A huge matchup is set for Monday in the SEC as No. 1 South Carolina faces No. 9 Mississippi State at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
Tip off is set for 7 p.m. ET and the game will be aired on ESPN2.
South Carolina vs. Mississippi State: How to watch
When: Monday, January 20 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
TV: ESPN 2
You can follow along with live stats here.
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South Carolina vs. Mississippi State: Preview
After a wild week when the No. 1, 2 and 3 teams all fell, South Carolina jumped to the top spot in the rankings. The Gamecocks are 17-1 this season, with their only loss being against a now-ranked Indiana team back in November. Dawn Staley’s squad has looked strong in SEC play so far. South Carolina grabbed a total of 62 rebounds (yes 62!) in the team’s last game, a 78 - 45 win over Missouri.
The Gamecocks have picked up big quality wins so far this season against Maryland, South Dakota and Kentucky. And they’ve done this while starting three freshmen. South Carolina is second in the nation in rebounds and sixth in scoring offense. Mississippi State ranks seventh in offense averaging 82.7 points per game.
Mississippi State is 16-2 with losses to Stanford and West Virginia back in the first week of December. The Bulldogs, led by head coach Vic Schafer, will have a tough road challenge ahead on Monday. Columbia is known for packing the arena for South Carolina women's basketball, and there's no doubt the crowd will be loud.
However, with all the upsets and different No. 1 teams this year in women’s college basketball, Mississippi State has a chance to surprise folks in South Carolina. A win for the Bulldogs would mean a shake up in the SEC standings.
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The matchup
Stat |
South Carolina |
Mississippi State |
|
Points per game |
83.7 |
82.7 |
|
Points allowed per game |
56.6 |
57.7 |
|
3-point FG pct |
.364 |
.329 |
|
Free throw pct |
.690 |
.659 |
|
Rebounds per game |
48.4 |
39.7 |
|
Assists per game |
16.0 |
14.2 |
|
Turnovers per game |
14.6 |
13.3 |
|
Steals per game |
9.8 |
9.6 |
|
Blocks per game |
8.3 |
5.2 |
South Carolina vs. Mississippi State: Players to watch
Mississippi State: Jordan Danberry, Graduate student, guard
Danberry has been a great addition for the Bulldogs on offense. She has totaled 255 points, 55 assists and 49 steals so far this season.
South Carolina: Tyasha Harris, senior, guard
Look out for the experience of Harris to make an impact in Monday’s game. She’s averaging 11.8 points a game and has 90 assists and 30 steals on the season.
