STARKVILLE — Fans can join the Mississippi State women’s basketball team in celebrating a Sweet 16 season at the team’s annual Hail State Hoops awards banquet at 6 p.m. April 11 at The Mill Conference Center at Mississippi State.
The cost is $25 per person. Fans can call the MSU women’s basketball office at 662-325-0198 or email [email protected] to RSVP. The deadline to RSVP is Friday, April 8.
MSU is coming off another historic season that saw coach Vic Schaefer’s team win a school-record 28 games and advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the second time in program history.
The Bulldogs have won 20 games in three-straight seasons for the first time, and also matched last year’s school record with 11 Southeastern Conference victories, becoming the first MSU squad to claim double-digit league victories in back-to-back seasons.
MSU also claimed its best league finish with a tie for second while advancing to the SEC tournament title game for the second time.
MSU punched a ticket to the Sweet 16 after hosting the first and second rounds for the first time and defeating Chattanooga and No. 16 Michigan State.
Playing in front of 12,209 fans, third-most of the first and second round sites, MSU improved to 33-3 at Humphrey Coliseum in the last two seasons. That attendance total brought the Bulldogs to a program-record 92,914 for the season, the 15th-largest total in the nation.
n Track and field team will compete at Florida Relays: At Gainesville, Florida, After breaking one school record and bringing home eight wins at the Florida State Relays, the Mississippi State men’s and women’s track and field teams will look to carry momentum over to the Florida Relays.
“We had a very strong weekend last week and we hope to have an even better one this go around,” MSU coach Steve Dudley said.
Curtis Thompson, the Southeastern Conference Field Athlete of the Week and the nation’s current leader in the javelin, will compete this weekend. Last week, the sophomore threw 265 feet, 10 inches to break the school record and earn the coveted top spot. He will be the only MSU field athlete competing tonight.
Erica Bougard, Logan Boss, and Seth Peace will compete in the high jump, while Tiffany Flynn, Leah Lott, and Willie Reed will participate in the long jump on Friday evening. Flynn and Lott will help kick off running events at 11:15 a.m. Friday in the 100-meter hurdles.
n Borges named SEC men’s tennis freshman of the week: At Birmingham, Alabama, After a 3-1 weekend on the singles and doubles court, Mississippi State men’s tennis freshman Nuno Borges has been named the SEC Freshman of the Week, the league announced Wednesday.
The freshman earned two ranked wins in singles and doubles action against No. 16 Florida, while picking up a win in singles against No. 52 Auburn.
“Nuno has put in hard work all season long since getting to campus in January and he is very deserving of this honor,” MSU coach Matt Roberts said. “He is playing mature and has been a steady rock for us this season at the No. 3 position. We have very talented freshmen on our roster and this recognition is just one indicator that they are growing and developing their games in the right direction.”
Borges is the second Bulldog this season to earn SEC Freshman of the Week honors. Niclas Braun has earned the distinction twice this season.
The Maia, Portugal, native is on a three-match winning streak in singles. He is 13-2 in dual-match play and 6-2 mark in the SEC.
n Soccer continues spring slate at Alabama: At Tuscaloosa, Alabama, After almost a month between spring exhibitions, the Mississippi State women’s soccer team will be back in action at 7:30 tonight against Alabama.
Due to the threat of inclement weather, the match could be postponed to Friday night.
MSU is coming off a pair exhibition wins against Southern Miss and Louisiana Monroe on March 5. The 1-0 shutout against USM and 3-2 comeback against ULM were thanks in part to the Bulldogs’ offensive showing as MSU netted four goals. Mallory Eubanks, Carly Mauldin, Ariana Holmes, and Jamila Coner all scored for the Bulldogs on the opening day of spring soccer.
MSU defeated Alabama 2-1 the last time the clubs faced each other Oct. 25, 2015, in Tuscaloosa.
MSU returns 19 players who made at least one start from last season’s squad.
On Sunday, MSU will travel to Birmingham, Alabama, to face Alabama-Birmingham and Memphis.
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