PREVIEW: #10 WBK Hoops vs. LSU

Thursday, January 16

Starkville

7:00 PM

Mississippi State

LSU

Tickets

PREVIEW: #10 WBK Hoops vs. LSU

January 15, 2020 | Women's Basketball

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by Josh Lively, Assistant Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – Riding a seven-game winning streak, No. 10 Mississippi State returns to Humphrey Coliseum on Thursday night to take on LSU at 7 p.m. CT.

The Bulldogs (15-2, 3-0 SEC) are coming off a 79-64 victory at Missouri last week to remain undefeated in conference play. Rickea Jackson narrowly missed a double-double with a career-high 21 points and nine rebounds. Jordan Danberry continued her impressive play with an all-around performance, recording 18 points, four rebounds, four steals and three assists.

LSU (13-3, 3-1 SEC) is off to a strong start in conference play, defeating 10th-ranked Texas A&M on the road last Thursday before topping Ole Miss at home Sunday. Senior forward Ayana Mitchell was named first team All-SEC a year ago and has continued to compete at that level this season, averaging 13.9 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. She has posted seven double-doubles this year and leads the nation with a blazing 71 percent shooting percentage from the field. Junior guard Khayla Pointer leads the team in scoring (14.8 ppg), assists (4.8 apg) and steals (2.6 spg).

"We've gotten back after getting ready for a really good LSU team," said head coach Vic Schaefer. "They've had some tremendous wins this year and are coming off of a great win at Texas A&M. They'll be ready to play here. We've had a couple of knockdown, drag-out games with them a year ago. We played really well down there in the first quarter, got out to a big lead and really played well even after that. Here, we had a 10-point game at halftime and had a great third quarter. We've got to be ready. I think our kids have done a good job the last couple of days. We need to have one more good day to get ready for them. Nikki Fargas will have her kids ready to play. I have a lot of respect for her and her program. They have a tremendous system and philosophy. It's been very successful for her and for them over the years. We'll have to be ready for that."

The first 500 fans will receive a voucher for a custom Mississippi State women's basketball cup, which can be picked up after the game is over. Students can enjoy a free corndog giveaway.

Fans unable to attend can watch on the SEC Network+ with Charlie Winfield and Bart Gregory on the call. The game will also be streamed on MSU Radio Network with Jason Crowder and Jonathan Holmes on the call and can be streamed on HailState.com/plus and the Tune In app.

State's clear bag policy and walk-through metal detectors will be in place for all home games this season. For all gameday information, visit www.HailState.com/Gameday.

For more information on the Bulldogs, follow MSU women's basketball on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateWBK."

Bulldog Bites
• With the start of SEC play, the Bulldogs have their sights set on a third consecutive SEC title, a feat that no program has accomplished outright since 2001-04.
• Mississippi State is riding a seven-game winning streak, which is tied for the ninth longest win streak in Division I.
• Freshman Rickea Jackson currently leads all SEC freshmen in scoring (19.3 ppg) and ranks second in rebounding (7.0 rpg) during league play. For the year, she is second on the team in scoring (13.5 ppg) and third in rebounding (4.6 rpg). She has scored in double figures in six straight games and 12 times on the year.
• Jackson marks the first true freshman to start the season for Schaefer since 2014-15 with Victoria Vivians, who was second team All-SEC during her first season after averaging 14.9 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. Jackson is the first MSU freshman to post multiple 20-point games in SEC play since Vivian had three such performances.
• Graduate guard Jordan Danberry leads the team in scoring (14.1 ppg) and steals (2.9 spg) while ranking second in assists (3.2 apg). She ranks 14th among Division I players in total steals (49) and 20th in steals per game (2.9) to pace a Mississippi State defense that tops the SEC in turnovers forced per game (22.3).
• With the departure of SEC Player of the Year Teaira McCowan, Mississippi State had a major void to fill in the post this season. Sophomore forward Jessika Carter has helped answer that need, averaging 13.0 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. As a sophomore, McCowan averaged 8.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
• Carter has been one of the nation's top rebounders this season, especially on the offensive end of the floor. She is averaging 4.9 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks fourth in the Division I. Her 9.9 rebounds per game stands at 35th in the country.
• The duo of Chloe Bibby and Andra Espinoza-Hunter, known as the Splash Sisters, have combined to hit 57 percent of State's 3-pointers this season. Bibby leads the team with 30 threes, while Espinoza-Hunter ranks second with 17.
• Mississippi State owns the country's 27th-ranked strength of schedule. The Bulldogs are 6-2 against Top-100 teams in the RPI. Three of those wins came away from home.

