Bulldogs And Gators Set For Thursday Night Battle

Thursday, February 19

Starkville

6:30 p.m.

Mississippi State

Florida

Bulldogs And Gators Set For Thursday Night Battle

February 18, 2026 | Women's Basketball

MSU Notes UF Notes

By: Will Simmons, Assistant Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – The Mississippi State Bulldogs ride a two-game winning streak back to Starkville and look to make it three straight when they take on the Florida Gators on Thursday. Tipoff for the contest is set for 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+.

GAME INFORMATION
Florida Gators (15-12, 3-9 SEC) vs Mississippi State Bulldogs (18-8, 5-7 SEC)
Date: Thursday, February 18, 6:30 p.m. CT
Location: Starkville, Miss. (Humphrey Coliseum)
Watch: SECN+
Listen: MSU Radio Network – Starkville 96.1

NOTES:

Mississippi State won their last contest over the Arkansas Razorbacks, 75-66
Four Bulldogs knocked down three triples in the contest, marking the first time State has done so in at least 20 seasons.
Jaylah Lampley led the team with 16 points in her third career start. She shot 60 percent from the floor and from distance.
Madison Francis and Favour Nwaedozi added 13 points. Francis knocked down a trio of triples, tying a career high. Nwaedozi earned her 12th double-double with 10 rebounds.
Trayanna Crisp added 11 points alongside five assists.
As a team, State hit 14 threes at 43.8 percent, which marked a season high.
Seven different Bulldogs have led the team in scoring this season.
Nwaedozi and Francis have led the Bulldogs in scoring in seven games, leading the team.
The Bulldogs have had 5 or more players in double figures in eight games this season. 4 or more have scored in double figures in 15 games.
Francis has recorded single game highs of both seven blocks and seven steals this year, putting her in rare company across the nation. Francis rejected seven shots against Charlotte and swiped seven steals against Alabama.
Francis remains the SEC's block leader as a true freshman at 2.8 blocks per game, a mark which is second in the nation.
In conference play, Kharyssa Richardson is averaging 12.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
She's nearly doubled her offensive production, as prior to conference play beginning, Richardson was averaging just 6.8 points and 4.3 rebounds.
Crisp has made a three-pointer in all but three games she has played in this season and had a streak of 15 consecutive games with a make earlier this season.
The Bulldogs are 6-1 when Crisp makes three or more three pointers in a game this season, including a pair of top-15 victories against #7 Kentucky and #15 Tennessee.
Favour Nwaedozi is one of four players in the SEC to currently average a double-double.
She's the only player in the SEC and is one of seven players in the country to have multiple 20 rebound performances.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

The Gators are led by the trio of Liv McGill (22.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 6.0 apg), Me'Arah O'Neal (14.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 1.5 bpg) and Laila Reynolds (12.3 ppg, 1.7 SPG)
No other Gator averages more than 5.5 points per game.
The trio accounts for 66% of Florida's scoring.
Florida is 1-8 on the road overall and 0-6 on the road in SEC play.

SERIES HISTORY:

The all-time series is tied at 28 games a piece between the two teams.
Florida has won the last two contests.
In Starkville, State leads 15-10.
Across the last 10 matchups, State leads 7-3.

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