It’s all about the numbers at this time of the year for Vic Schaefer.
With one day before the Mississippi State women’s basketball officially begins practice for the 2016-17 season, Schaefer is counting the number of national publications that have his team ranked in their preseason polls.
Even though Schaefer believes he wore the No. 12 in high school, that isn’t his favorite number entering the first day of practice Tuesday.
“My favorite number is seven,” Schaefer said, acknowledging he was a fan of former New York Yankees great Mickey Mantle, who wore that number. “It is the best ranking we have in the preseason, so that is my favorite number right now.”
Last week, Sporting News ranked MSU No. 7 and named junior guard Victoria Vivians a preseason first-team All-American. The ranking matches the one MSU received from Athlon Sports, and completes a group of four that features a No. 8 ranking from Slam Magazine and No. 12 from Lindy’s Sports.
Athlon also named Vivians a second-team preseason All-American.
The accolades are the biggest the Bulldogs have received as they prepare for Schaefer’s fifth season as head coach. It’s not surprising considering MSU returns all five starters and nine letterwinners from last year’s team that stayed in the national rankings for all 20 weeks last season, extending its streak to 37 consecutive weeks dating back to 2014-15.
In 2015-16, MSU went 28-8 and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament for the second time in program history. The 20-win season was the program’s third in a row, which is the first time it has accomplished that feat.
MSU also went 11-5 in the Southeastern Conference to match the program record for wins. Its tie for second in the regular season was the program’s best finish. MSU lost to South Carolina 66-52 in the championship game of the SEC tournament.
All of the Bulldogs’ success was evident at Humphrey Coliseum. MSU finished 15th in the nation with a total attendance (92,914). The Bulldogs’ 5,162 average ranked fourth in the SEC and 16th in Division I.
All of those figures point to higher expectations for the Bulldogs this season. They also come with a bigger bull’s eye. Still, Schaefer said his team has higher aspirations than No. 12 in the country. The question he hopes to answer prior to MSU’s exhibition game against Arkansas-Fort Smith at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, is how well will the Bulldogs be able to handle even higher expectations.
“I think that is still to be determined,” Schaefer said. “I think we still have a very inexperienced team in that regard. It takes a lot of work to back up something like that. Let’s just say we have a lot of work to do.”
Schaefer says that because he isn’t sure the Bulldogs understand the responsibility that comes with the preseason rankings they have received. He said he and the members of his coaching staff realize what it takes to live up to those lofty numbers and that it will be their challenge to show the players how to handle the weight of being considered one of the nation’s premier programs.
The return of Vivians, junior point guard, and senior Dominique Dillingham should be a great place to start to try to live up to those numbers.
Vivians averaged 17.1 points per game last season en route to claiming Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-America Honorable Mention accolades and first-team All-SEC honors.
Despite playing with a leg injury, William was second on the team in scoring (9.7 ppg.) and first in assists (4.9). She also was second in the SEC in free-throw percentage (84.4 percent).
Dillingham averaged 7.9 ppg. and again set the tone with solid defensive play and a willingness to take charges.
Schaefer believes those three will be among team leaders he is counting to keep everyone on the right track, but he is eager to see how being a year older impacts the team in the biggest way.
“I think it can go one of two ways. You can think you’re good and don’t have to work as hard, or you can embrace the opportunity and have a chance to be really special and go to work and go get it,” Schaefer said. “I think that is what is out there for the team. How we respond is yet to be determined.”
Schaefer said redshirt freshman center Zion Campbell probably is the team’s most improved player. He praised the hard work of sophomore center Teaira McCowan in the classroom, and feels she and senior center Chinwe Okorie have improved on the court, too.
Schaefer said the Bulldogs have several candidates for the player who is going to surprise the most people. He said sophomore Jazzmun Holmes had plenty of opportunity to lead the team in the offseason as William returned to health from her leg injury. He said Holmes has better presence and a calmness when she is on the court.
Schaefer also anticipates using redshirt junior guard Roshunda Johnson more at two guard, even though the former Oklahoma State standout can play point guard. He said the Bulldogs want to try to capitalize on Johnson’s scoring ability. He said Johnson is a “tremendous scorer” who can do a lot with the basketball off the bounce and who has 3-point shooting range.
Schaefer spent much of the last three weeks recruiting, so he said he hasn’t had a lot of direct contact with his players in the past month. He said the Bulldogs have worked pretty hard when they have been on the court. He said he will have a better idea of how everyone has prepared for the season Tuesday afternoon.
Schaefer said he expects everyone to be healthy and excited to embark on a journey to set even higher expectations for future teams.
MSU will face Purdue at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, in the Maine Tipoff Tournament. It will play the winner of the Maine-Villanova game the following day.
MSU will take on Tulane at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, in Biloxi. It will play Texas at 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20, in its home opener. The SEC Network will broadcast that game live.
The game against Texas is part of a tougher non-conference schedule that is designed to prepare MSU for the rigors of being a top-10 program. Schaefer feels MSU has the potential to compete with Baylor, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Texas, and any of the other teams that have been mentioned with them in the preseason polls. In one more day, it will be time to see if all of those numbers mean what they say.
“I think we’re as talented as any of them,” Schaefer said. “Again, my concern is our leadership piece and the understanding of we better be ready night in and night out because people are going to be coming at us. I like my team and certainly have a lot of faith in them. We have a tremendous opportunity.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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