With the AEH transfer, I think this is a great chance to bring up what a great job I think Schaefer is doing at MSU. With winning comes expectations and he’s setting MSU up to be a program that sticks.
They lose Vivians, Schaefer, Johnson and William this year, Vivians will be a first rounder for sure... McCowan is draft eligible but has stated on record that she’s staying. Interestingly enough, when Gray first transferred to SC she stated that she would finish her eligibility out at SC as well.. but later decided to leave for the draft once SC won it all and people got in her ear. What happens if MSU makes a deep run and people get in McCowan's ear? In my opinion, I think McCowan needs another year of development.
So let's say she returns.. next year's playing roster will include:
Teaira McCowan
Jazzmun Holmes
Jonika Garvin
Jordan Danberry (formerly of Arkansas)
Jacaira Allen
Zion Campbell
Myah Taylor
Nyah Tate
Bre'amber Scott
Chloe Bibby
Their freshmen class is a good one but no instant impact players IMO:
Daphne White
Jessika Carter
Xaria Wiggins
Brittany Davis
..and 1 ineligible transfer:
Andra Espinoza-Hunter
Now I'm bringing this all up for a reason. Mississippi State loses A LOT after this season. They lost a fair amount last season as well.. but this season they brought back their cohesiveness on offense.. Vivians, McCowan and the steady William.. so Coach Schaefer really just had to shore up his defense after losing Dillingham and Richardson. Losing this year's senior class will be tough but in my opinion the cupboard is far from bare in Starkville. They'll have the best post player in the SEC next season in McCowan, Holmes has proven she can run the offense and she'll be a senior, Chloe Bibby shows lots of promise as a stretch big and she'll be back, likely starting at the 4.. Jordan Danberry is interesting. She was pretty good at Arkansas and will likely be better under a competent coach at MSU. She's a pg so I wonder where she'll play.. whether as a backup pg, starting pg or at the 2-guard. Jacaira Allen, a player that SC recruited and I'm familiar with, is a tough bigger guard that I think may get the start at the 3 spot.
State has two guards from the 2017 class that I can't wait to see play in Myah Taylor and Nyah Tate.. I think the two of them will give them a big boost at guard and supply meaningful minutes off the bench. Taylor was the higher ranked guard but I think Tate will acclimate better to MSU's style of play.. Tate was very highly recruited herself.
Again, the cupboard is not bare in Starkville. Now, the reason for all of this? Scheduling...
Schaefer had perhaps his best team yet in Starkville this year and still scheduled pretty light on the OOC side of things... Oregon, Syracuse, Oklahoma State and Virginia. Oregon being the only elite team in that group but the rest were decent wins. They did catch a little bit of heat about their schedule too. Now State has arrived IMO, especially if they get back to the Final Four (they will have played in 2, just like SC)... it'll be interesting to see if Schaeffer starts to schedule more elite OOC programs next season?
