PREVIEW: #6 WBK Hoops at #18 Kentucky

Sunday, February 16

Lexington, Ky.

4:00 PM

Mississippi State

#18 Kentucky

PREVIEW: #6 WBK Hoops at #18 Kentucky

February 15, 2020 | Women's Basketball

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by Josh Lively, Assistant Director/Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky. – For the third straight game, Mississippi State will take on a ranked opponent, as the sixth-ranked Bulldogs head to Memorial Coliseum for a matchup with No. 18 Kentucky on Sunday at 4 p.m. CT.

State (22-3, 10-1 SEC) is coming off an impressive performance against 16th-ranked Texas A&M. The Bulldogs found themselves facing an 11-point deficit at halftime, but MSU rallied behind a strong performance from Myah Taylor to defeat the Aggies 69-57 at Humphrey Coliseum. Taylor finished with 16 points, all in the second half, six assists and three steals to fuel the comeback. Rickea Jackson notched her second double-double of the season with 21 points and 10 rebounds. It was her fifth 20-point performance of the season.

Kentucky (18-5, 7-4 SEC) enters the contest on the heels of a tough loss at Arkansas, 103-85. The Wildcats saw the return of their star player in Rhyne Howard, who had missed a couple of games due to an injury, but it wasn't enough to overcome the hot shooting of the Razorbacks. Howard leads the SEC and ranks third in the country in scoring at 23.1 ppg. The reigning National Freshman of the Year also leads UK in rebounding with 6.2 rpg.

Fans can watch the game on ESPN2 with Courtney Lyle and Carolyn Peck on the call. The game will also be streamed on MSU Radio Network with Jason Crowder and Charlie Winfield on the call and can be streamed on HailState.com/plus and the Tune In app.

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 Mississippi State currently 10-1 in 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.
• Sunday's game marks the third-straight matchup against a ranked foe for the Bulldogs. A win would mark the first time MSU has defeated three ranked opponents in a row since State defeated NC State (21), UCLA (9) and Louisville (3) during its second National Finalist run during the 2017-18 campaign.
• Freshman Rickea Jackson leads all SEC freshmen in scoring (16.6 ppg) and ranks second in field goal percentage (.471) during SEC play. For the year, she leads the team in scoring (14.2 ppg) and is third in rebounding (4.7 rpg). She has scored in double figures in 18 games 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. With five 20-point games during conference play, Jackson is the first MSU freshman to post multiple 20-point games in SEC play since Vivians had three.
• Graduate guard Jordan Danberry leads the team steals (2.7 spg) while ranking second in assists (3.2 apg) and third in scoring (12.6 ppg). She ranks 16th among Division I players in total steals (68) and 26th in steals per game to pace a Mississippi State defense that leads the SEC in turnovers forced per game (21.8).
• 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 13.3 points, 9.0 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 4.3 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks 11th in the Division I. Her 225 rebounds are the 38th most in the country.
• During SEC play, State has three players that rank inside the top 10 in field goal percentage. Carter ranks second with a .644 clip, while Danberry (.504) is seventh and Jackson (.471) is 10th. As a team, MSU ranks second in the conference with a .468 clip in league play.

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 sixth in the nation in scoring margin (+22.1) and 11th in scoring offense at 80.0 ppg.
• With four players shooting over 50 percent from the field, the Bulldogs rank ninth in the country and top the SEC in field goal percentage with a .471 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 fourth in the SEC in assists per game (14.0 apg) and fifth in 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 347 offensive rebounds on the season, Mississippi State has gotten the rebound on 40 percent of its missed baskets and turned that into 370 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 545 times for an average of 21.8 turnovers per game. That number ranks eighth in the nation and tops the SEC. The Bulldogs have forced at least 20 turnovers in 20 games this season.
• The Bulldogs have been solid at rejecting shots with an average of 4.7 blocks per game, which is 29th in Division I. Jessika Carter has led the charge by posting 1.9 bpg this season to rank 45th in the country and fifth in the SEC.
• State's on-ball pressure has been suffocating all year, especially in the press. MSU ranks second in the SEC with 10.0 steals per game. Jordan Danberry is pacing the team in the category with 2.7 spg to rank second in league and 26th 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 83 charges, led by 40 from Myah Taylor.

Deep Dive into State's Specialty Stats
• When it comes to specialty stats, Mississippi State leads its opponents in all five categories this year.
• The Bulldogs have been able to score at will down low this season. MSU has posted 1132 of its points in the paint, which accounts for 57 percent of the team's total scoring. State has scored at least 50 points in the paint seven times.
• With defense being a top priority, Mississippi State has been able to turn its 545 turnovers forced into 616 points. That accounts for nearly a third of the team's scoring this year.
• MSU is one of the best teams in the country when it comes to field goal percentage, but when it does miss, State has been able to get an offensive rebound on 40 percent of its missed shots, which the Bulldogs have capitalized on and turned into 370 second-chance points.
• While MSU has three starters that are averaging double-digit scoring, Mississippi State's bench has also provided a much-needed spark in several games this season. With 677 bench points this year, State is getting an average of 27.1 points per game from the reserves. During SEC play, MSU's bench has outscored opponents in all but two games.
• When the Bulldogs get a turnover, one of the things that MSU wants to do is turn that into quick points in transition. So far, State has 369 fast break points this season.

Danberry Earns Spot on Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Midseason Team
• In the midst of a stellar final season, Jordan Danberry was tabbed to the Naismith Trophy Women's Player of the Year 2020 Midseason Team by the Atlanta Tipoff Club on Tuesday morning.
• Danberry ranks inside the top 30 in the nation in both total steals and steals per game on the year despite defending the opposing team's best guard every game.
• Offensively, she's one of the team's top scorers and ranks second in assists.
• Danberry was one of 30 players from across the country to be selected for the midseason team.
• She also earned a spot on the Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year Midseason Team in January.

State Assistants Recognized for Coaching Efforts
• Mississippi State's two associate head coaches have each been recognized for their professionalism, hard work and promise in the coaching field.
• Johnnie Harris, who was named the WBCA Assistant Coach of the Year in 2018, has been selected to participate in this year's NEXT UP program at the Final Four. This is a competitive program that promotes up-and-coming coaches in women's basketball that are likely to become head coaches.
• Harris has been responsible for coaching some of the best post players in program history at State, including Teaira McCowan who she mentored during record-setting senior and junior campaigns in 2017-19.
• Dionnah Jackson-Durrett was honored last month at the 2019 Delux Power 100, which recognizes the top 100 professionals and influential leaders from St. Louis. She is considered one of the top up-and-coming coaches in the country.
• An All-America point guard at Oklahoma, Jackson-Durrett's presence in Starkville has been felt since she arrived in 2015. Working with the point guards, Mississippi State recorded its top three assists marks for a single season each of the last three years under her guidance and coached and mentored arguably the two best point guards ever to play for the Bulldogs in Jazzmun Holmes and Morgan William.