Feb. 8, 2017
Teams: Vanderbilt (11-12, 1-9) vs. No. 4 Mississippi State (23-1, 9-1)
Day, Date: Thursday , Feb. 9
Tip-off time: 8 p.m. CT
Site: Humphrey Coliseum (Starkville, Miss.)
Radio: WNSR 560 AM / 95.9 FM
TV: SEC Network
Game Notes: Vanderbilt Game Notes (MSU) 
The undersized Vanderbilt women have had some tall orders this season — and on Thursday night, they’ll have their tallest one yet. With hopes of generating an attention-grabbing upset, the Commodores (11-12, 1-9) will face No. 4-ranked Mississippi State (23-1, 9-1) in Starkville, Miss. The Bulldogs, who are 9-0 at home this season, have seven players on the roster who are 6-foot-1 or taller. By comparison, Vanderbilt’s tallest players are Marqu’es Webb, Kayla Overbeck and Erin Whalen, who are each 6-1. Here’s a closer look at the Thursday’s contest:
l Update on the Commodores: Vanderbilt has dropped 11 of its past 12 games, including a 71-63 loss to No. 25 Kentucky on Sunday afternoon in Lexington. … The Commodores continue to be one of the most accurate and most prolific 3-point shooting teams in the country. They are ranked No. 3 in the nation in 3-point percentage at 40.3 (though Feb. 7) and are averaging an SEC-best 7.5 three-pointers per game. Vanderbilt has compiled 30 three-pointers in the past three games. … The Commodores have been involved in a series of close games since the start of SEC play, with five of VU’s nine SEC defeats having been decided by a combined 21 points (an average margin of 4.2 points). In each of those five games, Vanderbilt was either in the lead, tied or trailing by three points or less entering the final minute.
l Rebounding machines: Marqu’es Webb and Kayla Overbeck are doing some impressive work on the glass this season. Over the past five games, the senior and the freshman have combined for 85 rebounds (Webb 43, Overbeck 42). During that same stretch, the other 10 players on the Vanderbilt roster have combined for 83 rebounds. (The Commodores have also been credited with 22 team rebounds in that span). … For the season, Webb is the Commodores’ top rebounder — and ranks among the SEC’s best — with 9.0 boards per game, and she is averaging 9.3 rpg in conference play. Overbeck is averaging 7.5 rebounds per game for the season, including 8.5 since the start of the conference play.
l Erin Emerging: Freshman Erin Whalen is getting into an SEC groove. The 6-1 sharpshooter from Charlotte, N.C., is averaging 13.8 points and 5.2 rebounds over the past five games after averaging 1.4 points and 0.8 rebounds in Vanderbilt’s first five SEC games. Whalen has reached double figures in each of the past four games, and has gone 11-for-25 (44.0 percent) from 3-point range in the past three games. Making her first career start against Alabama (1/26), she scored a game-high 22 points to fuel Vanderbilt’s 87-80 win. Whalen is shooting 41.4 percent from long range for the season.
l Welcome Back, Walker: After missing four consecutive games with injuries to both feet, freshman Cierra Walker returned to action for Sunday’s game at Kentucky. Walker played 13 minutes in the loss, finishing with three points and four rebounds. Walker leads the team in assists per game (3.2) and her assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2) ranks fifth in the SEC and 53rd in the nation. Walker has made 31 three-pointers this season, second most on the team behind Christa Reed’s 32.
l Hot and Cold: As would be expected of a team learning a new system, Vanderbilt has battled inconsistency this season, with the Commodores posting a 10-1 mark through the first 11 games, then dropping 11 of the past 12. Here’s a look at some of the contrasting numbers the Commodores have posted in their 10-1 start as compared to their past 12 games (1-11):
Points per game in first 11 games: 76.5
Points per game in past 12 games: 65.9
Points allowed iin first 11 games: 65.8
Points allowed in past 12 games: 75.2
Field goal percentage in first 11 games: 45.0
Field goal percentage in past 12 games: 39.0
3-point percentage in first 11 games: 41.7
3-point percentage in past 12 games: 38.9
Free throw percentage in first 11 games: 78.4
Free throw percentage in past 12 games: 70.5
Free throws made per game in first 11 games: 16.5
Free throws made per game in past 12 games: 13.1
l Young guns: Vanderbilt’s touted freshmen class — Kayla Overbeck, Kaleigh Clemons-Green, LeaLea Carter, Cierra Walker, and Erin Whalen — continues to shine for the Commodores. The five-member class is combining for 33.9 points, 16.8 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game. The five players have accounted for 47.8 percent of Vanderbilt’s scoring, 42.1 percent of VU’s rebounds and 53.0 percent of the team’s assists. The five players are also accounting for 48.2 percent of the Commodores’ 3-pointers.
