State Begins Homestand Against #5 Vanderbilt

Thursday, January 15

Starkville

5:30 p.m.

Mississippi State

#5 Vanderbilt

Tickets From $5 - $45

State Begins Homestand Against #5 Vanderbilt

January 14, 2026 | Women's Basketball

MSU Notes VU Notes

By: Will Simmons, Assistant Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State women's basketball will tip off the first of two home games this week when they take on the undefeated, fifth-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores on Thursday. Tipoff for the contest is set for 5:30 p.m. on SEC Network.

GAME INFORMATION
Vanderbilt Commodores (17-0, 4-0 SEC) vs Mississippi State Bulldogs (14-4, 1-3 SEC)
Date: Monday, January 15, 5:30 p.m. CT
Location: Starkville, Miss. (Humphrey Coliseum)
Watch: SEC Network
Listen: MSU Radio Network – Starkville 96.1

NOTES:

Mississippi State dropped their last contest to the 18th-ranked Ole Miss Rebels.
Madison Francis and Chandler Prater both led the Bulldog offense with 15 points a piece.
Francis also added seven rebounds, three blocks and two steals.
Prater show 75 percent from the floor and from beyond the arch.
Favour Nwaedozi earned her eighth double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Destiney McPhaul scored 12 and led the team with four assists and two steals.
Four Bulldogs are currently averaging 10+ points per game: Nwaedozi (13.1), Francis (13.1), McPhaul (12.1) and Prater (10.1). Jaylah Lampley is just shy of 10 points, as she averages 9.8.
In conference games alone, Francis averages 13.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game.
Francis continues to lead the SEC with 3.1 blocks per game and is the only freshman to average over one block per game. She also leads the SEC's freshmen with five double doubles.
Prater is currently averaging 10.1 points and 6.6 rebounds on 45.7 percent shooting from the floor and 41.5 percent shooting from beyond the arch, all are which single-season bests for the graduate.
Kharyssa Richardson is averaging 10.3 points and 5.3 rebounds through the first four conference games, which is above her season average of 7.6 points and 4.5 rebounds.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

Vanderbilt enters Thursday's contest as one of three undefeated programs in the nation, joining UConn and Texas Tech.
Sophomore Mikayla Blakes leads the SEC with 24.9 points per game, the third-best mark across the nation.
Justine Pissott is the SEC's leader in made three pointers (51) and three point percentage (44.3).
Vandy has the second-best assist/turnover rate (1.72) and second-most assists per game (20.6) in the SEC, with both marks ranking top 10 nationally.
Vandy hits 10.0 threes per game, leading the SEC and ranking fifth nationally.

SERIES HISTORY:

Vanderbilt leads the all-time series against the Bulldogs, 37-25.
In Starkville, State leads 15-12.
The Bulldogs won the last contest between the two programs, taking home a double-overtime 85-7 victory in Nashville last season.
In the last 10 meetings, State is 9-1 against Vandy.

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