State's Offense Among Best in the Country
• Although Vic Schaefer's teams are widely known for their defense, Mississippi State has established itself as one of the best offensive teams in Division I.
• This season, State ranks fifth in the nation in scoring margin (+26.2) and seventh in scoring offense at 83.8 ppg.
• With four players shooting over 50 percent from the field, the Bulldogs rank 10th in the country and top the SEC in field goal percentage with a .476 clip.
• Another key to MSU's offensive success has been its ability to take care of the ball and make the extra passes for better shots. State ranks fifth in the SEC in assists per game (14.4 apg) and assist/turnover ratio (1.09).
• When the Bulldogs aren't knocking down shots, State is crashing the glass to get a second opportunity at a basket. With 253 offensive rebounds on the season, Mississippi State has gotten the rebound on 42 percent of its missed baskets and turned that into 282 second-chance points.

Secretary of Defense
• Vic Schaefer's teams have always had a major emphasis on one area: defense. If you want to play for him, you have to play lockdown, tenacious and suffocating defense for 40 minutes every game. It's this expectation and mentality that has earned Schaefer the nickname "Secretary of Defense."
• So far this season, State's relentless defense has forced opponents into turning the ball over 378 times for an average of 22.3 turnovers per game. That number ranks 11th in the nation and first in the SEC. The Bulldogs have forced at least 20 turnovers in all but two games this year.
• The Bulldogs have been great at rejecting shots with an average of 5.3 blocks per game, which is 21st in the Division I. Jessika Carter has led the charge by posting 1.9 bpg this season to rank 47th in the country and fifth in the SEC.
• State's on-ball pressure has been suffocating all season, especially in the press. MSU ranks fourth in the SEC with 9.8 steals per game. Jordan Danberry is pacing the team in the category with 2.9 spg to rank third in league and 20th in the nation.
• While there is no ranking for the stat, Mississippi State certainly ranks amongst the country's best teams at drawing charges. So far, the Bulldogs have taken 56 charges, led by 27 from Myah Taylor.

Danberry Dominating on Both Ends of the Court
• Jordan Danberry has been one of the best players on both ends of the floor in the SEC and the country this season.
• Danberry has made the most of her final season so far. The do-it-all guard leads the team in scoring (14.1 ppg) and steals (2.9 spg). She is second on the team in assists (3.2 apg).
• Offensively, the Conway, Ark., native is shooting a blazing .543 percent clip from the field on the year and has posted four 20-point performances. She has scored in double figures in eight consecutive games, including a 21-point performance against Florida.
• On the defensive end of the floor, Danberry has recorded multiple steals in 12 games this season and has seven contests with four or more steals.
• In her last five games, Danberry has been on fire, averaging 16.2 ppg while shooting 62 percent from the field to go along with 3.8 apg, 3.2 rpg and 2.8 spg.

Jackson Having Stellar Freshman Season
• Mississippi State knew it was going to rely on newcomers early and often this season, and McDonald's All-American Rickea Jackson has been stellar in her first season with the Bulldogs.
• Jackson ranks second on the team in scoring (13.5 ppg) and third in rebounding (4.6 rpg). The freshman forward is shooting 49 percent from the field and 42 percent from beyond the arc on the year.
• The Detroit, Mich., native has finished with double-digit scoring in six straight games and 12 times overall this season. During the last five contests, she has been the team's leading scorer at 17.8 ppg to go along with 6.2 rpg.
• During conference play, Jackson currently leads SEC freshmen in scoring (19.3 ppg) while ranking second in rebounding (7.0) and third in field goal percentage (.533).
• After averaging 18.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game in wins over Florida and at Georgia, Jackson was named the SEC Freshman of the Week on Jan. 7. She posted 20 points in MSU's conference opener against the Gators and finished with 17 points, five rebounds, three assists and two blocks at Georgia.
• She earned MVP honors in the Duel in the Desert tournament after notching the first double-double of her career with 17 points and 10 rebounds vs. USF and posting a team-high 17 points against Virginia.
• Jackson marked the first true freshman to start the season for Schaefer since 2014-15 with Victoria Vivians, who was second team All-SEC during her first season after averaging 14.9 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.