STARKVILLE — Mississippi State women’s basketball is down another body.
A source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Dispatch Tuesday that sophomore guard Aliyah Matharu has entered the transfer portal. Robbie Falk of 247Sports.com first reported the news.
Matharu later posted an official announcement via Twitter.
“These last two years have been the most memorable two years of my life,” she wrote. “From the moment I stepped on campus I knew I wanted to graduate from this university, but my family and I have decided the best decision for my future is to enter the transfer portal. Mississippi State will forever hold a special place in my heart.”
Matharu had been among MSU’s most explosive offensive players in her two seasons in Starkville. She scored 15 or more points seven times this past season and saw her points per game average jump from 7.1 as a freshman to 10.2 as a sophomore.
Matharu also twice earned Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week honors a season ago and proved a crucial bench piece in 2020-21.
MSU has now seen six players depart the roster since the 2020-21 season concluded, though both junior Sidney Cooks and senior Yemiyah Morris were anticipated departures. Matharu also joins former five-star guard Madison Hayes, classmate JaMya Mingo-Young and junior guard Xaria Wiggins in the portal.
The Bulldogs finished their first season under head coach Nikki McCray-Penson 10-9 and 5-7 in the SEC, but missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2013-14 season.
McCray-Penson replaced Vic Schaefer, who departed MSU for Texas in April 2020. The former Tennessee Volunteer star previously spent three seasons as the head coach at Old Dominion and another nine years on Dawn Staley’s staff at South Carolina.
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
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