STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State women’s basketball team is ranked No. 8 in Lindy’s Sports 2015-16 College Basketball Preview issue that hits newsstands today.
The top-10 showing follows a No. 6 rating from Athlon Sports last week.
The Bulldogs earned the ranking after setting school records for overall (27) and Southeastern Conference (11) wins last season to claim the program’s first NCAA tournament nod since 2010.
Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year Vic Schaefer’s squad wrapped the campaign No. 12 in The Associated Press’ final poll, the best finish by a Bulldog squad.
MSU returns 10 players from that historic edition and has three of its top four scorers back, including AP All-America Honorable Mention selection Victoria Vivians, who led the team with 14.9 ppg as a freshman.
Schaefer’s squad also returns sophomore point guard Morgan William, who earned SEC All-Freshman Team honors after averaging 9.1 points and 3.6 assists, along with junior Breanna Richardson, who tallied 8.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
The Bulldogs added five talented newcomers to the mix with the addition of Parade All-American Teaira McCowan, NJCAA All-American Jazmine Spears, Mississippi All-State selection Jazzmun Holmes, Big 12 All-Freshman Team member Roshunda Johnson, an Oklahoma State transfer, and Washington, D.C., standout Zion Campbell.
MSU’s 2015-16 slate includes seven teams in Lindy’s ranking. SEC foes South Carolina and Tennessee come in at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, while Texas, the Bulldogs’ opponent on Dec. 2 in Austin follows State at No. 9.
Texas A&M stands at No. 16, while Kentucky comes in at No. 18. Florida Gulf Coast, State’s Dec. 19 opponent in Puerto Rico, earned a No. 20 rating.
MSU also will face No. 22 South Florida on Dec. 30 in the SEC/AAC Challenge in Jacksonville, Fla.
Season tickets for the campaign, which kicks off Nov. 13 at home against Samford, are on sale. Reserved season tickets (sections 114-118) cost $95 each, while general admission tickets are priced at $35.
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