Lady Bulldogs To Battle Tennessee In Knoxville Sunday
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- After a week away from competition, the Mississippi State women's basketball team will return to action Sunday, when they take on 13th-ranked Tennessee in Knoxville. Game time at UT's Thompson-Boling Arena is set for 2 p.m. CT.
With just one more victory this season, the Lady Bulldogs (19-7, 6-5 SEC) will complete its first 20-win season since the 2002-03 campaign. State has won three of its last four games this season with the lone loss in that stretch coming to then fifth-ranked Auburn. Five of Mississippi State's seven losses this season have come to teams ranked in the top-25 of the Associated Press Poll and the ESPN/USA Today Poll.
Junior guard Alexis Rack continues to pace the Maroon and White, scoring 14.3 points a game. The Franklin, La.-native leads the Southeastern Conference in three-point field goals a game and in free-throw percentage. Junior Armelie Lumanu is adding 11.5 points a contest and is second on the team in rebounds a game, pulling down 5.8 on average. The Lady Bulldogs continue to rank among the SEC's best defenses, ranking second in both scoring defense and field goal percentage defense. Junior Chanel Mokango continues to add to her school record number of block shots as she has accumulated 85 this season. That mark currently ranks fifth nationally.
Tennessee (18-8, 7-4 SEC) enters Sunday's matchup having lost two straight for the first time since the 2005-06 campaign. The Lady Vols dropped a 66-56 decision to Kentucky on Thursday evening which was their first loss to an unranked opponent since the 2005-06 campaign. The Lady Vols are paced in scoring by freshman Shekinna Stricklen who is averaging 12.7 points and 5.9 rebounds a game. Sophomore Angie Bjorklund is scoring 11.5 points while freshman forward Glory Johnson is averaging 11.1 points a game.
Mississippi State will be meeting UT for the 30th time in the all-time series as UT has won all 29 previous meetings. State has also yet to win in Knoxville in 12 previous tries. In an earlier meeting this season, State dropped a close 63-56 decision to UT in Starkville.
Following Sunday's game, Mississippi State will return to Starkville for its regular season home finale on Thursday. State plays host to South Carolina in a game scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip.