MSU women ranked AP No. 5

It was a Happy New Year for Mississippi State women's basketball.

In addition to improving to 15-0 this season and defeating Georgia in Sunday's Southeastern Conference opener, coach Vic Schaefer's Bulldogs started 2018 No. 5 in this week's Associated Press Top 25 Poll.

Off to the third-best start in school history, MSU is one of four undefeated teams in the country. The Bulldogs and Tennessee are the SEC's only remaining unbeaten squads.

After claiming its first win in Athens since 2002 with Sunday's 86-62 win, State claimed its 64th-straight week in the poll, the sixth-longest active streak in the country. The Bulldogs' 28-consecutive weeks in the Top 10 rates fifth nationally.

MSU's 86-point effort, the most allowed by Georgia since 2006, was paced by 26 points and 13 rebounds from junior Teaira McCowan.

That performance, coupled with a 41-point, 13-rebound showing against Mississippi Valley State earned her SEC Player of the Week honors from College Sports Madness on Monday.

McCowan averaged 33.5 points on 79.5-percent shooting, 13 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in the two games. Against MVSU, the Brenham, Texas, native became the 12th Bulldog to score 40 points and tied Morgan William for eighth. Her 19 field goals in the contest rank second in program annals.

McCowan and the Bulldogs open the home SEC slate Thursday, hosting Arkansas at 8 p.m. on the SEC Network. The contest will be Blair Schaefer Senior Night, with posters of the senior guard being given away.

On Wednesday, MSU will host its first Hail State Hoops luncheon of 2018 at 11:30 a.m. in Mize. College Football AP Top 25 Fared

No. 1 Clemson (12-1) lost to No. 4 Alabama 24-6, Sugar Bowl, Jan. 1.

No. 2 Oklahoma (12-2) lost to No. 3 Georgia 54-48 2OT, Rose Bowl, Jan. 1. No. 3 Georgia (13-1) beat No. 2 Oklahoma 54-48 2OT, Rose Bowl, Jan. 1. Next: vs. Alabama, College Football Championship, Jan. 8.

No. 4 Alabama (11-1) beat No. 1 Clemson 24-6, Sugar Bowl, Jan. 1. Next: vs. Georgia, College Football Championship, Jan. 8.

No. 5 Ohio State (12-2) beat No. 8 Southern Cal 24-7, Cotton Bowl, Dec. 29. No. 6 Wisconsin (13-1) beat No. 11 Miami 34-24, Orange Bowl, Dec. 30. No. 7 Auburn (10-4) lost to No. 10 UCF 34-27, Peach Bowl, Jan. 1.

No. 8 Southern Cal (11-3) lost to No. 5 Ohio State 24-7, Cotton Bowl, Dec. 29. No. 9 Penn State (11-2) beat No. 12 Washington 35-28, Fiesta Bowl, Dec. 30. No. 10 UCF (13-0) beat No. 7 Auburn 34-27, Peach Bowl, Jan. 1.

No. 11 Miami (10-3) lost to No. 6 Wisconsin 34-24, Orange Bowl, Dec. 30. No. 12 Washington (10-3) lost to No. 9 Penn State 35-28, Fiesta Bowl, Dec. 30. No. 13 TCU (11-3) beat No. 15 Stanford 39-37, Alamo Bowl, Dec. 28. No. 14 Notre Dame (10-3) beat No. 14 LSU 21-17, Citrus Bowl, Jan. 1.

No. 15 Stanford (9-5) lost to No. 13 TCU 39-37, Alamo Bowl, Dec. 28. No. 16 LSU (9-4) lost to No. 14 Notre Dame 21-17, Citrus Bowl, Jan. 1. No. 17 Oklahoma State (10-3) beat No. 22 Virginia Tech 30-21, Camping World Bowl, Dec. 28.

No. 18 Michigan State (10-3) beat No. 21 Washington State 42-17, Holiday Bowl, Dec. 28.

