STARKVILLE — Mississippi State sophomore guard Xaria Wiggins is finding her place.
Having lost three starters from last season’s Elite Eight team, coach Vic Schaefer has struggled to find a coherent rotation in the early going this year. But now riding a 3-0 start to SEC play, Wiggins’ ability to provide instant offense off the bench coupled with a lanky 6-foot-1 frame that can match anywhere from a point guard to a power forward defensively has given the eighth-year head coach an added weapon in his arsenal.
Working mostly as a three-and-D option, Wiggins has come on strong of late. She notched season-high 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting in last week’s win at Georgia, marking her first double-digit scoring output of the year, and she’s now knocking down 3-pointers at a 39.1 percent clip.
“This year I knew I had to step up seeing as we don’t have the seniors that we had last year this year,” Wiggins said. “I definitely had to work harder in the summertime, I got prepared in Italy and this year working in individuals with coach Schaefer.”
Beyond Wiggins, the Bulldogs have also received an added offensive boost from junior forward Chloe Bibby.
Bibby, who played just 18 games last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury, has shown a comparable propensity from behind the arc, draining her 3-point shots at a slightly less prolific rate of 38.5 percent. The Warracknabeal, Australia native has also given the Bulldogs a noticeable edge on the boards, as she’s bumped her per game average from 4.1 to 6.8.
“There’s nobody on my team that spends more time in the gym than Chloe Bibby,” Schaefer said. “I’m really proud of her for her being able to overcome her injury fairly quick and do it at the level that she’s done it at.”
With Bibby and Wiggins now giving the Bulldogs added offensive spark, Schaefer is hopeful his team has begun to hit its stride heading into the heart of SEC play.
Danberry aiding in Taylor’s development
While finding a cohesive rotation has been a process, the Bulldogs have been further challenged in replacing Jazzmun Holmes at point guard.
Holmes — who was named an honorable mention Associated Press All-American and an SEC All-Defensive team selection as a senior — averaged 30.4 minutes per game last season, leaving plenty to be proven at the No. 1 guard spot this winter.
With Holmes now graduated, point guard responsibilities have fallen upon redshirt sophomore Myah Taylor. A minute 5-foot-7-inches, Taylor is small but scrappy — averaging 4.1 assists to just 1.7 turnovers per contest through 17 games.
And while Taylor’s numbers have been solid through the season’s first half, graduate Jordan Danberry has aided in her continuing development.
Danberry, a fifth-year senior who was granted an extra year of eligibility shortly before the season, has often been referred to as an extra point guard at times this year. And as Taylor continues to find her groove running the show, Danberry and her 14.1 points and 3.2 assists per game have and will continue to expedite the process.
“She’s going to give me my props when I’m doing well, but she’s going to know when messing up and doing wrong, and for that I’m forever grateful,” Taylor said. “She’s a second voice on the floor with her being a senior and her being a leader on this team. I feel like when she says something, everyone is engaged, everyone is listening. If Jordan says something, you need to listen, (because) she’s exactly right.”
No rest for the weary
While the Bulldogs are riding a seven-game win streak heading into Thursday’s contest against LSU, Schaefer is cognizant of the task ahead.
The Tigers come into the contest having downed then-No. 10 Texas A&M and Ole Miss last week and sit at 13-3 on the year.
Further complicating, the Bulldogs are in the midst of a two-game stretch that stands to define their final seeding come SEC tournament time. After welcoming LSU to Humphrey Coliseum, MSU hits the road for a Monday night contest against No. 1 South Carolina.
Through 17 games, the Gamecocks sit at 16-1 — including five wins over ranked opponents — with their lone loss coming against No. 15 Indiana in the U.S. Virgin Islands on Nov. 28.
With a week-long break since MSU’s win over Missouri, Schaefer was less than thrilled to give his players an off day Sunday. But with a dangerous LSU team coming to town Thursday night, he said the team’s focus ought to be on the immediate future rather than Monday’s potential top-10 matchup.
“I would be really disappointed if we’re not focused tomorrow night,” Schaefer said. “We’ve had an extra day of prep, and I would be really disappointed if we’re not locked in on LSU.”
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
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