STARKVILLE — Standing on the court during shootaround ahead of No. 8 Mississippi State’s win over Tennessee in Knoxville on Thursday, coach Vic Schaefer peeked up into the rafters of Thompson-Boling Arena.
Above him, banners commemorating the Volunteers’ eight national titles and 18 Final Four appearances glared back down at him.
“To stand in that arena and look up into the rafters and see all the history and the tradition of a Tennessee and to know that we went empty for 36 straight and then to be where we are now, it’s very humbling,” Schaefer said Friday.
Taking over an MSU program that had reached the Sweet 16 just once before his arrival in 2012, the scene was poetic. In Schaefer’s eight years as head coach, the Bulldogs have made the Elite Eight in three straight seasons and a combined record of 215-59.
Now in the midst of arguably his most difficult coaching job since he took the job at MSU, the longtime Texas A&M assistant has his squad poised to take another step in the maturation process with a game against his former employer slated for Sunday afternoon.
“Got to go to early church,” Schaefer quipped ahead of the Bulldogs’ early tip-off against Texas A&M. “Can’t go to the late service because we’re going to need you here at noon and make it a great environment.”
While the 2020 season has been one of ebbs and flows, the Bulldogs have seemingly turned a corner thanks in major part to the improved play of freshman guard Rickea Jackson.
The first McDonald’s All-American to sign with MSU and the No. 6 recruit in the Class of 2019, Jackson came to Starkville with ample hype. Despite that, the Detroit native struggled through her first four games as a Bulldog — reaching double digits just once while shooting 13 of 35 from the floor against Southern Miss, Troy, Murray State and UT Martin.
Now having found her stroke, Jackson reached double digits in all but three games since Nov. 29 — earning SEC Freshman of the Week honors twice over that span.
“Her biggest adjustment was here at home,” Schaefer said. “Those first couple games playing in front of 7-8,000 — I think when she settled in, it doesn’t matter where we’re at; she’s ready to go and just plays the game at an incredible level.”
Among the improvements Jackson has honed of late is her rebounding. Visiting with Schaefer Wednesday night in Knoxville, the two sat down to watch tape of the former MSU forward Anriel Howard. Noting Howard’s high energy and heady play, Jackson responded to the session with a nine rebound performance against a Tennessee team that boasts an average height of 6-foot-2.
“Coming in I always watched how hard Anriel played,” Jackson said Friday. “She just has an endless motor and I just thought to myself, ‘This girl never gets tired, and that’s something I want to do.’ And watching film, I just saw the placement she put herself in so that she could see the ball going up or that she’d know the personnel.”
While Jackson’s rebounding prowess has been a welcome addition, so too has the sound facilitating of sophomore Myah Taylor and senior Jordan Danberry.
Following a four-turnover performance against Auburn on Jan. 30 in which she looked dazed and confused for the vast majority of her 27 minutes played, Taylor responded with zero turnovers and five assists against Tennessee in Knoxville.
“I just feel like I have to remind myself to make sure that I’m focused going into a game to not turn the ball over,” she said. “So just have to continue to prepare for that, watch film and work on it in practice is the only way to get prepared for the games.”
Danberry has been similarly dynamic as a passer of late. Normally relied on for her stout mid-range scoring prowess and wily defense, she’s shot just 42 percent from the field over her past three games — including a scoreless opening half against the Volunteers. And while Danberry’s shots haven’t fallen at as consistent a rate as her 52 percent clip suggests, she’s notched three or more assists in eight of her past 10 games — including eight against Ole Miss on Jan. 26.
“If I’m not having a good shooting game, I’m just trying to get the ball in the hands of who’s hot,” Danberry said Tuesday. “That’s how we’re going to win the game, so I just try and do my part on the defensive end, and the offense will come.”
Seated on the charter flight home from Knoxville on Thursday night, Schaefer took the time to reflect. Sitting at 21-3 and 9-1 in SEC play, the Bulldogs are just a game back of No. 1 South Carolina for the conference lead. Further, as Schaefer has battled the ups and downs of replacing three starters from last season’s squad, the roster that he previously said might kill him has begun to hit its stride.
“This team is trying to grow up a little bit,” Schaefer said through a grin. “It seems like every game on the road we take a little bit of a step in the right direction.”
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
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