STARKVILLE — Though the Mississippi State women’s basketball season is still months away, fans finally have a look at what the Bulldogs will face in the early going this year.
MSU announced its nonconference 2019-2020 schedule Friday — one that includes at least two power five conference teams, two in-state foes and plenty of mid-majors.
The Bulldogs open the season Nov. 4 with a scrimmage against Lubbock Christian. The regular season begins Nov. 9 against Southern Miss in Starkville.
MSU plays its first five games of the nonconference slate at Humphrey Coliseum before traveling to the state capital to take on Jackson State Nov. 21. A road trip to Marquette follows four days later.
Coach Vic Schaefer’s bunch will also partake in the Vancouver Showcase in Vancouver, British Columbia and the Duel in the Desert in Las Vegas. The Vancouver Showcase field has yet to be announced.
Taking a closer look at the impending matchups, Southern Miss is an intriguing opening game. The Lady Eagles return eight of their top nine scorers from last season’s 18-14 squad. Most notably, senior guard and leading scorer Shonte Hailes (12.9 points per game) will anchor the experienced group when they head to Starkville.
UT-Martin poses another tricky early season threat as the Skyhawks are fresh off a 23-9 campaign in which they reached the finals of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
MSU’s trip to Milwaukee Nov. 25 makes for a matchup of two inexperienced teams. Marquette won the Big East title last year, but must replace the team’s top-five scorers in 2019.
The Bulldogs are in an eerily similar situation as Schaefer looks to fill the starting spots left vacated by Teaira McCowan, Jazzmun Holmes, Anriel Howard and Jordan Danberry.
MSU’s second scheduled power five matchup against West Virginia Dec. 8 poses another pre-SEC season threat. The Mountaineers have won 20 or more games in six-straight seasons and reached the third round of the WNIT in 2019.
First team All-Big 12 selections Tynice Martin and Kari Niblack both return to WVU and five-star guard Kirsten Deans and former top-25 recruit Blessing Ejiofor to the fold as well.
In Las Vegas, the Bulldogs will take on USF Dec. 19 in the Duel in the Desert before playing either Virginia or UNLV. The Bulls finished last season 19-16 and fifth in the American Athletic Conference. Both the Cavaliers and the Lady Rebels were below .500.
MSU defeated Virginia 72-44 in last year’s tournament.
Beyond the currently scheduled games, the Vancouver Showcase should offer the Bulldogs at least one top-20 matchup. The tournament is in its second year and welcomed three top-15 programs and six NCAA Tournament teams to the draw last season.
DAWG NOTES
MSU coach Vic Schaefer announced Monday Dionnah Jackson-Durret has been promoted to associate head coach alongside Johnnie Harris per a news release.
Jackson-Durret has coached on Schaefer’s staff since 2015. Her work primarily focused on the MSU guards and recruiting.
During Jackson-Durret’s four years in Starkville, point guards Jazzmun Holmes and Morgan William both earned honorable mention All-American honors and each set MSU single-season assist records.
On the recruiting front, the Bulldogs have secured back-to-back top-15 classes under her watch.
“I am honored to get a promotion like this,” Jackson-Durrett said in a news release. “It means everything to me. Being a part of this program has helped me grow in such a way in my profession that I never would have thought possible.”
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
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