You’ll have to excuse Vic Schaefer and the Mississippi State women’s basketball team if it takes them a while to re-adjust to Humphrey Coliseum.
After traveling 17,190 miles and playing 11 games away from home, No. 5 MSU will play its first home game in a month at 7 tonight when it takes on Alabama State (1-7) at Humphrey Coliseum.
MSU (12-0) returns home as one of 10 undefeated teams remaining in the nation, and the only one in the Southeastern Conference. The Bulldogs’ six true road games and 11 games at neutral sites are the most in the country. No. 1 UConn, No. 3 Baylor, No. 4 Maryland, No. 7 Florida State, No. 10 UCLA, No. 11 Miami, No. 14 Stanford, No. 17 Duke, No. 19 Syracuse, No. 21 Arizona State, and No. 22 South Florida are tied for second with five road/neutral-site games.
“It’s one of beauties of having competitive kids who aren’t afraid to be in that moment when you have to make a play on offense or defense,” Schaefer said Monday, as he and MSU made their way back from Los Angeles and a 76-72 victory against USC on Sunday. “They embrace that opportunity. No. 2, it has had a lot to do with having a junior-senior team.”
MSU’s experience has allowed it to persevere through the ups and down of playing games in six states and only one — a 79-68 victory against then-No. 8 Texas on Nov. 20 — at Humphrey Coliseum. The Bulldogs’ non-conference road trip has taken them to Maine, Hawaii, Iowa, Arkansas, and California. There have been all sorts of tests against opponents with different styles, but Schaefer has been pleased to see MSU weather the storms, especially in come-from-behind victories against Iowa State and USC. The latest saw the Bulldogs trail by as many as seven points in the second half before rallying. Schaefer said MSU very easily could be back home with a 10-2 record, but he said his players are developing a better understanding of what it takes to battle every day.
“I think there is a sense of accomplishment from the non-conference portion of our season,” Schaefer said. “Certainly the most important part of the season is in front of us, but I think there is a tremendous accomplishment in what they have been able to do.”
Schaefer has talked several times in the first two months about the reasoning behind such a challenging slate. In the past two seasons, NCAA tournament committee members have cited strength of schedule as a factor that has worked against MSU in the seeding for the NCAA tournament. Last season, MSU caught a break when Michigan State earned a top-four seed, but it couldn’t cash in on a chance to play in East Lansing, Michigan, in the first two rounds of the tournament because there was a scheduling conflict with its home court. As a result, MSU earned the right to play host to the first two rounds. It beat Michigan State 74-72 to advance to the Sweet 16 for the second time in program history.
This season, MSU’s travels have it at No. 4 in the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI, according to RealTimeRPI.com), which is one of the guidelines the NCAA tournament selection committee uses to compare teams. MSU’s RPI will take a hit in the next two games against Alabama State (296, according to RealTimeRPI.com) and Northwestern State (331), but it figures to make that ground up in the SEC, which has eight teams ranked in the top 46, according to RealTimeRPI.com. UConn, Notre Dame, and South Carolina hold the top three spots in the latest RPI through games played Sunday.
Schaefer likes where his team is situated entering the final two non-conference games of the year, but he also is stressing to his players that nothing has been settled because they are coming up on only the second part of a four-part marathon. A 16-game SEC regular season will set the stage for the conference tournament in March in Greenville, South Carolina, before the 64-team NCAA tournament later in the same month.
“We understand there is so much in front us, but we really feel like what we have went through in the first 12 games will get us ready for the next 16,” Schaefer said.
Schaefer credited Pacific-12 Conference member USC for playing “as good as I have seen them play all year” Sunday. He said the Trojans “really got after us” and forced the Bulldogs into 13 turnovers in the first half. But he said the team flipped the script thanks in part to the play of backup point guard Jazzmun Holmes and junior point guard Morgan William. He said Holmes, who earned his player of the game honors, provided a spark after William struggled in the first 20 minutes. Holmes had four points, five assists, and one steal in 12 minutes and helped get the Bulldogs going on offense. William then picked up her play en route to a 18-point showing that helped her earn tournament MVP honors.
“We just decided we were going to be aggressive and attack,” Schaefer said. “Jazzmun got us a shot every possession. That’s where my frustration was in that we weren’t getting a shot every possession for a while. (Jazzmun) could tell I was frustrated with the way things were being done and we needed somebody else, and she provided that. She really steadied the ship and got us into some good sets and helped execute some really good stuff. That is what we needed.”
Schaefer said he took the advice of junior Victoria Vivians, who encouraged him to have the team go through a light workout Monday night following its flight home. He said Vivians’ recognition that the Bulldogs are better after a workout or a shootaround is a sign of maturity that this team wants to continue to push itself, even after another long trip home. He said he will give the team five days off following tonight’s game and have everyone come back Dec. 26 so they can prepare for Northwestern State and the SEC opener against LSU at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017.
“I saw our team grow and mature,” Schaefer said of the first two months of the season. “I saw us compete and win some really big games on the road in different environments, like at Iowa State, at Little Rock, at USC, play a top-10 Texas team at home. We have played some really good teams, like Oregon on a neutral floor (in Hawaii). I have seen us respond in some great environments. Each of those situations was unique. Against USC, we got down seven in the third quarter and found a way to come back and get it done.
“The big thing for me, and I told them (Monday night), is we have worked really hard, so let’s make sure we come out and don’t stink it up (tonight). Let’s come out and keep living No. 5 in the country.”
NOTES: MSU will hold its Christmas Hail State Hoops Luncheon at 11:30 today in Mize Pavilion at 11:30 a.m. The luncheon features a meal and a talk with Schaefer and his Bulldogs, as well as the always-popular Hail State Hoops “12 Days of Christmas.” The cost for the luncheon is $12, and fans can RSVP by calling 662-325-0198 or e-mailing [email protected]. Mize Pavilion doors will open at 11:15. … Tonight’s game will be Dollar Night at the Hump, with tickets and hot dogs each costing $1. As with all Hail State Hoops home games, youth ages 18 and under get in free. Prior to the game, fans can have pictures taken with Santa Claus and the Golden Egg. At halftime, fans will have the opportunity to take part in the Teddy Bear Toss. Fans are asked to bring stuffed teddy bears to the game, and at halftime, will be invited to throw them onto the court to be collected and donated to local children via the Salvation Army and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.