Monday, February 13, 2017   
 
Former Gov. Haley Barbour to deliver Lamar Conerly Governance Lecture at MSU
Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour will speak Monday at Mississippi State. Free and open to the public, Barbour's presentation on leadership will be held at 1 p.m. in the Colvard Student Union second-floor Bill R. Foster Ballroom. Part of the university's Lamar Conerly Governance Lecture Series, the event is organized by the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, and Pre-Law Society. The lecture series is made possible by major support from Conerly, a 1971 MSU accounting/pre-law graduate and longtime partner in the Destin, Florida, law firm of Conerly, Bowman and Dykes LLP. He is both a former national MSU Alumni Association president and College of Business Alumni Fellow.
 
Former Gov. Haley Barbour to speak at Mississippi State
Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour is going back to school. Barbour will speak Monday at Mississippi State as part of the university's Lamar Conerly Governance Lecture Series. Barbour served as governor from 2004 through 2012. He is also a former chairman of the Republican National Committee and former White House political affairs director. In addition, he's the founding partner of BGR Group, where he heads advocacy coalitions, lobbies and remains a major force in Republican party politics.
 
Mississippi State recovery community holds art auction to provide student scholarships
An arts and action fundraiser raised money for students with the Collegiate Recovery Community at Mississippi State University. The fundraiser featured a painting artist and a chef who cooked a four course meal for guests and all of the money raised will go toward scholarships. "The first step is to recognize I have a problem. Once they do that, people pretty much do what the need to do to take care of it. We do know that addiction is a biochemical, biogenetic brain disorder. We're not dealing with someone who has bad habits, or someone who is immoral or whatever," said Martha Allen, who's on the Collegiate Recovery Community board. The CRC at Mississippi State provides services to students suffering from drugs, alcohol and process addictions.
 
Community Raises Money For Good Campus Cause
It's something that affects families across the nation: addictions. To help put a stop to these addictions and add to the recovery process of college students, citizens gathered in West Point to raise funds for a Mississippi State organization. It's called the Campus Recovery Community. It's fairly new to MSU's campus, but with efforts like this from alumni and generous donors it seems it won't take long for students to have an addiction-free college career. It's inspiring to see a community come together for something they believe in, but a nice meal and some big ticket auction items wouldn't hurt to add into the mix. It's all part of what the CRC of Mississippi State held at Old Waverly Golf Course in West Point, to raise money for a good cause.
 
MSMS alum and Mississippi State senior Lucas Ferguson headed to Cambridge University
Mississippi State University senior biology major Lucas Ferguson just got a free ride to study the evolution of viruses at the University of Cambridge in England. The Batesville native is one of only 36 Americans -- and the first ever MSU student -- to receive a Gates Cambridge scholarship, which pays students' full tuition for masters programs at one of the world's oldest and most premier universities. For Ferguson, that means researching for a year in the heart of the "Silicon Valley" of bio-technical research analyzing and experimenting with strains of RNA viruses. Ferguson, grandson of William Bost Sr. for whom the Bost Extension Center at MSU is named, took his first crack at scientific research when he was a senior at the Columbus-based Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science where he participated in the school's Research Shadowing Program at MSU.
 
Mississippi State student from Batesville named Gates Cambridge Scholar
A senior biochemistry major at Mississippi State has been named the university's first recipient of the Gates Cambridge Scholarship. Lucas J. Ferguson of Batesville, a 2016 Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College Outstanding Research Award recipient, is among 36 selected to receive the international scholarship awarded by the University of Cambridge. In addition to the full cost of studying at one of the world's leading universities, the award provides discretionary funding. "Lucas plans to devote his professional life to computational modeling of infectious disease, and the platform that Gates Cambridge offers him to pursue cutting-edge research is unparalleled," said Tommy Anderson, MSU honors college director for prestigious external scholarships and an MSU professor of English.
 
Shackouls Honors College at Mississippi State adds a twist to Shakespeare this Valentine's Day
In celebration of Shakespeare Week at Mississippi State University, the Shackouls Honors College presents "Love-in-Idleness or A Midsummer Night's Subplot" Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Griffis Hall on the MSU campus. The free performances directed by Donna Clevinger, professor and senior faculty fellow at the Honors College, take place on the third floor of Griffis Hall and are open to the public. Based on William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," the adaptation developed by Eric Vivier in MSU's Department of English promises to deliver on humor, song, dance and audience participation in a unique, intimate setting. "It's always a wonderful surprise to see what students audition and the talent that we get," said Clevinger.
 
OCH CEO Richard Hilton: Patient cost at heart of first-call air transport policy
Representatives of North Mississippi Medical Center's Starkville-based CareFlight ambulatory helicopter program say their services are undercut in Oktibbeha County by a local policy sending flight requests to the University of Mississippi Medical Center's Golden Triangle Regional Airport-based operation. OCH Regional Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Richard Hilton, however, stands by the hospital's decision to institute a first-call request with the Oktibbeha County Emergency Management Agency for UMMC's flight services, saying hospital trustees weighed the financial burden both groups place on patients and passed a policy "in order to obtain minimum out-of-pocket" costs for those in need of air transport.
 
