What to expect for MSU vs. N.C. State
STARKVILLE — Mississippi State’s women’s basketball team is in the Sweet 16 for the third straight season. It’s quite a feat, especially considering it has made only four such appearances in program history. But the Bulldogs want more and have anticipated more all season.
In a championship-or-bust season, the expectation is to get to Columbus, Ohio. But first, the Bulldogs must survive in Kansas City.
Mississippi State (34-1) will take on fourth-seeded North Carolina State (26-8) in a Sweet 16 matchup at 6 p.m. Friday (ESPN) in Kansas City. The Bulldogs need two wins in three days to return to the Final Four.
If MSU wins, it would play either second-seeded Texas or third-seeded UCLA in an Elite Eight matchup. The Kansas City region is the only region with its top four seeds still alive.
The Wolfpack is the primary concern for the Bulldogs right now, of course, so what should MSU expect? How tough of a challenge will this be for Vic Schaefer’s team?
In the minutes after MSU’s win against Oklahoma State Monday night, Schaefer wasn’t yet prepared to relay knowledge about the Bulldogs’ next opponent. That’s common for head coaches in tournament settings; assistants take lead on scouting early and the head coach catches up if the team advances.
“But what I do know,” Schaefer said, “is that they’re a very tough, physical rebounding team.” That’s a good start. NC State’s offensive numbers don’t jump off the page. They're in the middle of the pack when it comes to shooting percentages and ball-handling statistics, but they’re dominant in three other areas: rebounding, blocking shots and getting to the line. NC State attempts the third-most free throws in the country and is ranked eighth in rebounds and 42nd in blocks.
Like MSU, NC State likes to bring a lot of pressure and play man-to-man. The team’s best players are 6-foot-2 forward Chelsea Nelson, who leads the team with 13.1 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, and Kiara Leslie, who averages 12.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. NC State’s three other starters each average at least 8.9 points per game. Everyone rebounds, too. An interesting matchup for Teaira McCowan could be 6foot-5 center Akela Maize, who averages nearly two blocks per game.
In short, the Wolfpack are a balanced team that is exceeding expectations. League coaches predicted NC State to finish eighth in the ACC in the preseason. But while they’ve played Louisville relatively close, they lack flashy wins on their resume. NC State did beat Florida State, but the Seminoles lost a No. 3 seed to No. 11-seeded Buffalo in the Albany region.
Texas or UCLA would be tougher opponents for MSU, which will be heavily favored against NC State. But that’s not to say NC State can't win, of course.