Feb. 14, 2018
Vanderbilt (6-20, 2-10 SEC) vs. No. 2 Mississippi State (26-0, 12-0 SEC)
Thursday Feb. 15, 2018 | 7:30 PM CT| SEC Network
Nashville, Tenn. (Memorial Gym)
Complete Game Notes (PDF) | | SEC Network | Listen Live
Starting Five
1. The Commodores are back at Memorial Gym for a matchup with the No. 2-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs on Thursday night in the annual Play4Kay Pink Game. The Commodores and Bulldogs will square off at 7:30 pm on the SEC Network with Pam Ward and Gail Goestenkors on the call. Vanderbilt is coming off a heartbreaking, 63-60, loss at Auburn on Monday night and is looking to snap a three-game losing streak and earn its first win over a ranked opponent this season.
2. Vanderbilt enters Thursday’s game on the heels of a heartbreaking, 63-60, road loss to Auburn. Christa Reed, who scored her 1,000th career point against the Tigers, led the offense with 15 points while Kayla Overbeck added 11 and Erin Whalen added 10. Autumn Newby posted her fifth game of double-figure rebounds with a game-high 11 boards. The Commodores will be taking on their eighth ranked opponent and fourth opponent ranked in the top-10 on Thursday.
3. Thursday’s meeting with Mississippi State is the lone meeting between the teams this season. Mississippi State has won the last four meetings between the teams although the Commodores lead the all-time series, 36-19. Vanderbilt leads the series, 19-3, at home and the Bulldogs have only won once in their last four tries at Memorial Gym with that win coming during the 2015-16 season.
4. In the last 10 contests, Kayla Overbeck is shooting .729 percent (87-of-149) from the floor and averaging 12.8 points per game, a number that moves to 14.4 points per game over the last five games. Additionally, Overbeck has tallied double figures in each of the last five games, including a career-best 21 points on the road at Georgia. Overbeck is averaging 9.3 points per game, a figure that jumps to 11.2 in SEC play. For comparison, Overbeck averaged just 7.8 points per game in non-conference action.
5. Christa Reed became the 38th member of the 1,000-point club with a three-pointer on the road at Auburn. Reed, who enters Thursday’s game with 1,007 career points, joins classmate Rachel Bell as Commodores who reached 1,000 points this season. Reed is closing her career in impressive fashion and through the last 10 games is leading the team in scoring with 13.5 points per game and is shooting .523 (46-of-88) from the floor. She’s also deadly from the charity stripe, shooting .923 from the foul line to lead the SEC.
Setting the Scene
-Vanderbilt welcomes No. 2 Mississippi State to Memorial Gym for its annual Play4Kay Pink Game on Thursday at 7:30 pm. The game will be televised live on the SEC Network with Pam Ward and Gail Goestenkors on the call.
Last Time Out
-Vanderbilt dropped a heartbreaking, 63-60, road contest at Auburn. The Commodores, who trailed by 20 points in the first half, rallied all the way back with a chance to win in the final seconds. Christa Reed led the way with 15 points while Autumn Newby added 11 rebounds. Kayla Overbeck, who reached double figures for the fifth straight game, added 11 points while Erin Whalen had 10 points off the bench.
Scouting Report
-Mississippi State enters Thursday’s contest as one of two undefeated teams in the country at a perfect 26-0 and 12-0 in the SEC. Mississippi State defeated Kentucky, 74-55, on Sunday. Victoria Vivians and Teaira McCowan lead the Bulldog offense. Vivians is averaging 19.7 points per game and McCowan isn’t far behind with 19.0 points per game. McCowan also leads the way on the glass with 13.3 rebounds per game.
With A Win
-The Commodores will pick up their third SEC win.
-A win would also snap the Bulldogs’ current four-game win streak in the series.
-A win would snap Mississippi State’s 26-game win streak and give Vanderbilt its first win over a top-10 opponent since 2013-14 when they defeated No. 8 Tennessee.
-A Vanderbilt win would make Vanderbilt 37-19 in the all-time series.
Play4Kay Pink Game
Thursday’s game is Vanderbilt’s annual Play4Kay Pink Game. The Commodore players will wear special pink uniforms and shoes in honor of the game, which raises awareness for breast cancer through the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. The Commodores will also play in a Pink Game on Sunday when they travel to Florida.
Another Ranked Foe on Tap
The No. 2-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs are the eighth ranked foe for the Commodores this season. Vanderbilt is seeking its first win over a ranked opponent since upsetting No. 12 Kentucky and No. 24 Missouri in 2015-16. The Commodores are looking for their first win over a top-10 foe since knocking off No. 8 Tennessee in 2013-14. Should Vanderbilt pull the upset, it will be the first win over a ranked foe in the Stephanie White era and the first win over a top-3 opponent since defeating No. 3 Auburn in 2008-09 in Nashville.
Reed Nets 1,000th Career Point
With a triple in the third quarter, senior Christa Reed became the 38th member of the 1,000-point club. Reed joins her teammate and classmate, Rachel Bell as players to reach 1,000 points this season, marking the first time since 2012-13 that the Commodores have had multiple 1,000-point scorers in one season.
Newby Hits the Glass
Autumn Newby recorded her fifth game with double figure rebounds this season with a game-high 11 rebounds against Auburn. Newby leads the Commodores on the glass with 6.8 rebounds per game, which ranks her as the No. 17 rebounder in the SEC and No. 3 among freshmen.
Kayla Overbeck a Case Study in Efficiency
Sophomore Kayla Overbeck has really stepped her game up since the start of SEC play. In the last 10 games, Overbeck is shooting a blistering .729 percent from the field (43-of-59) and is averaging 12.8 points per game in that span. Overbeck’s season average is 9.3 points per game, a number that moves to 11.3 points per game against SEC foes. The California native averaged just 7.8 points per game in the non-conference. On the season, she’s shooting .613 percent from the field, which ranks No. 28 nationally.
Christa Reed Closing Her Career Strong
Senior Christa Reed has been Vanderbilt’s constant this season. The Bay St. Louis, Mississippi native has put together quite the impressive 10-game stretch. Over the last 10 games, she’s averaging 13.5 points, shooting .523 percent from the field (46-of-88).
Reed Lethal from the Stripe
Reed has been extremely impressive from the charity stripe this season. She is shooting .929 percent from the line, a number that leads the SEC and makes her the only SEC player shooting better than 90 percent from the foul line. Reed enters the Mississippi State game having made her last 20 foul shots and having only missed four all year. Her .929 percentage ranks her No. 14 nationally.
Walker from Deep
Cierra Walker has quietly put together a very impressive SEC campaign. The Oregon City, Oregon native is averaging 10.3 points against SEC competition and has really stepped up her production from long range. In non-conference action, Walker shot .379 percent (22-of-58) from deep but in SEC play, Walker is shooting .508 percent (30-of-59). In the last 10 games, Walker has been especially productive shooting .540 percent (27-of-50) from long range. When the Commodores win, Walker is shooting .531 percent from deep.