Mississippi State Women's Basketball Heads to UT Martin

Mississippi State heads to Tennessee for first road test

The Mississippi State women’s basketball team is moving from the comforts of home to the road for the first time this season. According to Mississippi State Athletics, the Bulldogs will travel to Martin, Tennessee, to face the UT Martin Skyhawks on Sunday, November 8, 2026. This matchup serves as a critical early-season litmus test for a program looking to build on a dominant defensive showing in their opener.

The Bulldogs enter the contest with a 1-0 record, while the Skyhawks currently hold a 2-0 record. While the game is a non-conference matchup, the stakes for momentum are high. Mississippi State is looking to prove that their recent defensive lockdown was not a fluke, while UT Martin aims to maintain their undefeated start to the season.

There is a slight discrepancy regarding the tipoff time between local and national reporting. Mississippi State Athletics lists the game for 2:00 p.m. CT, whereas Varsity Slate reports the start time as 3:00 p.m. ET. Fans planning to watch the game on ESPN+ should account for these regional time differences. The game will take place at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center in Martin, TN.

Defensive dominance defined the season opener

Mississippi State’s recent performance against North Alabama set a high bar for the rest of the roster. The Bulldogs secured a 68-27 victory, a win defined largely by their ability to disrupt the opposition’s rhythm. The defensive statistics from that contest were some of the most impressive seen in Starkville in recent years.

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The Bulldogs recorded 20 team steals, marking the highest total for the program since 2015. This aggressive defensive posture forced 33 turnovers from North Alabama, the most by any Bulldog opponent since 2019. The impact was immediate on the scoreboard; the 27 points allowed by Mississippi State were the fewest scored by an opponent in both a season opener and a home opener in the program’s history. Furthermore, the Bulldogs held the Lions to a 16.7 field goal percentage, their best defensive mark since 2014.

Individual performances mirrored this collective intensity. Favour Nwaedozi anchored the effort with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks on 6-11 shooting. Madison Francis also stood out, contributing 13 points, seven rebounds, three steals, and three blocks. This marked the fifth time in her career that Francis recorded at least three steals and three blocks in a single game.

Statistical breakdown of the Bulldogs’ opener

Player	Points	Rebounds	Defensive Notables
Favour Nwaedozi	14	11	3 blocks
Madison Francis	13	7	3 steals, 3 blocks
Aryss Macktoon	7	N/A	4 steals

New faces and transfer depth bolster the roster

The current Bulldogs roster is a blend of returning talent and significant new additions via the transfer portal and recruiting. Mississippi State returns three key players from last season: Madison Francis, Favour Nwaedozi, and Melissa Guillet. Francis and Nwaedozi were the team’s top two scorers last year, providing a veteran core for the new campaign.

To supplement this experience, the program added four players from Division I institutions through the transfer portal: Aryss Macktoon, Reese Beaty, Macie Phifer, and Cali Smallwood. The roster also features two NJCAA All-Americans, Tootie Lockett and Arianny Francisco de Oliveira, who have made the jump to the SEC. Additionally, the team welcomes three freshmen: Andrea Flores, Grace Ndubueze, and Lani Smallwood.

The integration of these players is vital as the team faces a high-scoring opponent. The Skyhawks have shown significant offensive firepower, averaging 97.5 points across their first two games while shooting 52.1 percent from the field. For Mississippi State, the ability of the new transfers and freshmen to maintain the defensive intensity seen against North Alabama will determine if they can contain UT Martin’s high-octane offense.

The challenge posed by UT Martin

The Skyhawks bring veteran leadership to the court in the form of head coach Kevin McMillan. Now in his 18th season at the helm, McMillan maintains a career record of 309-230. His experience will be tested against a Mississippi State team that is still finding its footing with a revamped roster.

Mississippi State | Road to the National Championship (women's basketball)

UT Martin’s offensive production is currently led by Raven Sims, who is averaging 18.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. The Bulldogs’ defensive specialists, including Macktoon and Smallwood, who both recorded four steals in the opener, will need to be precise in their containment to prevent Sims and the rest of the Skyhawks from exploiting gaps in the perimeter defense.

Historical data suggests the Bulldogs have held the upper hand in this matchup. Mississippi State has won all seven previous encounters against UT Martin, with their last meeting in December 2021 resulting in a 54-37 Bulldog victory. State also holds a 2-0 record when playing at Skyhawk Arena.

The game is scheduled for Sunday, November 8, 2026, with coverage available via ESPN+ and the MSU Radio Network.