l Overbeck in overdrive: Freshman forward Kayla Overbeck has been a force for the Commodores throughout the season, and in the past month, she has taken her game to an even higher level. In Sunday’s loss to Kentucky, Overbeck scored a season-high 19 points and collected a team-high 11 rebounds to notch her second consecutive double-double. Overbeck is averaging 12.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game in the past eight games, and has reached double figures in seven of those contests. She has posted six double-doubles this season, four of which have come in SEC play. Overbeck is shooting a team-best 55.3 percent from the field for the season, including 54.3 percent in conference play.
l Mixing it up: Vanderbilt first-year head coach Stephanie White has used seven different combinations in the starting lineups this season, and ten of the 12 players on Vanderbilt’s roster have started at least one game. Erin Whalen was the latest player to join the list, as the freshman from Charlotte, N.C. earned the first starting assignment of her young career in the win over Alabama on Jan. 26. She responded with a game-high 22 points.
l Among the best: Despite the recent tough stretch, Vanderbilt continues to rank among the national and conference leaders in a wide range of categories:
* Vanderbilt ranks third in the nation, and leads the SEC, in 3-point accuracy at 40.3 percent.
* The Commodores are 28th in the country in free throws made (339).
* Vanderbilt is fourth in the SEC in free throw percentage at 74.5.
* Vanderbilt leads the SEC in 3-pointers made per game (7.5) and total 3-pointers made (172).
l Scouting Mississippi State: The Bulldogs are having a historic season, and their air-tight defense has fueled the run. MSU is allowing just 54.0 points per game, which ranks seventh in the nation and leads the SEC. … The Bulldogs rank fifth in the nation in 3-point defense, limiting opponents to 25.6 percent. … MSU is third in the country in turnover margin (+8.4) and ranks 20th in scoring at 77.3 points per game. … SEC Player of the Year candidate Victoria Vivans ranks eighth in the conference in scoring at 16.8 points per game, and Morgan William ranks sixth in steals (47).
l Series History: Thursday’s game will be the 55th all-time meeting between the teams, with Vanderbilt owning a 36-18 lead in the series. … Mississippi State has won four of the past five match-ups, including sweeping two games from the Commodores last season (more on those games below). … Vanderbilt is 11-12 all-time in Starkville. The Commodores were saddled with a 69-44 loss during their most recent trip to Humphrey Coliseum on Jan. 29, 2015. … Vanderbilt’s last win came in Starkville came on Feb. 5, 2012.
l In elite company: The Commodores have several players who rank among the best in the SEC in multiple categories: Senior post player Marqu’es Webb ranks fifth in the SEC in rebounds per game at 9.0. She is second in the SEC in offensive rebounds (3.6 per game) and also ranks seventh on the conference’s career rebounding list among active players with 638. … Freshman Cierra Walker ranks fifth in the SEC in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.2. … Kayla Overbeck ranks ninth in the conference in rebounds per game at 7.5. … Vanderbilt has three players who rank among the SEC’s top-10 in career 3-pointers: Rebekah Dahlman (seventh with 122), Rachel Bell (tied for eighth with 104) and Christa Reed (tied for eighth with 104).
l Shoeless Stephanie: Vanderbilt head coach Stephanie White coached barefoot during the game against Alabama (1/26) to help raise awareness for Soles4Souls. White also coached barefoot during practice earlier in the week. “Soles4Souls is such a wonderful organization, and we are excited about doing our part to promote and assist them,” said White. “My hope is that coaching barefoot will bring awareness to those who don’t have the luxury of wearing shoes every day. We want to encourage everyone to donate and support the Soles4Souls mission.” Donation boxes for Soles4Souls were available at the game. Soles4Souls is a not for profit global social enterprise committed to fighting poverty through the collection and distribution of shoes and clothing.
