The time has come for the Southeastern Conference race to tighten up as the home stretch is near. The SEC schedule has reached its midpoint and teams are fighting for the chance to dethrone Tennessee as SEC Champions. Mississippi State (14-6, 5-2) is a team who is looking to make a strong run at the end of the season and to have a chance at taking the SEC crown. The Lady Bulldogs are heading into Sunday’s game against Auburn (14-6, 2-5) with momentum on their side. They have won four of their last five, including big wins over Georgia and Arkansas. Auburn, on the other hand, has lost three of four and has found themselves in the bottom half of the conference. Mississippi State has been able to dominate on the offensive side of the ball with the duo of LaToya Thomas and Tan White.
Thomas and White are the best scoring duo in the country as together they average 42.8 points a game. Thomas enters the game third in the country in scoring at 23.7 while White scores 19.1 a game. Both players have picked up the intensity in conference play as they are first and second in the conference in scoring. The team as a whole is thirteenth in the country and second in the SEC trailing only Tennessee.
The rivalry between Mississippi State and Auburn has lived up to the billing as both teams have won on their home court over the last seven years, including Auburn’s 81-61 win over the Lady ‘Dawgs two weeks ago.
Mississippi State has been dominant at home this season going 8-1 while Auburn is 3-2 on the road. More than likely, the game will come down to who can rebound the ball and if the Lady Bulldogs can have big games from players other than Thomas.
In the last meeting, Thomas scored 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds while White and Jennifer Fambrough combined for 32. Only three other players scored in the game and the team shot 39 percent that day.
Mississippi State is last in the conference in scoring defense, giving up over 70 points a game. They will have to pick up the defensive pressure and hope they can get to the foul line where they have made and attempted more than any other team in conference play. Thomas has made 77 percent of her free throws on the year and she has attempted on average more than 15 a game over the last five.
The Lady Bulldogs also hope to make more than three three-pointers this time around and spread out Auburn’s defense more with the outside presence of Renea Jones and Jessica Carter. The team averages over five three-pointers a game and hope that Jones and Carter can make the open shot created from dribble penetration.
The guards will have their hands full trying to contain Carol Smith while Thomas will be key in limiting Le’Coe Willingham on the boards.
For Auburn, Smith and Willingham hope to have the same kind of game as the last meeting. Smith scored 27 and Willingham had 18 as the Tigers pulled away in the second half. Auburn outrebounded State 41-30 and held the Lady Bulldogs to 3 of 20 behind the arc.
Auburn is second in the conference in offensive rebounds with Tia Miller leading the way. Willingham ranks third in the conference in rebounding, so the matchup with Thomas will be key.
Auburn is the worst shooting team in conference play coming in at 37 percent. In their last five losses, they shot an average of 32.5 percent.
Auburn is coming off losses at home to Tennessee and at Alabama. This is a big game for both teams and each need the win to better their chances at winning an SEC title.