Oh, the possibilities.
It’s easy to get lost in the numbers when you consider the ramifications of the No. 13 Mississippi State women’s basketball team’s game at 6 tonight (SEC Network) against No. 10 Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky.
A win would help MSU (23-3, 8-3 Southeastern Conference) equal a program record for victories in a season. It also would leave it as one of two teams in the league with three losses (not counting the result of LSU’s game tonight at No. 1 South Carolina) and give it the tiebreaker against Kentucky and No. 15 Texas A&M if the teams are deadlocked at the end of the 16-game regular season.
If those numbers aren’t enough, MSU has a chance to bolster its Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) and Strength of Schedule (SOS) regardless of the outcome. Entering tonight’s game, MSU has climbed to No. 29 in the NCAA’s latest RPI rankings. The RPI and SOS are two factors the NCAA tournament selection committee uses to determine the at-large bids for the 64-team field. When you consider MSU wasn’t one of 20 teams on the NCAA’s initial list of its top teams under consideration for seeding in the NCAA tournament, a win against a nationally ranked opponent is an ideal showcase for the Bulldogs to prove they are worthy to be included on that list and of their spot in The Associated Press poll. That ranking is important because the nation’s top 16 teams figure to be at the front of the line when the NCAA determines which schools will play host to the first and second round of the NCAA tournament.
Now that you have digested all of the numbers, take a breath because none of them will play a role in deciding which team wins tonight. Turnovers will be an important number to monitor to see which team can dictate tempo.
“I think between the two of us we force more turnovers, almost 1,200 (1,142) for the entire year, so it’s a battle between two teams that play really hard, like to push the tempo a little bit,” MSU coach Vic Schaefer said. “I am anxious to see us play in that environment on the road.”
Kentucky (18-5, 7-3), which is the second-highest scoring team in the SEC (73.8 points per game), leads the league in turnover margin (+6.2) and is second in the numbers of turnovers forced (226) in SEC action. The Wildcats also lead the SEC in offensive rebounding (16.8 per game). Those numbers go hand in hand because the Wildcats will try to use pressure defense to create mistakes and easy scoring opportunities in transition. A faster pace equals a higher shooting percentage and increases the potential for second-chance points because defenses will be hard pressed to get back and rebound.
MSU, which is second in turnover margin (+4.18) and fourth in scoring (64.4 ppg.) in SEC games, is coming off a 63-61 overtime victory against then-No. 14 Texas A&M at Humphrey Coliseum. The Bulldogs erased an eight-point deficit in the second half and relied on a stingy defense to force the extra session. A 3-pointer by Victoria Vivians in the final minute gave MSU the lead. Senior guard Savannah Carter then contested a shot by Courtney Walker on the baseline to help preserve the win. MSU held Texas A&M to 20-percent shooting in the second half and overtime.
Kentucky is coming off an 82-68 victory Sunday at Vanderbilt. Linnae Harper had a career-high 22 points in the win. Guards Jennifer O’Neill (14.9 points per game, third in the SEC) and Makayla Epps (14 ppg., eighth) lead the Wildcats.
MSU will play host to Florida at 3 p.m. Sunday. It will close the regular season with games at Alabama, at South Carolina, and against Ole Miss on March 1 in Starkville. Those games will finalize the seedings for the SEC tournament on March 4-8 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The top four seeds will earn a double bye until Friday.
Schaefer admitted Tuesday he thinks about the implications of each win and loss, but he doesn’t talk about them. He knows four teams are in the hunt for the third and fourth seeds behind South Carolina and Tennessee, so each game is crucial to sorting out the logjam at the top of the pack.
If MSU is going to control its destiny, Schaefer said he wants to see his team practice every day like it is No. 13 in the nation. He said that preparation is vital because “average” efforts aren’t going to be enough when every team from this point forward will attack MSU because it has a bull’s eye on its back.
“My words this year have always been ‘live it’. I want our kids to live it and own it,” Schaefer said.
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 24 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 24 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