No. 19 Memphis (10-3) lost to Iowa State 21-20, Liberty Bowl, Dec. 30. No. 20 Northwestern (10-3) beat Kentucky 24-23, Music City Bowl, Dec. 29. No. 21 Washington State (9-4) lost to No. 18 Michigan State 42-17, Holiday Bowl, Dec. 28.

No. 22 Virginia Tech (9-4) lost to No. 17 Oklahoma State 30-21, Camping World Bowl, Dec. 28.

No. 23 South Florida (10-2) beat Texas Tech 38-34, Birmingham Bowl, Dec. 23.

No. 24 Mississippi State (9-4) beat Louisville 31-27, TaxSlayer Bowl, Dec. 30.

No. 25 Boise State (11-3) beat Oregon 38-28, Las Vegas Bowl, Dec. 16.

2017-18 Bowl Glance All TImes EST

Saturday, Dec. 16 Celebration Bowl At Atlanta

NC A&T 21, Grambling State 14

New Orleans Bowl

Troy 50, North Texas 30

Cure Bowl Orlando, Fla.

Georgia State 27, Western Kentucky 17

Las Vegas Bowl

Boise State 38, Oregon 28

New Mexico Bowl Albuquerque

Marshall 31, Colorado State 28

Camellia Bowl Montgomery, Ala.

Middle Tennessee 35, Arkansas State 30

Tuesday, Dec. 19 Boca Raton (Fla.) Bowl

FAU 50, Akron 3

Wednesday, Dec. 20 Frisco (Texas) Bowl

Louisiana Tech 51, SMU 10

Thursday, Dec. 21 Gasparilla Bowl At St. Petersburg, Fla.

Temple 28, FIU 3

Friday, Dec. 22 Bahamas Bowl Nassau

Ohio 41, UAB 6

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Boise

Wyoming 37, Central Michigan 14

Saturday, Dec. 23 Birmingham (Ala.) Bowl

South Florida 38, Texas Tech 34

Armed Forces Bowl Fort Worth, Texas

Army 42, San Diego State 35

Dollar General Bowl Mobile, Ala.

Appalachian State 34, Toledo 0

Sunday, Dec. 24 Hawaii Bowl Honolulu

Fresno State 33, Houston 27

Tuesday, Dec. 26 Heart of Dallas Bowl

Utah 30, West Virginia 14

Quick Lane Bowl Detroit

Duke 36, Northern Illinois 14

Cactus Bowl Phoenix

Kansas State 35, UCLA 17

Wednesday, Dec. 27 Independence Bowl Shreveport, La.

Florida State 42, Southern Mississippi 13

Pinstripe Bowl Bronx, N.Y.

Iowa 27, Boston College 20

Foster Farms Bowl Santa Clara, Calif.

Purdue 38, Arizona 35

Texas Bowl Houston

Texas 33, Missouri 16

Thursday, Dec. 28 Military Bowl Annapolis, Md.

Navy 49, Virginia 7

Camping World Bowl Orlando, Fla.

Oklahoma State 30, Virginia Tech 21

Alamo Bowl San Antonio

TCU 39, Stanford 37

Holiday Bowl San Diego

State 42, Washington

Friday, Dec. 29 Belk Bowl Charlotte, N.C.

Wake Forest 55, Texas A&M 52

Sun Bowl El Paso, Texas

North Carolina State 52, Arizona State 31

Today

COLLEGE BASKETBALL 6 p.m.

BTN — Penn St. at Maryland CBSSN — Toledo at Buffalo ESPN — Indiana at Wisconsin ESPN2 — Michigan at Iowa ESPNU — Auburn at Tennessee ESPNEWS — TCU at Baylor FS1 — Butler at Xavier

SEC — Alabama at Vanderbilt

8 p.m.

BTN — Nebraska at Northwestern CBSSN — San Diego St. at Colorado St. ESPN — Texas Tech at Kansas ESPN2 — Florida at Texas A&M ESPNU — Pittsburgh at Louisville FS1 — Georgetown at DePaul SEC — Arkansas at Mississippi St.

NBA BASKETBALL

Music City Bowl Nashville, Tenn.

