The Next step for Mississippi State is.......

[stwainfan]

I think for Mississippi State. It will come down to guard play. Yes they have a strong inside game. If the guard play struggles. Then they could lose some games epically in SEC play.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

All the athletic McCowan needs is strong hands (which she has) and avoiding the instinct to bring the ball down to her waist upon catching it. She's strong enough in the upper and lower body to back any defender down to 6' from the basket; all she needs is to get a good high pass and hold onto the ball.

Note that the not bringing the ball down to her waist and getting a good high pass are not givens.

I think she's most dangerous on the boards.

I have never thought she was a particularly good offensive player if you got a willing defender up near her body. Course that body needs to have a little size and strength.

USC's only loss to Miss State was in Starkville when they let McCowans get 20 rebounds. I'm worried that could happen again and be the difference.

Granted, South Carolina had been uniquely well suited to deal with McCowans with Coates and Wilson and others.

 

[Florida Fan]

......a national championship, according to head coach Vic Schaefer. Mississippi State is one of UConn's biggest rivals for this year's national championship. Here's the latest "skinny" in the Bulldog's camp for Friday Oct 19, 2018.

Teaira McCowan and Mississippi State women's hoops team are hoping to take that one final step.

The Bulldogs are the favorites to win the Southeastern Conference again but the biggest, most exasperatingly elusive goal remains to win a national title.

McCowan leads a team that has made the past two national championship games only to fall short of a title.

"That's definitely in the back of our minds," McCowan said Thursday at SEC media day. "But first we have to learn how to do the things in order to get back to that point."

Coach Vic Schaefer must replace four starters from a team that won its first 32 games and went 37-2, including first-team AP All-American Victoria Vivians.

The Bulldogs are still regarded as the front-runners.

[Story]

Not dissing the Bulldogs, but South Bend has a loaded, senior led team that makes Notre Dame the clear favorite. Everyone else will be chasing them; their only problem could be sharing the basketball.

 

[Justavisitor]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Promise Taylor get the waiver and play this year. The NCAA would have a difficult time explaining why a coaching change was good enough for the ND player last season to get a waiver, but not for a coaching change this season. I would be highly shocked if it's not given.

With AEH, I would think they would have to give serious consideration to her at least being eligible in January. This will be very interesting as it will have a major impact on MSU's ability to compete at an elite level.

In the end, I still don't believe they will fare as well as the past couple of years due to guard play.

 

[UConnCat]

With AEH, I would think they would have to give serious consideration to her at least being eligible in January. This will be very interesting as it will have a major impact on MSU's ability to compete at an elite level.

There's no rationale for making her eligible in January. The waiver is from the year-in-residence requirement. She'll either be eligible immediately or have to wait until she fulfills that requirement. Staley tried the half-a-loaf argument last year and was shut down.

 

[DaBball]

Some impressive numbers by Andi

 

[Gamecockfan77]

I am a little sour because the transfer waivers never seem to go South Carolina's way in any sport.

But they really need to do something about the subjectivity of the waiver process for transfer sit outs.

Once you get into a place where players are routinely applying for waivers and they are getting different answers on different time frames and some players are getting one answer to the initial request and a different answer on appeal, you are in a place where who can say what the rule is now?

They need to go back to the drawing board and define how they want it to work so that everyone can have an objective set of criteria to work with and a reasonable expectation of knowing the result.

 

[UConnCat]

I am a little sour because the transfer waivers never seem to go South Carolina's way in any sport.

But they really need to do something about the subjectivity of the waiver process for transfer sit outs.

Once you get into a place where players are routinely applying for waivers and they are getting different answers on different time frames and some players are getting one answer to the initial request and a different answer on appeal, you are in a place where who can say what the rule is now?

They need to go back to the drawing board and define how they want it to work so that everyone can have an objective set of criteria to work with and a reasonable expectation of knowing the result.

It's the lack of transparency and the lack of objective criteria from the NCAA that is most troubling.

Dawn was clearly irked by the Shepard decision last year, probably because she recruited her and knew the facts of the waiver case.

 

[Shades]

Who wouldn’t be irked by the Shepard decision? It had to be the most bogus transfer decision that I’m aware of in recent years.

 

[DaBball]

Would everyone here be irked if AEH was granted eligibility ?

 

[Justavisitor]

There's no rationale for making her eligible in January. The waiver is from the year-in-residence requirement. She'll either be eligible immediately or have to wait until she fulfills that requirement. Staley tried the half-a-loaf argument last year and was shut down.

Considering Cooper's circumstances and the fact it was an incident (fighting), I could still see more consideration being given for a January start, especially since she didn't play at all in the 2nd semester. However, with the NCAA, who knows. They seem to shoot from the hip and have zero consistency.

 

[UConnCat]

Would everyone here be irked if AEH was granted eligibility ?

As long as other waiver petitions continue to be denied, I will be irked.

