Mississippi State women's basketball gets Top-10 ranking in AP's preseason poll

Bulldogs tabbed as country's No. 6 team

The coach has changed, but the expectations haven't for Mississippi State women's basketball. That was evident on Tuesday as the Bulldogs were tabbed as the No. 6 team in the country in the Associated Press' Preseason Top 25 Poll.

MSU has now spent 115 consecutive weeks ranked inside the AP Top 25 dating back to 2014. That's the fifth-longest active streak in all of Division I women's basketball.

Of course this year's Bulldogs will have a different leader at the helm to try and maintain the success of recent seasons. Nikki McCray-Penson is set to take over the reigns from former coach Vic Schaefer, who left earlier this year to take over the Texas program. 

McCray-Penson will be relying heavily on three returning starters from a year ago – preseason All-Americans Jessika Carter and Rickea Jackson, along with Nancy Lieberman Award nominee Myah Taylor.

The squad also brings back several key contributors in Aliyah Matharu, JaMya Mingo-Young, Yemiyah Morris and Xaria Wiggins. Former McDonald’s All-American Sidney Cooks is eligible this season after sitting out last year. The Bulldogs also added a trio of newcomers in McDonald’s All-American Madison Hayes, skilled post Charlotte Kohl and graduate transfer Caterrion Thompson.

MSU is slated to tip off its season later this month, though the schedule hasn't been officially announced as of yet. 

Here is the full AP Top 25:

1. South Carolina
2. Stanford
3. Connecticut
4. Baylor
5. Louisville
6. Mississippi State
7. Arizona
8. NC State
9. UCLA
10. Oregon
11. Kentucky
12. Maryland
13. Texas A&M
14. Arkansas
15. Iowa State
16. Indiana
17. Northwestern
18. Oregon State
19. DePaul
20. Ohio State
21. Gonzaga
22. Notre Dame
23. Syracuse
24. Missouri State
25. Michigan 

Others receiving votes (with point values shown): Texas 24, South Dakota 21, Florida State 12, North Carolina 10, Arizona State 6, Princeton 5, Marquette 4, South Dakota State 3, Boston College 2, South Florida 1, Rutgers 1, Tennessee 1, Duke 1

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