SB Potential Prediction Preview: #4 Lady Vols Prepare for Top-20 Road Series Against #16 Mississippi State…s

KNOXVILLE, TN - January 18, 2024 - Infielder Laura Mealer #2 of the Tennessee Lady Volunteers portrait taken during Photo Day in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics

 

Knoxville, Tennessee – Following No. 3 Georgia’s important SEC series victory, the fourth-ranked Lady Vols will travel to Starkville to face No. 16 Mississippi State.

Tennessee (30-6, 10-2 SEC) leads the league standings heading into the weekend, but it faces a difficult road test against a powerful Bulldog attack.

FOLLOW LIVE.

Friday and Sunday’s games will be broadcast on SEC Network+ and the WatchESPN app. SEC Network will broadcast Saturday’s game, with Jenn Hildreth (play-by-play) and Danielle Lawrie (analyst) calling the action.

Fans can listen to the Voice of the Lady Vols. Brian Rice will call the series all weekend on AM990, which can also be accessed via UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics app.

Notable Conference Success
Tennessee has dominated the conference since its final series against Auburn in 2022. From May 7-8, 2022, UT has won 12 of their 13 SEC series, compiling a league record of 32-7.

That streak includes sweeps of Auburn (2022), Ole Miss, LSU, Kentucky, and Florida in 2023, as well as sweeps of Missouri and South Carolina this season.

STATE OUR BUSINESS.
Tennessee has a 45-21 record against Mississippi State and has won eight of its previous ten meetings with the Bulldogs, winning 68 percent of the time.

BOO GIBSON
McKenna Gibson has had plenty of offensive power this season, leading the club with 32 RBIs, 41 hits, and a.376 batting average.

Boo leads the Lady Vols with 109 plate appearances and 41 hits, including six doubles and six home runs.

In her most recent performance, the Santa Clarita, California, native hit.500 against No. 3 Georgia, including a timely home run and three RBIs.

Scouting Mississippi State

Samantha Ricketts, head coach at MSU, has a record of 153-90.

2024 Record: 28-10 (8-7 SEC).

Tennessee now leads the series 45-21.

Last Meeting: W, 1-0 (13) on May 12, 2022 at the 2022 SEC Tournament in Gainesville, Florida.

Mississippi State has won 28 of its 38 games this season, is 8-7 in conference play, and is 15-4 at home. The Bulldogs scored important series wins against No. 18 Arkansas and No. 22.

South Carolina.

MSU is ranked ninth in the nation and second in the SEC in scoring, averaging 7.08 runs per game.

UP NEXT

Tennessee returns home next weekend, hosting LSU on April 19-21 at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

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