STARKVILLE — Brian Boyer has had plenty of success against Southeastern Conference opponents in his time as women’s basketball coach at Arkansas State.
Boyer sported a 5-1 record against SEC teams prior to his squad’s game against Mississippi State on Sunday. The Red Wolves, the Sun Belt Conference coaches’ preseason pick to win the league this season, gave the Bulldogs all they could handle before falling 93-83 in the second round of the Preseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament at Humphrey Coliseum.
Boyer feels MSU coach Vic Schaefer’s team could give the rest of the SEC plenty of problems, too, once league play begins next year.
“His team is pretty good,” Boyer said. “They are going to have a really good year. My comment to Vic prior to the game was watching them on film, and I know it was only an exhibition win (against Arkansas-Fort Smith), was they are an intimidating bunch. They have quickness, they are aggressive, they have size, they shoot it. His team is pretty good. I will be shocked if this can’t be a top-25 team as the year goes along because I think they are really good.”
MSU (2-0) will look to build on that performance at 7 Thursday (SEC Network +) against No. 17 West Virginia in the semifinals of the Preseason WNIT. The winner of that game will take on the winner of the Albany-Western Kentucky game at 2 p.m. Sunday (CBS Sports Network) for the championship.
West Virginia (2-0) is coming off an 89-87 victory against Seton Hall on Monday. The Mountaineers, who played in the Big East Conference before moving to the Big 12 Conference, feature preseason All-American Bria Holmes. The junior guard had 36 points on 11-of-19 shooting from the field against the Pirates. She also was 12 of 17 from the free-throw line. Averee Fields added 21 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists, and Teana Muldrow had 19 points and nine rebounds for the Mountaineers, who won their first Big 12 Conference regular-season title last season. This season, West Virginia also is ranked No. 16 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, which was released Tuesday.
A victory against West Virginia could help MSU gain traction in the national polls. Picked eighth in the SEC preseason coaches and media polls, MSU is also receiving votes in The Associated Press poll (11 points) and in the USA Today (three points) poll.
There is a sense some of the national pundits already have an eye on MSU. On Monday night, ESPN analyst Carolyn Peck, a former coach at Purdue and Florida, said, “Mississippi State will be the surprise of the SEC (this season).”
The Bulldogs’ depth has helped lend credence to that thought. Playing without seniors Martha Alwal and Kendra Grant for the first two games, MSU had three players score in double figures in its first game and five players score 10 or more points against Arkansas State. Freshman Victoria Vivians paced MSU with 23 points in a season-opening victory against Mercer, while freshman Morgan William had 29 points and six assists against Arkansas State. Eight players logged double-digit minutes in the victory, and 11 saw playing time.
The game also marked the return of senior guard Savannah Carter, who had four turnovers in five minutes. Schaefer said earlier this month he expects Alwal, a first-team All-SEC pick last season, and Grant, who is one of the team’s best shooters, back “sooner rather than later.” It remains to be seen if either player will be back Thursday night or for the Preseason WNIT title game if MSU gets there.
Despite the injuries, Schaefer has been pleased with the play of his young players. After the Arkansas game, Schaefer praised sophomores Breanna Richardson (18 points) and Dominique Dillingham (12) and William, but he cautioned they and their teammates have plenty of work to do.
“Each one of these ladies made plays tonight when we had to have it,” Schaefer said. “We have a long way to go defensively, y’all. You know I am losing my mind, but I have never had a team that could score in bunches like this group.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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