No postseason basketball for MSU women

Not counting last year's COVID-19-shortened season, it has been eight years since Mississippi State's women's basketball program didn't play in the postseason. That streak ended on Monday.

The Bulldogs were not selected to the Women's NCAA Tournament field, nor were they picked as a potential replacement should any squad have to back out due to coronavirus-related issues. And sources confirmed to Cowbell Corner on Monday night that MSU declined an invite to participate in this year's WNIT. The result? After a rocky, tumultous season under first-year head coach Nikki McCray-Penson, Mississippi State's 2020-21 campaign is officially over.

The Bulldogs end the year with a 10-9 overall record. MSU lost seven of its final nine games. The late-season slide put Mississippi State solidly on the NCAA Tournament bubble and on Monday, it became apparent the Bulldogs' bubble had been popped.

It's the first time State hasn't made it to the big dance since 2014. Beginning in 2015 under then-head-coach Vic Schaefer, MSU went to the NCAA Tournament five straight times, reaching the Sweet Sixteen four times. The Bulldogs reached three Elite Eights, two final fours and twice played for the national championship over their run that made them one of the country's premier programs.

Schaefer left the Bulldogs to become the head coach at Texas last April and MSU handed the keys to its program over to McCray-Penson – an individual widely considered at the time to be an up-and-coming star in the women's basketball coaching ranks. That could still eventually prove to be true, but her initial campaign is now over in disappointing fashion.

Thank you for coming to Cowbell Corner for coverage of Mississippi State sports. Be sure to follow Cowbell Corner on Twitter (@SIBulldogs) by clicking here, and like it on Facebook by clicking here.

Add us as a preferred source on Google