Jackson Free Press

Now that we are firmly into the New Year, it is time to take a look at the women’s college basketball teams in our state. Most but not all teams have started conference play.

Since women’s basketball in Mississippi has six Division I teams, that is where this update will begin. The Division II and other levels of college basketball will follow.

The Mississippi State University women’s basketball team is having a historic season. The Bulldogs have climbed all the way up to http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/rankings">No. 4 in the nation in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls.

MSU is a perfect http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/team/schedule/_/id/344">15-0 overall and 1-0 in the Southeastern Conference this season and has met little resistance of opponents along the way such as when it overcame Iowa State University in an overtime victory. Mississippi State is the only SEC team left undefeated at this point in the season and is one of three undefeated teams left in the nation.

The Bulldogs started SEC play on Jan. 1 against Louisiana State University with a 74-48 win at home. MSU has finished the out of conference slate and plays conference games for the rest of the year. Next up for the Bulldogs is a road contest against the University of Arkansas.

The University of Mississippi sits at http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/team/schedule/_/id/145">12-2 after finishing its out-of-conference slate and 1-0 in SEC play. Both of UM’s losses happened during away games, which are the only ones this team has played.

The Rebels fell 64-57 to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and to former-No. 16 West Virginia University 66-61. UM has an 83-67 victory over former-No. 25 University of Oregon at home.

UM opened conference play against the University of Arkansas with a 73-64 win at home.

Road trips to the University of Alabama on Jan. 5 and MSU on Jan. 16 await the Rebels.

The University of Southern Mississippi has a solid http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/team/schedule/_/id/2572">8-5 overall record and a 0-1 Conference USA record. USM has fallen to Tulane University, MSU, the University of California, Berkeley, and Northern Kentucky University. The Golden Eagles played California and Northern Kentucky games at a neutral location.

Southern Miss stumbled at the end of the out-of-conference slate when it lost three of its last four games. The Golden Eagles started C-USA play on Dec. 30 with a 72-61 loss on the road against Louisiana Tech University.

USM is on a two-game losing streak, as the team has lost four of its last five games. The Golden Eagles will try to break their losing streak on the road against the University Texas, San Antonio on Jan. 5.

Jackson State University began the season with a three-game winning streak before going on a three-game losing streak. The Tigers have won four of their last five games, which earned them a http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/team/schedule/_/id/2296">7-4 overall record and 1-0 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play.

JSU played its final out-of-conference game against Fisk University on Dec. 30 with a 93-54 win.

The Tigers begin SWAC play on Jan. 2 with a 64-54 win on the road against Alabama State University. The team hits the court again on Jan. 4 against Alabama State University on the road.

Mississippi Valley State began the season at 2-2 before going on a three-game losing streak, which the team broke with a 66-40 win over Blue Mountain College before going on another three-game losing streak.

MVSU played two ranked teams during the nonconference slate but lost both games. The Delta Devils currently have a http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/team/schedule/_/id/2400">4-8 overall record and a 1-0 record in SWAC play.

Mississippi Valley State started SWAC play away from home on Jan. 2 with a 73-63 win against the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

The Delta Devils will be in action on Jan. 7 at home against Alabama A&M University.

Just two SWAC teams have a winning record at this point: 7-4 JSU and 7-5 Texas Southern University.

Alcorn State University has struggled to bring it this season. At this point, the Braves are http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/team/schedule/_/id/2016">0-12 overall and 0-1 in SWAC play.

ASU is still looking right the ship during conference play that after falling 57-53 on Jan. 2 against Texas Southern University at home. Alcorn State will look to break its long losing streak at home on Jan. 4 against Prairie View A&M University. The Braves are the only SWAC team that is still looking for a victory this season.

Delta State University is currently http://www.gostatesmen.com/schedule.aspx?path=wbball">4-6 overall and 1-4 in Gulf South Conference play. The Statesmen began conference play with a 77-82 loss to Mississippi College.

DSU has finished its nonconference schedule and plays just conference games the rest of this season. The Statesmen were are on a two-game losing streak before notching a 51-41 win on Dec. 31 at 2 p.m. against Union University from Tennessee.

Delta State followed that victory with a 53-50 loss on Jan. 2 to Christian Brothers University.

DSU looks to get back on the winning side on Jan. 7 against the University of West Georgia.

At this point in the season, Mississippi College is http://www.gochoctaws.com/schedule.aspx?path=wbball">3-5 overall and 1-4 in GSC play. The Choctaws’ lone conference win came against DSU.

MC has one more out-of-conference game left—a makeup game against Tougaloo College on Jan. 16 at 3 p.m.—but the rest of the schedule is conference games. The Choctaws ended 2016 at home on Dec. 31 with a 73-63 loss against Christian Brothers University from Tennessee.

The team is currently on a four-game losing streak after dropping a Jan. 2 contest 92-69 to Union University. MC looks to break the losing streak at home on Jan. 7 against the University of West Alabama.

Belhaven University is http://blazers.belhaven.edu/schedule.aspx?path=wbball&">6-5 overall and 1-3 in American Southwest Conference play. The Millsaps College recently snapped up the Blazers’ two-game winning streak in a 70-59 win.

Belhaven finished its out-of-conference games at home on Dec. 31 with a 79-69 game against Covenant College.

The Blazers play conference games for the rest of the season starting Jan. 5 against Howard Payne University.

Millsaps College is http://www.gochoctaws.com/schedule.aspx?path=wbball">7-5 overall on the season with a 0-1 record in Southern Athletic Association play. The Majors played a final nonconference game on Dec. 30 in a 66-58 win against Covenant College at home.

The team started Southern Athletic Association play at home on Jan. 2 in a 61-45 defeat against Birmingham-Southern College.

Millsaps’ next contest on on Jan. 6 in a road game against Hendrix College.

Tougaloo College is currently http://www.tougaloobulldogs.com/schedule/0/2.php">3-4 on the season and earned an 81-45 victory in its last outing with LeMoyne-Owen College. With three games left, Tougaloo isn’t done with its out-of-conference schedule. The Bulldogs play a makeup game against Mississippi College and a home-and-home series against Stillman College.

The Bulldogs are 2-0 at home, 2-2 on the road and 0-1 in neutral site games. Tougaloo has eight home games left and seven road games still to play.

The Bulldogs begin conference play on the road on Jan. 7 against Xavier University of Louisiana at 3 p.m.

William Carey University is currently http://www.careyathletics.com/schedule/0/7.php">3-5 overall and 1-2 in Southern States Athletic Conference play. The Crusaders finished 2016 with a 76-72 loss on New Year’s Eve to Faulkner University.

WCU plays just one more out-of-conference game against Xavier University from Louisiana.

Carey is back in action Jan. 5 against Brewton-Parker College as it tries to even its conference record.