STARKVILLE — It’s time to get back to work.
The Mississippi State women’s basketball team had to wait until the middle of February to get its first break in marathon that is the Southeastern Conference season. Fresh off two-and-a-half days off earlier this week, No. 14 MSU (21-5, 8-4 SEC) will try to build momentum for the stretch run at 6 tonight (SEC Network) when it plays host to No. 16 Kentucky (17-6, 6-6) in its annual “Think Pink” game at Humphrey Coliseum. The game is designed to raise awareness for breast cancer research.
MSU is coming off a 64-58 loss to then-No. 15 Texas A&M on Feb. 11 in College Station, Texas. MSU coach Vic Schaefer said his team had a light practice Saturday and took Sunday and Monday off. He said the “piranhas” keep coming in the SEC, so he hopes his players will be able to re-focus after a challenging week on and off the court.
“It’s a really good basketball that team that has had some great wins this year against some quality opponents,” Schaefer said. “We will have our hands full.”
MSU will try to stop a nine-game losing streak in the series. To do that, it will have to find a way to contain junior guard Makayla Epps, who leads the Wildcats in scoring (16.5 points per game). The 5-foot-10 guard is shooting 48.8 percent from the field and leads her team in free throws attempted (72 of 98, 73.5 percent). Sophomore guard Morgan William leads MSU in that category (108 of 128, 84.4).
Last season, Epps had 42 points in a 92-90 double-overtime victory in Lexington, Kentucky, and 31 points in a 76-67 victory in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament in North Little Rock, Arkansas.
Schaefer called Epps “relentless” and “fearless,” but he acknowledged the Bulldogs will have to worry about other players, too, if they want to end their losing streak in the series. Senior guard Janee Thompson is averaging 12.5 ppg. and leads the team with 40 3-pointers, while 6-3 junior forward Evelyn Akhator averages 11.4 ppg. and a team-best 8.9 rebounds per game.
“(Epps) is a confident kid. Their whole team is that way,” Schaefer said. “Their post players are really unlike any other team we’ve seen all year. They’re good facing the basket and off the bounce.”
Schaefer hopes MSU can combat Kentucky’s versatility with a defense that has held opponents to less than 60 points 17 times. The Bulldogs are second in the SEC (14th nationally) in scoring defense (53.3 ppg.) and fifth in the league (55th) in field goal percentage defense (36.9). He said his team is still learning how to avoid the “little mistakes” that cost it in a 57-51 loss to then-No. 2 South Carolina on Jan. 24 and against Texas A&M.
“I think we have won some big games over the course of time, but I think with this team we are still learning and understanding how to do that consistently,” said Schaefer, who added that one play before halftime against Texas A&M defined that game.
William, who has battled through a leg injury that has limited her availability in practice, said the Bulldogs are learning how to fight through mistakes and inconsistency. She is doing her part by taking on a bigger role on offense. In fact, she has attempted at least 12 field goals in each of the last three games. It is the first time in her career she has attempted double-digit shots in three-straight games.
“I think we are still learning,” William said. “We should have won some games that were big games, too, like the one we just lost. It was a big game. We should have won that one. We had a few mental mistakes. We still have to grow. … If we win (today), we will still be learning (how to win big games).”
William’s aggressiveness also comes through in the number of free throws she has attempted. In the last four games, William is 25 of 34 (73.5 percent) from the free-throw line. She is second on the team in scoring (10.1 ppg.) and leads the team in assists (131).
Schaefer said William and all of the Bulldogs needed “healing time” to recover from a grind that started with a victory against South Florida on Dec. 30, 2015, in Jacksonville, Florida, and hasn’t let up since. It won’t get any easier, either, with four regular-season games remaining, the SEC tournament, and the NCAA tournament.
NOTE: MSU sophomore Victoria Vivians was named Wednesday to the Late Season Top 20 for the John R. Wooden Award. Vivians joined South Carolina’s Tiffany Mitchell and A’ja Wilson on the list for the award, which is presented annually to the player of the year in women’s basketball. Vivians is second in the SEC in scoring at 17.0 ppg. … Fans are encouraged to wear pink for the game. The first 500 in attendance will receive a free “Think Pink” T-shirt. Tickets for the are $5 for adults. Youth ages 17 and under get in free, as do MSU students with a valid student ID.
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 40 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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 40 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
