Mississippi State
Arkansas
PREVIEW: Women’s Basketball Travels to Arkansas Sunday
January 22, 2022 | Women's Basketball
STARKVILLE – The Bulldogs are once again hitting the road for an SEC contest as Mississippi State is set to travel to Arkansas. The Bulldogs and Razorbacks will meet for the 42nd time on Sunday with tip-off scheduled for 3 p.m.
GAME INFORMATION
Mississippi State (11-6, 2-3 SEC) vs Arkansas (12-6, 2-3 SEC)
Date: Sunday, Jan. 23 // Time: 3 p.m. CT
Location: Fayetteville, Ark. (Bud Walton Arena)
Watch: SEC Network // Listen: MSU Radio Network (Play-By-Play: Jason Crowder)
Series History
• Mississippi State leads the all-time series, 22-19. However, when the game is played in Fayetteville, Arkansas owns a 12-7 advantage.
• The Bulldogs enter Sunday on a one game losing streak after having won the previous 10 meetings.
Getting Better During Conference Play
• Since the start of conference play on Jan. 2, Anastasia Hayes is averaging a team-best 21.6 points per game.
• Hayes' 21.6 ppg average is the best in the SEC since the start of conference play.
• She is one of just three players averaging at least 20 points per game in SEC play with LSU's Khayla Pointer (20.3) and Kentucky's Rhyne Howard (20.0).
• Hayes' 31-points against Vanderbilt are the most scored in an SEC game this season.
• Annie has scored at least 20-points in four of the last six games she has played.
• Hayes' field goal percentage has also been much improved in conference play. After shooting an impressive 47% from the field in non-conference play, Annie has increased her shooting percentage to a team-best, 51% in SEC play.
Charity Stripe Improvement
• In the last seven games, Mississippi State has shown significant improvement from the free-throw line. Since Dec. 19, State is shooting 75% from the charity stripe (83-110), after shooting just 56% from the line in the first 10 games of the season (98-176). Twice in those seven games, State has shot over 90% from the line, with at least 10 attempted free throws.
• Mississippi State has made double-digit free throws in five of the last seven games after only reaching the double-digit mark in four of the previous 10 games.
• Leading the improved charity stripe effort has been Anastasia Hayes. In the first 10 games, Hayes was just 24-39 (61%) from the line but has flipped the script in the last five games she has played, going 20-23 (87%) from the line. JerKaila Jordan has also seen a significant improvement at the line. After shooting just 63% (12-19) in the first 10 games, Jordan has improved to 81% (13-16) in the last seven games.
STATE by the Numbers
• Mississippi State averages 73.0 points per game (sixth-best in the SEC), with opponents averaging 64.4 ppg (13th in the SEC).
• State is shooting 42% from the floor while opponents are shooting 39%.
• The Bulldogs are averaging just 11.2 turnovers per game while forcing teams to turn the ball over 17.3 times per contest.
• Rickea Jackson is leading the Bulldogs in scoring (21.2), with Anastasia Hayes (17.6) and JerKaila Jordan (13.7) also averaging at least 10-points per contest.
• Denae Carter leads the team in rebounds per game (8.4) and blocks (2.1). The last freshman to lead the team in both categories was Martha Alwal in 2012 (7.2 rpg / 2.7 bpg).
Get-To-Know Arkansas
• Arkansas enters Sunday with a record of 12-6 overall and 2-3 in the SEC. They won their most recent matchup, a 28-point blowout at Alabama. They lost a nail-bitter to South Carolina, 61-53, and defeated Missouri 83-73 at home to round out their last three contests.
• Arkansas averages 76.2 points per game (Second-best in the SEC) while allowing teams to score 61.8 ppg (ninth-best in the SEC). From the field, they shoot 42%, while opponents are shooting just 38%.
• Four players averaging double-digit points: Makayla Daniels (14.7), Amber Ramirez (12.9), Sasha Goforth (11.5) and Erynn Barnum (10.9).
USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll
• Mississippi State is receiving votes in the Top 25 coaches' poll for the third week in a row.
Up Next
Following Sunday's game at Arkansas, Mississippi State will play back-to-back games at home against Missouri on Thursday, Jan. 27 and Texas A&M on Sunday, Jan. 30.
For the most up-to-date information on the Bulldogs, follow MSU women's basketball on Twitter, like them on Facebook, and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateWBK.
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