Preview: Mississippi State Women's Basketball vs. Missouri

The good are rolling in Starkville.

Mississippi State women's basketball has won two of its last three games against ranked opponents, most recently a thorough thrasing of No. 15 Tennessee, and is finally through a seven-game gauntlet of ranked SEC teams.

Now, the Bulldogs have to avoid a trap game against Missouri.

Following a grueling stretch, it's not hard to imagine a team overlooking a non-ranked foe. Especially when one of the best teams in the country is next up on the schedule.

That's the situation for the Bulldogs. Sunday's opponent, Missouri, isn't ranked. On Thursday, they'll travel to No. 2 South Carolina, looking for their biggest win of the season. But that would tarnished with a loss to the Tigers.

Here's a preview of Sunday's game, plus tv listing information.

The Opponent: Missouri

Missouri enters its upcoming conference matchup on the heels of a win over Texas A&M, a game in which junior guard Grace Slaughter continued her standout season. Slaughter scored 24 points against the Aggies, marking her third straight 20‑point performance and her 11th of the year. She ranks 22nd nationally and fifth in the SEC in scoring at 19.3 points per game, while also sitting 10th in the country in minutes played at 35.94 per contest.

Redshirt senior guard Jayla Smith added 15 points in the victory, her highest total in SEC play this season and her second‑best scoring output overall.

The Tigers enter the week as one of the nation’s most efficient perimeter shooting teams. Missouri ranks 10th nationally and second in the SEC in 3‑point percentage at 37.4 percent, and sits 26th in the country with 8.7 made threes per game. Sophomore guard Chloe Sotell (39.8%) and junior guard Abbey Schreacke (38.7%) both rank among the SEC’s top eight in 3‑point accuracy.

Missouri also excels at the free‑throw line, leading the SEC and ranking fifth nationally at 79.6 percent. The Tigers draw fouls at a high rate as well, earning whistles on 19.6 percent of their two‑point attempts — the 22nd‑best mark in the country. Guard Ashton Dowell (98) and Slaughter (92) rank second and third in the SEC in free throws made.

Defensively, Missouri remains strong on the glass. The Tigers are 20th nationally and sixth in the SEC in defensive rebounding, averaging 29.2 per game.

How to Watch: Missouri at Mississippi State

• Who: Missouri Tigers (14-9, 2-6 SEC) at Mississippi State Bulldogs (16-6, 3-5 SEC)
• When: 2 p.m., Sunday
• Where: Humphrey Coliseum, Starkville, Miss.
• TV: SECN+
• Radio: Live Radio
• Stats: Live Stats
• Series History: Mississippi State leads the all-time series 12-6
• Last Meeting: Mississippi State 75, Missouri 55 (2025 SEC Tournament)
• Last time out, Bulldogs: def. No. 15 Tennessee, 77-62
• Last time out, Tigers: def. Texas A&M, 81-70

Student-Athlete Availability Report

Missouri

Out

• #21 Averi Kroenke
• #24 Sydney Mains
• #34 Hannah Linthacum

Probable

• #11 Jayla Smith

Mississippi State

• All available.

Mississippi State Top Performers

• Points: Favour Nwaedozi, 13.1 ppg
• Rebounds: Favour Nwaedozi, 10.5 rpg
• Assists: Destiney McPhaul, 86 (3.9 avg.)
• Steals: Destiney McPhaul, 37 (1.7 avg.)
• Blocks: Madison Francis, 64 (2.9 avg.)

Missouri Top Performers

• Points: Grace Slaughter, 19.3 ppg
• Rebounds: Grace Slaughter, 7.4 rpg
• Assists: Chloe Sotell, 50 (2.2 avg.)
• Steals: Chloe Sotell, 31 (1.3 avg.)
• Blocks: Jayla Smith, 19 (0.8 avg.)