Update: April 1, 2017 : The Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs will play for a national title after defeating undefeated UConn 66-64 in overtime. Some analyst are calling it one of the greatest woman’s basketball games of all time.
MSU will take on the University of South Carolina at the American Airlines Center in Dallas for the national title Sunday. Mississippi State lost both matchups against the Gamecocks this season.
Tip off is set for 5:00 CT and will be aired on ESPN.
March 31, 2017:
Friday night the Mississippi State woman’s basketball team will tip-off at the American Airlines Center in Dallas against undefeated and reigning national champions UConn.
The Final Four matchup features a Lady Bulldogs squad with experience on their side, having 11 returning players and four seniors who have played in three consecutive NCAA tournaments.
Fifth year MSU head coach Vic Schaefer emphasized at the teams press conference that he knows that they’re an underdog, but he also knows they can win.
“I know what I got in my locker room. People that pay attention to us throughout the course of the year, I think they know it too. I know what’s inside our breastplate, I’m not trading my kids for anybodies,” said Schaefer
After last year’s 60 point loss to the Huskies, revenge is no-doubt on their mind but it’ll be a tall order. Friday morning the Bulldogs were a 21.5 point underdog against the back-to-back-to-back-to-back national champions.
Schaefer says the big time atmosphere of playing in the Final Four shouldn’t be a problem for his players.
“I think we’ve got kids that really love that moment, they love the lights. They’ve excelled in those types of moments, said Schaefer
Win or lose, this year’s Lady Bulldogs will go down as the winningest program in the school’s history.
The Final Four matchup is set to tip off at 9 p.m. CT on ESPN.
