PREVIEW: Women’s Basketball Hosts Vanderbilt in SEC Home Opener

STARKVILLE – The Mississippi State women's basketball team is back at home for the first time in nearly three weeks when they welcome the Commodores of Vanderbilt to the Humphrey Coliseum. Tip-off against Vanderbilt is scheduled for 2 p.m.

GAME INFORMATION
Mississippi State (10-4, 1-1 SEC) vs Vanderbilt (10-5, 1-0 SEC)
Date: Sunday, Jan. 8 // Time: 2 p.m. CT
Location: Starkville, Miss. (Humphrey Coliseum)
Watch: SECN+ // Listen: MSU Radio Network (Play-By-Play: Jason Crowder)

Gameday Promotion
• Sunday will be Harry Potter Night against Vanderbilt
• Fans can receive Mississippi State themed Harry Potter laptop stickers

Among The Nation's Best
• Entering Thursday, Mississippi State is averaging 74.8 points per game which ranks fifth in the SEC and 49th in the country
• State continues to be one of the best shot-blocking teams in the NCAA. Through 14 games, MSU has blocked 100 shots while averaging 7.1 blocks per game. Both totals rank second in the NCAA and the SEC.
• The Bulldogs ranks second in the SEC, 17th nationally, in assist-to-turnover ratio. A big reason for State's strong numbers has been the play of Myah Taylor, who leads the SEC in both total assists (86) and assists per game (6.1). Both numbers rank inside the top 8 in the NCAA.
• Taylor has also been big on the defensive end with 48 steals to lead the team while ranking second in the SEC and fourth nationally. She recorded seven steals in a win at Alabama, including four in the fourth quarter after hurting her ankle and leaving the game at the end of the third period.

Series History
• Vanderbilt leads the all-time series 36-22 while Mississippi State holds a 14-11 advantage in games played in Starkville.
• The Bulldogs enter Sunday winners of the last seven meetings in the series.
• The last meetings came on Jan. 23, 2020, in Nashville, where State won 68-52.
• The two teams didn't play in 2021 after Vanderbilt opted out of the remainder of their 2020-21 season on Jan. 18.

Get-To-Know Vanderbilt
• Vanderbilt enters Sunday with a 10-5 overall record and a 1-0 in SEC play. The Commodores have won five straight games, including its SEC opener against Arkansas (54-51)
• They narrowly upset undefeated and currently ranked No. 4 Arizona in the Virgin Islands (48-46) back on Nov. 25.
• Vandy is coached by first-year head coach and longtime UConn assistant Shea Ralph
• They are led by Brinae Alexander, averaging a team-best 14.2 points per game while grabbing 3.7 boards.
• Vanderbilt is one of the best teams in the nation at forcing steals. They lead the SEC and rank eighth nationally with 165 steals on the year while averaging 11 per game, the second-best mark in the SEC. Leading the way in steals is Jordyn Cambridge, who has 58 steals to lead the NCAA.

USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll
• Mississippi State is receiving votes in the Top 25 coaches' poll for the first time this season and since Feb. 23 of last year.

Up Next
Mississippi State will be back on the road for two games next week. State will travel to Kentucky on Thursday, Jan. 13 at 6 p.m. to make up the contest that was previously scheduled for Jan. 3. On Saturday, Mississippi State and Ole Miss will renew their in-state rivalry in Oxford with tip-off scheduled for 2 p.m. That game will be on SEC Network.

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.

– HailState.com –

PREVIEW: Women’s Basketball Hosts Vanderbilt in SEC Home Opener

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Players Mentioned

Myah Taylor

Mississippi State University Athletics