Preview: Missouri Tigers at Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs

STARKVILLE, Miss. (Interstat) — The Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs look to build on a significant road win when they host the Missouri Tigers in a Southeastern Conference women’s basketball matchup Sunday at Humphrey Coliseum.

Mississippi State (16-6) is coming off a 77-62 victory at Tennessee last Thursday, a result that snapped a three-game skid. The Lady Bulldogs’ performance was fueled by Kharyssa Richardson, who scored 21 points in 28 minutes. Richardson has been a key scorer for Mississippi State, including a 23-point, seven-rebound effort in a win over Kentucky on Jan. 18, though her production has fluctuated during conference play.

Missouri (14-9) arrives after an 81-70 home win over Texas A&M on Jan. 25, which halted a five-game losing streak. The Tigers are led by standout guard Grace Slaughter, who poured in 24 points in that victory. Slaughter has been a consistent offensive force, averaging 20.1 points over her last eight games, including a 29-point outing at Florida.

The Tigers have struggled on the road in SEC play, losing all four conference away games this season by an average of 24.5 points. Defensive consistency has been an issue, as Missouri has allowed 80 or more points in four of its nine losses.

Mississippi State holds a 10-2 record at home this season, with both losses coming in tight contests against SEC foes Vanderbilt and Alabama. The Lady Bulldogs will aim to leverage their home-court advantage and interior presence, where they have outrebounded opponents in most victories.

This game represents a critical mid-conference test for both teams seeking to improve their postseason positioning. Missouri will need secondary scoring behind Slaughter, while Mississippi State will look for Richardson to provide a steady offensive complement to Madison Francis and Trayanna Crisp.

Tipoff is scheduled for Sunday afternoon.