Jessika Carter Earns SEC Honor for Recent Performances
The Mississippi State women's basketball team started the young season 8-0, but lost its next two games primarily due to forward Jessika Carter being out with an injury.
The Bulldogs climbed to the No. 21 spot in the AP Poll on Nov. 27, but dropped out after the losses. However, the Bulldogs have now won three straight games since Carter's return, as she's led them to double-digit victories in each outing. Mississippi State didn't make an appearance in this week's Top 25, but they received the seventh-most votes right outside of it.
Carter was selected as the SEC Co-Player of the Week on Tuesday. She is sharing the prestigious honor with LSU's Angel Reese. This is the third time in the graduate student's career that she's received this accolade and the first this season.
Carter posted double-doubles in both games from this past week and averaged 17.0 points, 15.5 rebounds, 4.5 blocks and 2.0 assists in 34.5 minutes per game
In the most recent game against Memphis, Carter tallied her fifth double-double of the season and the 33rd of her career – a career mark that ranks second among active SEC players. The Bulldogs are now 5-0 this season and 15-0 under head coach Sam Purcell when she turns in a double-double.
Carter's six blocks against Jackson State and 18 rebounds against Memphis were Mississippi State individual season highs.
Carter is currently averaging career-best numbers in points, rebounds and blocks with 15.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks on 50.8 percent from the field in 30.1 minutes per game. She has now led the team in blocks in seven games and has scored in double figures in all but one of her ten games played this season.