Northwestern 24, Kentucky 23

Arizona Bowl Tucson, Ariz.

New Mexico State 26, Utah State 20, OT

Cotton Bowl Classic Arlington, Texas

Ohio State 24, Southern Cal 7

Saturday, Dec. 30 TaxSlayer Bowl Jacksonville, Fla. Mississippi State 31, Louisville 27 Liberty Bowl Memphis, Tenn.

Iowa State 21, Memphis 20

Fiesta Bowl Glendale, Ariz.

Penn State 35, Washington 28

Orange Bowl Miami Gardens, Fla.

Wisconsin 34, Miami 24

Monday, Jan. 1 Outback Bowl Tampa, Fla.

South Carolina 26, Michigan 19

Peach Bowl Atlanta

UCF 34, Auburn 27

Citrus Bowl Orlando, Fla.

Notre Dame 21, LSU 17

Rose Bowl (CFP Semifinal) Pasadena, Calif.

Georgia 54, Oklahoma 48, 2OT

Sugar Bowl (CFP Semifinal) New Orleans

Alabama 24, Clemson 6

Monday, Jan. 8 College Football Championship Atlanta

Rose Bowl winner vs. Sugar Bowl winner, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Saturday, Jan. 20 East-West Shrine Classic At St. Petersburg, Fla.

East vs. West, 3 p.m. (NFLN)

NFLPA Collegiate Bowl At Carson, Calif.

American vs. National, 4 p.m. (FS1)

Saturday, Jan. 27 Senior Bowl At Mobile, Ala.

North vs. South, 2:30 p.m. (NFLN)

National Football League

Standings All Times EDT

NATIONAL CONFERENCE East Division

y-Philadelphia (13-3) Dallas (9-7)

6 p.m.

NBA — Portland at Cleveland

9:30 p.m.

NBA — Memphis at L.A. Clippers

NHL HOCKEY 6 p.m.

NBCSN — Pittsburgh at Philadelphia

8:30 p.m.

NBCSN — Los Angeles at Edmonton

SOCCER 2 p.m.

NBCSN — Premier League, Swansea City vs. Tottenham

WINTER SPORTS 4:30 p.m.

NBCSN — U.S. Olympic Trials: Speed Skating, Women’s 3,000 and Men’s 5,000, at Milwaukee

WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL 6 p.m.

FS2 — Creighton at Seton Hall

Washington (7-9) N.Y. Giants (3-13)

South Division

y-New Orleans (11-5) x-Carolina (11-5) x-Atlanta (10-6) Tampa Bay (5-11)

North Division

y-Minnesota (13-3) Detroit (9-7) Green Bay (7-9) Chicago (5-11)

West Division

y-L.A. Rams (11-5) Seattle (9-7) Arizona (8-8)

San Francisco (6-10)

AMERICAN CONFERENCE East Division

y-New England (13-3) x-Buffalo (9-7) Miami (6-10)

N.Y. Jets (5-11)

South Division

y-Jacksonville (10-6) x-Tennessee (9-7) Indianapolis (4-12) Houston (4-12)

North Division

y-Pittsburgh (13-3) Baltimore (9-7) Cincinnati (7-9) Cleveland (0-16)

West Division

y-Kansas City (10-6) L.A. Chargers (9-7) Oakland (6-10) Denver (5-11)

x-clinched playoff spot y-clinched division

Sunday's Games

New England 26, N.Y. Jets 6 Pittsburgh 28, Cleveland 24 Indianapolis 22, Houston 13 Atlanta 22, Carolina 10 Detroit 35, Green Bay 11 Dallas 6, Philadelphia 0

N.Y. Giants 18, Washington 10 Buffalo 22, Miami 16

L.A. Chargers 30, Oakland 10 Minnesota 23, Chicago 10 Kansas City 27, Denver 24 San Francisco 34, L.A. Rams 13 Tennessee 15, Jacksonville 10 Tampa Bay 31, New Orleans 24 Cincinnati 31, Baltimore 27 Arizona 26, Seattle 24

Playoff Glance

All Times EST Wild-card Playoffs