 

[Shades]

 

[oldude]

Would everyone here be irked if AEH was granted eligibility ?

I don’t have a strong opinion on AEH’s eligibility one way or another. What I will say is that Geno’s statement to a group of UConn boosters in Philadelphia, when he stated, “She’s gone because I wanted her gone” lends support to her waiver petition.

 

[JellyBean]

Y'all can sleep on Mississippi State all you want too but I see them being right back in the Final Four race again this season. A lot depends on how well they all adjust and develop their team chemistry. Sure they lost a lot. Some articles where they lost 80%-90% of their three-point shooting but the cast of players they have now and they amount of skill development they put in over the summer, should pay off this season. The Lady Bulldogs just might crash another Final Four party and claim that prize.

 

[DanishBulldog]

MSU will have a lot of talent on the floor this year, but it will be a very different team from last year. I think it is better to compare this year's team to 2 years ago when the 3-pt shot wasn't as big of a feature of the offense.

Inside play is going to improve with the addition of Anriel Howard. If Promise Taylor gets her waiver, the front court is going to improve a lot. A lot of people don't realize that Promise has a 7-ft wingspan. As a freshman, she was 3rd in the SEC in blocked shots, and she shot 65% in league play. Chloe Bibby looks to be in much better shape this year than last, but I don't see her going inside to mix it up a lot.

The guards are fast, and they will play better defense than William and Schaefer. Those 2 were hard-nosed players, but they were small and not particularly fast. Holmes has a pretty good shot from the 3. Danberry does not shoot well, but she is a match-up problem for teams that want to keep her from going to the basket. I expect a lot of pick-and-roll offense when she is on the court with Howard setting high screens. If AEH gets a waiver to play, she will be first off of the bench. She has a ton of potential, but if you play for Vic, your defense has to be solid, or you will get reduced minutes.

 

[donalddoowop]

It's something how some people think other team's returning players have improved because of their Summer work but don't think UConn's returning players have improved at all. Will MS have the chemistry they will need? Maybe, maybe not.

 

[willtalk]

Does it occur to anyone that the NCAA does not want a clear definable criteria for transfers because it allows them more wiggle room in respect to accountability for their decisions.?

 

[MSSportsGuy]

I am always cautiously optimistic when it comes to athletics. MSU women's basketball has been terrific the last two years. I wasn't sure a FF was in the cards last season due to their lack of depth but fortunately the team avoided injuries. The four seniors who are gone took with them a tremendous amount of leadership and experience. McCowan has grown into one of the best players in the country but for this team to be successful some of the new pieces must be ready to step in immediately and contribute. I do think potential is there for another big year but FF may be a a little higher goal than is achievable.

ND, UConn, Baylor, Oregon, Louisville, Texas, SC, Maryland and Stanford will likely be among the leaders this season. MSU is probably on the fence of the upper tier and middle tier. The university community there has definitely embraced the women's program with much better attendance and support. I'm hoping that trend continues this year as well even if they aren't quite as successful.

 

[cbraarj]

Not dissing the Bulldogs, but South Bend has a loaded, senior led team that makes Notre Dame the clear favorite. Everyone else will be chasing them; their only problem could be sharing the basketball.

This year ND has the players back that were injured. IMO, MM played to many players when the tournament comes around but last year with the short bench helped them tremendously. Yes The Irish are the team to beat this year but dont forget Uconns 2001 team was loaded and everyone thought they would repeat but they didnt.

 

[boontonbomber]

in an intra-squad scrimmage Tuesday AEH led all scorers with 29 points, 10 of 17 shooting, 6 of 11 three pointers.

 

[oldude]

in an intra-squad scrimmage Tuesday AEH led all scorers with 29 points, 10 of 17 shooting, 6 of 11 three pointers.

It seems odd that MS St published stats for an intra-squad scrimmage?

 

[DanishBulldog]

It was the Maroon vs White game. It was set up like a real game with refs, fans, press, etc. AEH was 5 for 5 from the 3 in the first half and 1 for 6 in the 2nd half.

McCowan had 19 pts and 18 rebounds. Howard had 13 pts and 9 boards. Holmes and Danberry had 13 pts each as well.

MSU has an exhibition game on 11/2 and their first game on 11/6.

 

[j66kicker]

It seems odd that MS St published stats for an intra-squad scrimmage?

It's to build a case for AEH's eligibility appeal. Their premise is, "Yeah, but she's so good."

 

[meyers7]

Vivians had much better shot selection her senior year, hence why she shot 48.5% from the floor and over 40% from deep. If AEH is anything like Vivians, Mississippi State will be in good shape. They need 3pt shooting badly.

not sure you can predict a player's career based on how they play in their first few games of their freshman year....

Yea, but expecting a Soph who didn't play much as a Fresh to replace a 1st AA Senior is a pretty big leap. IF that's what Miss St is banking on, it may not be that great of a year.