The Mississippi State women’s basketball team flew past the University of Mississippi last Sunday, winning 79-51. However, they face a bigger and better conference challenge this Sunday.
The women’s team will take on the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Humphrey Coliseum, in a battle of the Southeastern Conference’s top two teams. South Carolina stands at No. 2 and Mississippi State stands at No. 10 in the Associated Press Polls. This is a huge game for the women’s team but also for the basketball culture here on campus.
This year’s team is off to one of the best starts a women’s basketball team has ever had and as the wins keep rolling in, so does attention for the team. The Humphrey Coliseum has witnessed a growing attendance of fans and school spirit as the Bulldogs begin to gain support. For the Ole Miss game, the crowd of a record breaking 7,128 fans were in attendance to cheer on the team.
The team’s Head coach Vic Schaefer was pleased with fan turnout, but hopes to have a simialr turnout yet again Sunday.
“The atmosphere was electric. It is a credit to the girls. Fans come out to see a team that plays this hard. We need those people back Sunday. We need 10,000 against South Carolina,” Head coach Vic Schaefer said. South Carolina is undefeated this season and is currently on a 17 game winning streak.
South Carolina has great weapons like forward sophomore A’ja Wilson, who was also named SEC’s player of the week. Wilson currently leads the SEC with 17 PPG and an outstanding 62.9% field goal shooting. The Gamecocks also have what could be one of the best players in the country in senior guard Tiffany Mitchell. Mitchell has consistently been on the Wooden Award watch list, the award given annually to the most outstanding player in women’s basketball. Along with their powerful duo, junior center Alaina Coates has the highest field goal percentage in the SEC with 68.6 percent. Coates is also a tenacious rebounder, averaging almost ten boards per outing.
On Mississippi State’s competitive side, Chinwe Okorie, Victoria Vivians and Morgan William have led a great offensive triumph, outworking their opponents in the paint and the field. Chinwe Okorie and Teaira McCowan have been performing strong on defense, playing aggresively and creating several turnovers. The Bulldogs look to become 5-1 and No. 1 in the SEC Sunday as the South Carolina Gamecocks have made it a goal to remain undefeated until their game against the No. 1 team in America, Connecticut.
However, the Bulldogs are a hungry and extremely talented team that will not go down without a fight. With plenty of star power in the Hump this Sunday it should undoubtedly be a game that will be discussed for years to come and could also go a long way in determining who will eventually claim the SEC crown this season. History is sure to be made.
