 championship and an opening-round victory in the NCAA Tournament, finishing the season with a final record of 26-6 in 2021-22.
• The Illini are making their eighth trip to the NCAA Tournament, their first since 2003, and own an 8-8 record.
• Illinois has had one of the best turnarounds in the country. After finishing last season with a record of 7-20, 1-13 in the Big Ten, Illinois is 22-9, 11-7 in the Big Ten this season.
• Four Illini earned all-conference honors: Makira Cook (All-B1G first team), Genesis Bryant (All-B1G second team), Kendall Bostic (All-B1G second team and B1G sportsmanship award), and Adalia McKenzie (All-B1G honorable mention).
• Illinois is averaging 75.9 points per game while allowing 65.1. They shoot 46% from the floor, 38% from three and 76% from the free throw line.
• Illinois is led by Cook, averaging 18.2 ppg and shooting 42% from the field. She's also dished out 121 assists and earned 35 steals.
• Four players average at least 10 points per game: Cook, Bryant (15.1), McKenzie (13.7) and Bostic (10.5). Bostic also leads the team in rebounding at 9.9 per game.
• Of the 13 girls that have appeared in a game this season for Illinois, six are averaging at least 25 minutes per game, with three averaging more than 30 minutes. Only seven players play at least 10 minutes a night.
Up Next
The Mississippi State vs. Illinois winner will advance to the field of 64, where they will take on the No. 6 seeded Creighton Bluejays. That game is scheduled for Friday, March. 17 at 5:00 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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