Mississippi State Rises to Program-Best No. 3 Ranking in Newest Coaches Poll

(Photo Courtesy: Kelly Price, MSU Athletics)

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI/MSU Athletics) – Mississippi State women’s basketball added another first to the extensive list it has compiled under Vic Schaefer.

The latest came Tuesday as the Bulldogs rose to a school-record No. 3 in the latest USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll.

State earned the record ranking a day after moving up to No. 4 in Monday’s Associated Press Top 25. The Bulldogs have been in both polls 50-straight weeks.

The Bulldogs have maintained their position in the Top 5 for 10-straight weeks by compiling a 23-1 overall record and 9-1 SEC mark. State sits a half game back of South Carolina for the league lead.

MSU and South Carolina are two of three SEC teams in the poll. The Gamecocks stayed at No. 6, while Tennessee remained at No. 25.

Mississippi State returns to action at Humphrey Coliseum Thursday, hosting Vanderbilt at 8 p.m. on the SEC Network.

USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll – February 7, 2016

Rnk.       Team     Rcd.       Pts.         Pvs.

1              Connecticut (31) 22-0        775         1

2              Maryland              23-1        739         3

3              Mississippi State               23-1        695         4

4              Florida State        22-2        660         5

5              Baylor    23-2        652         2

6              South Carolina     20-2        640         6

7              Notre Dame         22-3        588         8

8              Washington          22-3        533         10

9              Oregon State       22-2        527         11

10           Texas     19-4        503         13

11           Stanford                20-4        429         9

12           UCLA      18-5        425         12

13           Ohio State            21-5        405         14

14           Louisville               20-6        400         7

15           Duke      20-4        375         15

16           DePaul   20-5        280         17

T17         Miami (Fla.)          17-6        262         16

T17         North Carolina State          17-6        262         19

19           Syracuse                17-7        190         21

20           Oklahoma             18-6        167         22

21           Arizona State       15-8        163         18

22           Michigan               19-5        120         NR

23           South Florida        18-4        98           20

24           California              17-7        52           NR

25           Tennessee            15-8        36           25

Others Receiving Votes: West Virginia (16-7) 22; Texas A&M (17-6) 19; Temple (17-5) 14; Northwestern (17-6) 12; Creighton (17-6) 10; Wisconsin-Green Bay (19-4) 10; Drake (18-4) 5; Kansas State (17-7) 4; Arkansas-Little Rock (17-6) 3; Tulane (15-8) 1.