#6 Bulldogs Face High Expectations At Season Opener

STARKVILLE, Miss (WCBI) — Its been seven months and six days since the Mississippi State women saw the NCAA title game slip away.

Now it’s time for a new team and a new season. One that’s nothing short of high expectation for the SEC champs.

“You know in our huddles I’m talking about perfection, MSU head coach Vic Schaefer said. ” I just–I’d like to shut somebody out. Hold somebody to zero. Everybody in the room knows that ain’t going to happen. but I’d like to. I’d like to try. I’d like to play hard enough where we could try.”

An 88-53 home opener win against Southeast Missouri State is a good start to that goal.

25 of those points came at the line for the Bulldogs. Something they tried to take advantage of and also ended up struggling with.

“My free throws…I don’t know what happened but I’m going to work on those, tonight,” senior center Teaira McCowan said.

“It seems like every night there’s someone getting in foul trouble early screwing up my chance to see how good we can really be,” Schaefer said.

Although the win was big it still wasn’t enough for Schaefer. Even with the thirty-five point lead he said he’s still calling for improvements on both sides of the ball saying that this team is a continued work in progress.

“I just think we’ve got a long way to go there and just understanding what we do and how we do it defensively,” Schaefer said. “I think all of our kids need to get in the gym and shoot. I think sharing the basketball is what we’ve all grown accustomed to in the last few years. Last years team, the team the year before, those kids all shared the basketball and we got–made that extra pass where people enjoyed the assisting almost as much as they enjoyed scoring.”

“That’s how we’re going to score our points so that’s what we need to do. Get out in transition and run,” said senior guard Jazzmun Holmes.

The No. 6 Bulldogs will be forced to heat up quick with a tough test, on the road this time at Virginia on Friday.