STARKVILLE — Depth will be a topic that will come up often this season for Vic Schaefer.
A year ago, the Mississippi State women’s basketball coach had one of the deepest and experienced teams in the nation, which played a key role in the program’s historic upset of four-time reigning national champion Connecticut in its first trip to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament and its initial appearance in the national championship game.
This season, MSU can make a case for one of the nation’s deepest backcourts with seniors Victoria Vivians, Morgan William, Roshunda Johnson, and Blair Schaefer and junior Jazzmun Holmes. That group will receive a boost early next month when Arkansas transfer Jordan Danberry becomes eligible.
But the decision to ask Danberry to join the active roster was made in part after sophomore forward Jacaira “Iggy” Allen suffered a season-ending knee injury. She has since had surgery and is on the road to recovery, but she won’t be back this season.
Schaefer also said Tuesday that sophomore forward Ameshya Williams has left the team and is no longer in school. The absence of Williams, who figured to play a key role in the post, leaves No. 6 MSU (6-0) looking for ways to fortify its post depth as it gets ready for the home stretch of 2017. The next step will come at 7 tonight when MSU takes on Louisiana (2-4) at Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson.
MSU is coming off a 3-0 stint at the Cancun Challenge in Mexico. MSU defeated then-No. 24 Arizona State, Columbia, and Green Bay on consecutive days to win the Mayan Division. Vivians earned MVP honors in the division after averaging 19 points per game. Junior center Teaira McCowan also was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 15 points and 12.3 rebounds per game. McCowan had nine points and 13 rebounds in a career-high 33 minutes against Green Bay.
Schaefer said he was proud of his team for playing like it always has for three-straight days with “limited” depth. He feels McCowan has gotten to a point where she asks “What did I do?” when she comes out of the game. Schaefer said that is a welcome sight for someone he said in the preseason had to be engaged and ready to accept the challenge to realize her potential.
“You love that about a competitor,” Schaefer said. “It is no secret we’re really thin. Two months ago, we had two starters penciled in (Williams and Allen). One isn’t here anymore and the other one is out for the year. You embrace that opportunity and challenge.
“That is what I am most excited and proud of is that the junior and senior classes are embracing and understanding of playing every possession out and being really good, defensively and offensively.”
Johnson said McCowan has welcomed being one of two true five players on the roster. Redshirt sophomore Zion Campbell is the other.
“I think she is handling it really good,” Johnson said. “She is in great condition to play the amount of minutes coach is expecting her to play, and I think she comes ready to play every game. That is what we need from her.”
NOTES: MSU has won 28-straight regular-season, non-conference games after going 3-0 in Mexico, over the weekend. … The Bulldogs are playing in Jackson for the second time. The first was a 61-54 win against New Orleans on Dec. 21, 2006. … MSU stayed No. 3 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, which was released Tuesday. … MSU is one of seven programs in the nation, the only one in the Southeastern Conference, to have undefeated men’s and women’s teams. …
Tickets for tonight’s game are available at www.hailstate.com/tickets or the Mississippi Coliseum box office. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for youth age 17 and under. Bully’s Kids Club members get free entry with their membership card. Following the game, the Bulldogs will sign autographs for fans. … Senior Morgan William leads the country in assist/turnover ratio (9.3), and is second in the SEC with 6.2 assists per game.
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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