l Impactful Improvements: The Commodores are on the upswing in numerous categories under the direction of first-year head coach Stephanie White. Through 23 games, Vanderbilt is averaging 71.0 points per game after scoring just 62.5 ppg last season. The Commodores are also making an SEC-best 7.5 three-pointers per game, compared to just 5.4 last season. Vanderbilt is converting 14.7 free throws per game this season after making only 11.4 last season.
l Ringing the Bell: Junior guard Rachel Bell has established herself as a consistent force for the Commodore offense. Bell, who leads the team in scoring at 11.9 points per game, has reached double figures in 16 games, including six of past eight. Bell has gone 7-of-14 from 3-point range over the past three games and is shooting 41.9 percent from behind the arc for the season. She averaged 15.3 points per game during a seven-game stretch from Nov. 20 through Dec. 8.
l Last time out: Despite another strong effort from Kayla Overbeck, the Commodores fell to No. 25 Kentucky, 71-63, on Sunday in Lexington. Overbeck had a career-high 19 points and 11 rebounds, team highs in both categories, for the Commodores (11-12, 1-9). Christa Reed had 12 points and Erin Whalen added 11. The Kentucky trio of Makayla Epps, Evelyn Akhator and Taylor Murray combined to score 61 of Kentucky’s 71 points: Epps finished with a game-high 23, Akhator had 20 and Murray added 18 for the Wildcats (16-8, 7-4). Vanderbilt attempted just four free throws in the loss, finishing 3-of-4, and committed 21 turnovers. Kentucky was 19-of-22 from the foul line, and committed only 10 turnovers. Vanderbilt trailed 55-52 after Whalen and Kaleigh Clemons-Green each knocked down 3-pointers in the first 90 seconds of the fourth quarter, but Kentucky answered back with a methodical 10-3 run to extend the lead to 65-55 with under two minutes to play, and the Wildcats held on from there.
l Last year’s games vs. Mississippi State: The Commodores lost both match-ups against the Bulldogs last season, including suffering a 66-61 loss at Memorial Gym on Feb. 25, and then being saddled with a 63-46 season-ending defeat in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament. Here’s a look at the two games:
Miss. State 66, Vanderbilt 61 (Feb. 25, 2016): Continuing a challenging late-season stretch, Vanderbilt fell to No. 16 Mississippi State, 66-61, on Senior Night at Memorial Gym. It was the eighth consecutive loss for the Commodores (15-13, 4-11), who were playing their fifth straight game against a ranked opponent. Mississippi State’s Victoria Vivans finished with 21 points for the Bulldogs (23-6, 10-5). Rachel Bell led Vanderbilt with 14 points and Marqu’es Webb had 11 points and seven rebounds. Vanderbilt trailed by as many as 16 points in the second half, but used a late push to trim the deficit to 58-55 after a 3-pointer by Rebekah Dahlman with 33 seconds remaining in the game. But Mississippi State hit a series of free throws down the stretch to hold off the Commodores.
Miss. State 63, Vanderbilt 46 (March 4, 2016): Limited to a season-low 37 field goal attempts, the No. 11-seeded Commodores saw their SEC Tournament run come to an end in the quarterfinals with a 63-46 loss to 16th-ranked and No. 3-seeded Mississippi State in Jacksonville, Fla. Vanderbilt (18-14) shot just 32 percent from the floor and committed 27 turnovers. The Commodores — who beat Ole Miss in the first round and posted an overtime win over Georgia in the second round — managed only five field goals in the first half, going 5-of-21, and were then held to only 16 shots in the second half to finish 12-of-37 from the floor. Mississippi State attempted 20 more shots than Vanderbilt, finishing 23-of-57 during the rough and ragged contest. Dominique Dillingham scored all of her game-high 12 points in the second half for Mississippi State, and Victoria Vivans had 10 points on 3-of-13 shooting. Rachel Bell scored a team-high 11 points for the Commodores.
l Looking ahead: After Thursday’s game, the Commodores return home to host LSU on Feb. 13 for the Think Pink contest at Memorial Gym.