Tide Heads to Starkville for Matchup with No. 14 Bulldogs on Thursday

Thursday, January 14

Starkville, Miss.

7 p.m. CT

Alabama

Mississippi State

Tide Heads to Starkville for Matchup with No. 14 Bulldogs on Thursday

1/13/2021 2:55:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Kristy Curry Press Conference Watch Live Listen Live Live Stats Game Notes

First of two meetings between Alabama and State this season

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama women's basketball will play its second road game of the week on Thursday when it heads to Starkville for the first of two games between the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs this season. Tip is set for 7 p.m. CT in Humphrey Coliseum.

FOLLOW ALONG

Thursday's game will air live on SEC Network+ and can also be heard on the Crimson Tide Sports Network (WTBC-AM 1230 in Tuscaloosa) with Roger Hoover the call.

OPENING TIP

Alabama recorded its 10^th win of the season and fifth in as many attempts on the road Sunday when it won at Vanderbilt, 80-56.
The victory was the sixth in a row against the Commodores.
The Tide is led by its trio of seniors in Jasmine Walker, Jordan Lewis and Ariyah Copeland. Each averages double-digit points with Walker at 20.3 ppg, Lewis at 15.8 ppg and Copeland at 15.7 ppg, while Walker also pulls in a team-best 10.1 rebounds per contest.
As a team, Alabama is averaging 78.5 points per game, 15.7 more than its opponents, and 41.4 rebounds per matchup.
The Tide's 78.4 percent shooting from the free throw line ranks 15^th nationally and first in the SEC.
Thursday's game will be the first of two this season between the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs and 60th overall in the series. Alabama owns a 37-22 advantage, however Mississippi State has won six of the last seven outings. In the 2020 installment of the series, Megan Abrams' buzzer-beating tip-in ended the six-game losing streak and was the Tide's first win at Humphrey Coliseum since 2011.

Last Five Meetings

Feb. 28, 2016		L	52-61	Starkville, Miss.
Jan. 19, 2017		L	54-67	Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Jan. 14, 2018		L	61-75	Starkville, Miss.
Feb. 3, 2019		L	49-65	Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Feb. 23, 2020	W		66-64	Starkville, Miss.

ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE

The Bulldogs enter Thursday's game with an 8-2 overall record and a 3-1 mark in SEC games.
Both of Mississippi State's losses have come in overtime, first a 67-63 decision at South Florida on Dec. 5 and then on Jan. 3 against Kentucky, 92-86.
The Bulldogs are led by Jessika Carter and National Player of the Year candidate Rickea Jackson, who combine for nearly 34 points and 15 rebounds per game.
As a team, Mississippi State is averaging 79.4 points and 41.9 rebounds per game.
The Bulldogs are under the direction of Women's Basketball Hall of Famer Nikki McCray-Penson, who is in her first season in Starkville. She spent three seasons as head coach at Old Dominion, winning 2020 Conference USA Coach of the Year honors, following her run as an assistant at South Carolina.

LAST TIME OUT

Alabama had its foot on the gas from the opening tip and continued to accelerate, leading by as many as 21 in the first half en route to an 80-56 win at Vanderbilt.
Walker and Copeland recorded double-doubles for the second time in as many games with Walker leading the way with 25 points and a career-high 16 rebounds and Copeland adding 12 points and 11 boards.
Lewis also recorded double-figure points, chipping in 12 to go along with her game-high six assists.
Alabama outscored Vanderbilt in every quarter, with the exception of the third that ended tied at 16-16.
The Commodores put up 15 unanswered in that third frame to cut the Tide lead down to 14, however Alabama would respond by scoring 10 of the next 13.
With the win, Alabama has won six in a row against Vanderbilt.
After losing its first 17 trips to Nashville, the Tide has won two road trips in a row and three of the last five visits to the Music City.
Alabama won the battle of the boards again, outrebounding Vanderbilt 53-34.
With Walker and Copeland each recording double-doubles, Alabama has had two with double-doubles in a pair of games (USC Upstate being the other) this year.
Walker has scored 20 or more points in seven of the Tide's 11 games this season.
Alabama's 1-2 punch at the point guard position has been solid with Lewis and Hannah Barber accounting for 11 of the Tide's 17 assists. For the season, they have dished out a combined 91 assists.
Alabama cleared the bench in the win, playing all 13 of its student-athletes.
Allie Craig Cruce played a productive 11 minutes, scoring eight points while not missing a field goal or free throw attempt. She also added four rebounds, one steal and a block.

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