Jackson Free Press

The Mississippi State women’s basketball team continues to rise up in the rankings. http://hailstate.com/news/2017/2/21/womens-basketball-no-2-womens-hoops-climbs-to-second-in-usa-today-coaches-poll.aspx">MSU made program history again, as the team is http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/rankings">ranked No. 2 in the latest USA Today Coaches Poll.

The http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/rankings">Bulldogs were No. 3 in the Associated Press Poll with the University of Maryland at No. 2 before the http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/team/schedule/_/id/120">Terrapins fell 98-87 to Ohio State University on Feb. 20. The University of Connecticut is ranked No. 1 in both polls.

This is the 52nd week MSU has been in the polls and its 16th straight week in the top 10. The Bulldogs have been in the top five for the past 12 weeks.

The Huskies are on a 100-plus game-winning streak and the only undefeated team in the nation. http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/standings">MSU has the second-best overall record in the country at 27-1 and is the only team in the nation to have just one loss.

The University of http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/team/schedule/_/id/2579">South Carolina’s shocking 62-60 loss to the University of Missouri put the http://hailstate.com/news/2017/2/19/womens-basketball-no-3-bulldogs-move-atop-sec-with-72-67-win-at-no-23-texas-am.aspx?path=wbball">Bulldogs in first place in the SEC. MSU is certain to be one of the top two seeds when the conference tournament begins on March 3.

The NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Sport Committee has also named the http://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-women/article/2017-02-20/uconn-mississippi-state-are-1-2-latest-di-womens-basketball">Bulldogs the No. 2 overall seed. http://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-women/article/2017-01-23/womens-basketball-committee-reveals-first-top-16-seeding">MSU was fourth in the http://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-women/article/2017-02-06/di-committee-reveals-latest-top-16-womens-basketball">first two rankings, but other teams’ losses have allowed the Bulldogs to climb up in the final poll before the bracket is released on March 13.

MSU will try to secure the top seed for the SEC Tournament over its next two games. The Bulldogs can capture a share of the conference title with a win this Thursday, Feb. 23, at No. 22, at least in the AP Poll, the University of Kentucky.

The http://hailstate.com/news/2017/2/21/womens-basketball-no-2-womens-hoops-climbs-to-second-in-usa-today-coaches-poll.aspx">Bulldogs against the Wildcats will stream on SECN+ with the tipoff scheduled at 6 p.m. A win at Kentucky will mean MSU can win the regular season outright in the season finale.

The Bulldogs will host the University of Tennessee on Sunday, Feb. 26, with the possible regular season title and the top seed in the conference tournament on the line. They will tipoff against the http://hailstate.com/news/2017/2/21/womens-basketball-no-2-womens-hoops-climbs-to-second-in-usa-today-coaches-poll.aspx">Volunteers at 4 p.m. ESPN2 will broadcast the game.

If MSU can win the http://hailstate.com/schedule.aspx?path=wbball">SEC Tournament, it would be hard to see the team fall beyond one of the top three seeds.

By winning the tournament, MSU should stay at the No. 2 overall seed when the http://hailstate.com/schedule.aspx?path=wbball">NCAA Division I Women’s Tournament starts on March 17. The higher MSU can rise in the top four overall seeds, the easier it should be to get in the Final Four, in theory.