Mississippi State is set for a power struggle in the SEC NCAA.com
CHAMPS
PRESENTED BY The wait is almost over. Almost. Half the year has dragged on without college basketball, and our appetite for hoops is enormous. Which is why, with crisp fall air swirling, we're going to preview the biggest stories and names from the women's college basketball landscape. Today, we feast on the SEC. Best player A ja Wilson South Carolina
There may not be a more sound argument for anything than there is for Wilson being the best player in the SEC. She was last year’s SEC Player of the Year, was a first-team All-American selection far and wide, landed on the SEC All-Defensive Team, and was named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player… and now she’s back for an encore. What will she do? Only she knows, but it feels safe to bet it’ll be impressive. Best team Mississippi State
It’s tempting — almost too easy? — to pick the defending national champions when they return their best player, which is why we haven't done that. The runner-up Bulldogs are returning two tremendous players in Morgan William and Victoria Vivians while not leaving too much talent behind from last year’s squad, leaving them primed for a big season. When it comes to William, the UConn destroyer, and Vivians, an All-American selection who may have flown under the radar if not for the Bulldogs’ tremendous NCAA tournament run, Mississippi State has two of the five best players in the conference. Vivians averaged 16.2 points per game last year, while William dominated from the free throw line and set a school record for assists in a season. Our 3-point contest winner: ! — MSU W. Basketball (@HailStateWBK) If Vivians can improve her efficiency and William can increase her output by one or two points per game, Mississippi State will be right where it needs to be. The Gamecocks will prove a great challenge for the Bulldogs, and if South Carolina’s freshman class lives up to its pedigree they might even take the regular season crown. But it seems like Mississippi State’s returning talent makes for a top-notch spot in the SEC heading into the season. Sleeper team Texas A& M
The Aggies can gear up and make noise in the SEC if they can find depth and defense beyond their stars. Losing Curtyce Knox, a solid three-point shooter and dynamite playmaker, will take away a versatile weapon, but Texas A&M returns its top two scorers, Danni Williams (16.6 points per game) and Khaalia Hillsman (16.4 points per game), along with Hillsman’s 8.2 rebounds per game and Anriel Howard, who averaged a double-double last season. “They’re doing so many things off the court together.” - on one of the benefits of the Spain trip. — Aggie Women's Hoops (@AggieWBB) Between Howard and Hillsman, the Aggies have a one-two punch to dominate the inside game. Where A&M needs to improve if they want to keep pace with the conference’s best teams is from beyond the arc, where Williams is the only returning scorer to attempt more than 10 threes last year. If Gary Blair can find one or two pieces to fill out the role players necessary for a 20-plus win season, watch out for the Aggies to make a statement come March. Freshman to watch Lele Grissett South Carolina
Grissett is going to be one of the best freshman wings in the country this season, and her playmaking ability will be on display playing alongside A’ja Wilson. She scored plenty of points in high school, but also flashed her passing skills early and often; in her first year against college talent, Grissett will probably lean on her passing early on, to settle in to the higher competition level, which will be smart for her development and for her team’s success. Just a quick at the look for this season's intro video ... brought out the level effects! — GamecockWBB (@GamecockWBB) Grissett’s size at 6-0, the fifth-tallest on South Carolina’s team this year, will also help her produce in her first year in South Carolina, as Dawn Staley uses her newest playmaker to push for a championship repeat. NCAA Video Vault The dramatic end of UConn' s 111-game streak in 2017 Final Four
Relive Mississippi State's epic win over UConn in the 2017 Final Four, where the Huskies' 111-game winning streak came to an end. Mississippi State is women' s basketball Team of the Week after two shorthanded wins
After going 2-0 on the week and improving to 11-4 overall, the Mississippi State Bulldogs are NCAA.com's women's basketball Team of the Week. DI Women' s Basketball News
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