Mississippi State Women’s Hoops Makes Program History in Newest AP Poll

(Photo Courtesy: Kelly Price, MSU Athletics)

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI/MSU Athletics) – No. 2!

Mississippi State earned its highest ranking ever in the Associated Press Top 25 as it climbed up to No. 2 in this week’s poll.

Vic Schaefer’s squad made the one-spot jump after winning at No. 6/7 Tennessee 71-52 on Sunday. State’s largest margin of victory in the series came in its highest-ranked road win ever. The previous best was a win at No. 9 Florida on Feb. 18, 2001.

State held the Lady Vols to a season-low in points, and with the win, matched the best start in program history at 20-0 and the top SEC start with a 6-0 record.

The Bulldogs, who join UConn as the nation’s only undefeated teams, earned their 67th-straight week in the poll and 31st-consecutive week in the Top 10.

State’s run in the Top 25 is the sixth-longest active streak in the country, while its tenure in the Top 10 is the fifth-longest current run. The Bulldogs have been in the Top 5 for seven-straight weeks, the nation’s fourth-best active streak.

In Sunday’s win against Tennessee, the Bulldogs were paced by 24 points from Victoria Vivians. Teaira McCowan added 12 points and 18 rebounds for her 15^th double-double of the season, and Roshunda Johnson and Blair Schaefer contributed 16 and 12 points, respectively, in the win.

The Bulldogs return to Humphrey Coliseum Thursday to face Florida in a 7:30 p.m. contest on the SEC Network.

On Wednesday, fans can come to The Veranda for another edition of DawgTalk with Vic Schaefer. The show airs from 7-8 p.m.

Associated Press Top 25 Poll – January 22, 2018

Rnk.  Team                                      Rcd.         Pts.          Pvs.

1          UConn (32)                          18-0         800           1

2         Mississippi State               20-0        764          3

3          Baylor                                    17-1         726           4

4          Louisville                              20-1         703           2

5          Notre Dame                         18-2         683           5

6          Texas                                      15-3         584           9

7          Oregon                                   18-3         568           7

8          Florida State                        18-2         564           12

9          South Carolina                   16-3         556           10

10       Tennessee                              16-3         519           6

11       Missouri                                17-2         497           11

12       Ohio State                             16-3         462           8

13       UCLA                                     15-4         443           13

14       Maryland                              16-3         394           14

15       Texas A&M                          15-5         302           16

16       Michigan                               17-4         297           19

17       Oregon State                        14-5         269           18

18       Duke                                       15-5         222           15

19       Oklahoma State                  14-4         203           24

20       West Virginia                      16-4         202           17

21       Georgia                                  17-2         168           NR

22       Green Bay                             17-2         164           23

23       California                             14-5         120           21

24       TCU                                        13-5         43             NR

25       Arizona State                       14-6         34             22

Others Receiving Votes: Stanford 32, Iowa 18, N.C. State 12, South Florida 12, Belmont 10, Marquette 8, Gonzaga 4, Nebraska 3, Florida Gulf Coast 3, Rutgers 3, Utah 2, Mercer 2, Dayton 1, Virginia 1, Purdue 1, South Dakota State 1.