Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss women's basketball: Scouting report, score prediction
The first matchup last season featured an 86-71 win for Ole Miss basketball in which a halftime confrontation between Mississippi State players saw guard Anastasia Hayes arrive late to the bench in the second half.
The second matchup saw Mississippi State secure a 70-59 win in Starkville in which former MSU guard Myah Taylor – now at Ole Miss – reminded the Rebels that the Bulldogs “Run the ‘Sip” during her postgame interview.
The rivalry between Mississippi State (12-2, 1-0 SEC) and Ole Miss (12-2, 1-0) was filled with dramatics last season, and it’s renewed −for the first time with Sam Purcell coaching the Bulldogs − on Sunday (5 p.m., SEC Network) at Humphrey Coliseum.
"This one is for the fans," Purcell said Thursday. "We're playing for something in the SEC and trying to compete for championships, but outside of that, that's the beauty of sports. This one matters for a lot of people in the state and those who have graduated."
ANASTASIA HAYES:Why Mississippi State women's basketball guard Anastasia Hayes is embracing new roles
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Bulldogs finding a groove
MSU’s players were optimistic about an NCAA Tournament appearance entering this season, but Purcell was reserved about expectations. He wanted to see his team under the lights before making any judgments.
It was an uncertain start. MSU built a resume on beating inferior opponents but struggled in its noteworthy battles. However, momentum has started to build.
The Bulldogs took down Old Dominion and New Mexico in resounding fashion during a trip to Tampa, Florida, in December before handling Vanderbilt 72-44 to open SEC play on Thursday.
Rebels in a similar spot
Ole Miss finds itself following a similar formula to MSU. The Rebels have beat up on mid-majors but lost to both ranked opponents they have faced – Utah and Oklahoma.
Like MSU, Ole Miss was competitive in both losses. The Rebels sit at No. 37 in the NET rankings while the Bulldogs are No. 32.
Ole Miss is coming off a thrilling 2021-22 season that featured a disappointing ending. The Rebels went 23-9 with a frequent seat in the national rankings, but they dropped their first-round matchup against South Dakota in the NCAA Tournament.
Slowing down Jessika Carter
The fight on the interior should be an exciting one. Jessika Carter, who scored her 1,000th career point at Vanderbilt, leads MSU with 14.2 points per contest. At 6-foot-5, she’ll be the tallest player on the court – posting a chance for her to add to her 8.4 rebounds per game.
Carter was named SEC player of the week last week after scoring 29 points against New Mexico. She followed that up with 21 points and 10 rebounds in 21 minutes against Vanderbilt.
Score prediction
Mississippi State 78, Ole Miss 70: MSU's defense has been worrisome at times, so Ole Miss should find ways to get points on the board. However, behind a home crowd, MSU will get enough stops to pull away late and pick up its first big win of the season.
Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @skrajisnik3.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss basketball: Scouting report, prediction
