PREVIEW: #12 Women’s Hoops at Georgia

ATHENS, Ga. – No. 12 Mississippi State begins SEC play with a trip to take on Georgia at Stegeman Coliseum on Thursday, Dec. 31, for a 5:30 p.m. CT tip.

The game will be televised on SEC Network with Eric Frede (play-by-play) and Tamika Catchings (analyst) on the call. The matchup can also be streamed on the MSU Radio Network with Jason Crowder.

Mississippi State (5-1) concluded its non-conference slate with a 72-49 win against Central Arkansas. Through six games, Rickea Jackson is the leading scorer for MSU with 17.5 points per game, which ranks seventh in the SEC. Jessika Carter paces the Bulldogs in rebounding and is second in scoring with 17.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.

Georgia (8-0) is off to its best start in seven seasons. UGA enters the contest coming off a 107-44 win against Appalachian State. It marked the fourth time in eight games Georgia has scored more than 80 points and was the most points scored in a game by the Bulldogs since the 2000-01 campaign.

State boasts a five-game winning streak against Georgia, including a pair of victories last season. In the last meeting, MSU won 67-53 in Humphrey Coliseum. Jackson led the Bulldogs with her fourth 20-point performance of the season, while Carter finished with a double-double in the outing.

Bulldog Storylines

Mississippi State enters a new era during the 2020-21 campaign, as women's basketball hall of famer Nikki McCray-Penson takes the helm of the women's basketball program. The Collierville, Tenn., native boasts a decorated resume to this point in her career.
- 2017 National Championship
- 2x Olympic Gold Medalist
- 2x SEC Player of the Year
- 3x WNBA All-Star
- 1997 ABL MVP
- 1997 ABL Championship
Since the start of the 2016-17 campaign, Mississippi State owns 136 wins, which is the third-most victories in all of Division I. UConn leads the way with 141 wins, while Baylor boasts 138.
With MSU being tabbed No. 12 in the most recent poll, the Bulldogs have now spent 120 consecutive weeks inside the AP Top 25, continuing the longest streak in program history and the fifth-longest active streak in the country.
During the last few years, Mississippi State has developed into one of the top scoring offenses in the nation. The Bulldogs ranked inside the top 25 in scoring during each of the last four seasons. This season, MSU ranks 20th overall with 85.2 ppg.
In their game against Troy, the Bulldogs broke the program record and matched the SEC record for 3-pointers made in a single game (18).
State returned three starters from last year's squad, and they've each earned preseason recognition for their talent. Rickea Jackson and Jessika Carter are both candidates for the Naismith Trophy and Wade Trophy, while point guard Myah Taylor made the Nancy Lieberman Award preseason watch list.
Rickea Jackson, who is also a Wooden Award candidate, is averaging 17.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. The sophomore forward owns two 30-point efforts and nine 20-points games during her career.
One of the most efficient posts in the country, Jessika Carter ranks 14th among active Division I players in career field goal percentage (.573). She owns 14 career double-doubles and is second the team in scoring this season with 17.3 ppg.
After ranking eighth in the country and leading the SEC in assist/turnover ratio (2.80) last season, Myah Taylor picked up right where she left off. The redshirt junior guard currently boasts the nation's third-best assist/turnover ratio at 9.00.
MSU's 2020-21 roster boasts three McDonald's All-Americans in Rickea Jackson, Sidney Cooks and Madison Hayes.

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."