Mississippi State Takes On Texas A&M On Sunday

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State women's basketball plays its third contest of the week when it travels to battle Texas A&M inside Reed Arena on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. CT on SEC Network.

GAME INFORMATION
Mississippi State (18-5, 5-3 SEC) at Texas A&M (15-5, 3-4 SEC)
Date: Sunday, Feb. 4 | Time: 3:00 p.m. CT
Location: College Station, Texas (Reed Arena)
Watch: SEC Network
Listen: MSU Radio Network - Starkville 96.1

Fans not in attendance can follow action on SEC Network with Sam Gore and Tamika Catchings on the call or through their Mississippi State radio station with Jason Crowder. Live statistics will be available through the link attached above.

Mississippi State leads the series 11-6 overall, but trails 4-3 in College Station. Mississippi State has won two of the three contests under head coach Sam Purcell and returned home with a 60-44 win in its last trip to Texas A&M on Jan. 25, 2023.

Mississippi State enters Sunday 18-5 overall and 5-3 in the SEC with wins in five of its last six contests. The Bulldogs finished with a 5-2 record in February in their first season under Purcell propel their historic run in March.

Taking the floor for its third contest this week, Mississippi State heads into the contest with wins over No. 9/9 LSU on Monday and at Kentucky on Thursday. Mississippi State overcame a six-point deficit last time out over Kentucky with three threes over the final 54 seconds of regulation to secure the eventual overtime win.

Graduate student center Jessika Carter paced all Bulldogs against the Wildcats with her 37th career double-double. Carter finished with 25 points on 9-15 from the field and 7-7 from the free throw line, 13 rebounds and three blocks in a career-high 42 minutes.

Carter is currently averaging career-best marks in points, rebounds and minutes with 15.1 points and 9.9 rebounds in 31.1 minutes per game. She excels even more in road environments, posting 17.6 points and 11.9 rebounds in 34.3 minutes per game in road contests.

The Southeastern Conference announced on Tuesday that senior guard Jerkaila Jordan has been named Co-SEC Player of the Week and freshman guard Mjracle Sheppard was voted Co-Freshman of the Week. Jordan is the fourth different Mississippi State player to earn SEC Player of the Week accolades this season, while Sheppard is the second to earn SEC Freshman of the Week honors. It marked the first time in both players' careers that they have received their respective honor.

Mississippi State leads the conference with five SEC Player of the Week honors this season, in addition to two Freshman of the Week honors. The seven total weekly conference honors have been awarded to six different players.

With the 77-73 win over LSU on Monday, Purcell earned his first top-25 win as a head coach. It also marked the first top-10 win for Mississippi State since a road win at No. 10 Texas, 67-49, on Dec. 2, 2018. Monday was also the first sellout crowd under Purcell with 9,121 fans in attendance.

No one in the SEC was better than Jordan during the month of February in 2022-23. She was the only SEC player to lead her team in at least six major stat categories in the month. Jordan is on pace to post career-best averages in points and rebounds with a team-high 16.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per contest this season.

One of best defenders in the conference, Jordan has also reached three-plus steals in six of eight SEC contests and is averaging 3.3 steals in conference play.

Graduate student guard Lauren Park-Lane is second in the SEC and seventh nationally with 135 assists this season. She is one of just three players in the country to rank inside the top eight for total assists each of the last two seasons. Park-Lane has led the team in assists in six of eight SEC contests and in 19 of 23 overall.

Sophomore guard Debreasha Powe remains one of the conference's best threats from behind the arc and is connecting on a career-best 41.6 percent on 52-125 from three this season - an +11.4 percent increase from her freshman year. Her 52 three pointers rank second in the SEC and her 41.6 percent is third.

Mississippi State returns home to Humphrey Coliseum to host Georgia on Thursday, Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.

Mississippi State Takes On Texas A&M On Sunday

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Players Mentioned

Jessika Carter

Jerkaila Jordan

Lauren Park-Lane

Debreasha Powe

Mjracle Sheppard

Mississippi State University Athletics