Atmos stepping up communication efforts with rehab project in Starkville
Atmos Energy is installing signage in a small swath of Starkville to let residents know of an ongoing $2 million effort replacing aging infrastructure. Although the infrastructure rehabilitation project, which focuses on an area roughly between Gillespie and Scales streets and north of Lampkin Street, began in October, the company recently started ramping up its effort to spread the word about the project, dotting intersections and other right-of-way areas with small billboards explaining contractors' efforts and listing area representatives' contact information for inquiries and complaints. "There seemed to be some confusion as to what we're doing and why we're doing it," said Atmos Public Affairs Director Robert Lesley. "This is a good thing. We just want the people of Starkville to know (what the company is doing)."
 
MDAH Names Leadership Team for 2 Mississippi Museums
The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and the Museum of Mississippi History are coming soon. In a release on its website, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History has named the leadership teams for the museums. The leadership team for the 2 Mississippi Museums is now in place with Cindy Gardner as site administrator, Pamela Junior as director of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, and Rachel Myers as director of the Museum of Mississippi History. "We could not ask for a better group to head up these world-class museums," said MDAH director Katie Blount. "Cindy Gardner has been a guiding hand for the project from the start, and Pamela Junior and Rachel Myers bring a wealth of experience and energy that will help connect the museums to all Mississippians." The museums are scheduled to open December 9, 2017, as the centerpiece of the state's bicentennial celebration.
 
Developers try their luck again to get site approval for casinos in Biloxi, Diamondhead
Players who aren't winning at one slot machine move to another, and two companies whose casino-site approvals in Biloxi and Diamondhead were denied years ago will try their luck this week with three new members of the Mississippi Gaming Commission. The commissioners' decision will be one of the defining rulings of 25 years of casinos in Mississippi. Approving these two casinos could change the rules and open many more South Mississippi sites to casinos. Denying site approval to one or both could mean the loss of hundreds of jobs and millions in economic development. A public hearing for the two casino sites will follow the regular meeting of the Gaming Commission, which will begin at 9 a.m. Thursday at D'Iberville City Hall. A vote won't be taken Thursday, said Allen Godfrey, executive director of the Mississippi Gaming Commission. The hearing is for the developers to show a footprint of the casinos they propose and argue points of site approval. It isn't a time to hear about the economic benefits of either casino, he said, although there may be time for public comment at the end of the meeting.
 
Revenue outlook not getting any better for state budget writers
Legislative budget writers, looking for positive revenue trends, as they work during the 2017 session to develop a budget for the next fiscal year, starting July 1, are not getting much encouragement. Revenue collections for the current fiscal year remain disappointing -- as they have been for more than a year. The revenue report for the month of January compiled by the staff of the Legislative Budget Committee reveals tax collections and other revenue generated on a monthly basis, such as from interest on earnings, are $18.5 million below the projection. For the fiscal year, revenue is $116 million or 4 percent below projections. The projection is important because it represents the amount of money appropriated by the 2016 Legislature for the current budget year.
 
Analysis: Lack of info not helping school funding
There's still time to have a real discussion about possible changes to Mississippi's school funding formula. Last week's derailment of what had once looked like a legislative freight train might provide the opportunity. Unable to decide on what proposals to bring forward, leaders in the House and Senate both abandoned placeholder bills to die at Thursday's deadline. The issue could still come back this year, but lawmakers will probably need Gov. Phil Bryant to call a special session. The process crashed in part because far too many people don't understand what consulting group EdBuild proposed, or how the scenario put forward by the nonprofit group could be modified.
 
Bill to shorten school year among those dying in Legislature
Legislation that would have shortened the school year by 10 days died Thursday when it was not taken up for consideration by House Education Chair John Moore, R-Brandon. The bill was among the scores of bills that died on the House and Senate calendars when they were not taken up by Thursday's deadline for bills to be voted on in the chamber where they originated. Bills dealing with rewriting the Mississippi Adequate Education Program school funding formula and enacting a lottery got the most attention when they died on the deadline day, but there were multiple others. The legislation dealing with the school year would have reduced the number of days for students from 180 to 170.
 
Revenge porn bill passes in Senate
A bill passed in the Senate would create the crimes of sextortion and sexploitation, or what some refer to as revenge porn legislation. Senate Bill 2907 would prohibit a person from disclosing a photo or other visual image without permission of a person's intimate parts exposed or of the individual engaged in sexual conduct. Sen. Sally Doty, R-Brookhaven, the bill's author; said it carries civil liability and criminal penalties. Doty said 34 states and Washington, D.C,. have such legislation. The bill now goes to the House. If it passes in the Legislature and is signed into law by the governor, it would take effect July 1.
 
DeSoto senator pushes cursive writing
In the age of social media, digital computation and electronic tablet writing, the Mississippi Legislature has taken steps to reinstitute and reinforce a grammar school standby --- cursive writing. State Sen. David Parker, R-Olive Branch, a co-author of the bill, said that Senate Bill 2273, which would require students to be taught cursive writing in school and demonstrate proficiency by the completion of fifth grade, passed the full Senate on Wednesday. "As the father of college children, a high schooler, and a kindergartener, I am excited that the form of English used in our original founding documents will not appear to be a foreign language to the children in Mississippi," Parker said. "Thank you to the parents, teachers, school administrators, and students who expressed a desire to see this pass! I look forward to this moving on to the House for consideration and hopeful passage."
 
U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss., supports bill to shutter EPA
Despite its slim chances of passing, Rep. Steven Palazzo is one of only four Republican congressmen supporting a bill to shut down the Environmental Protection Agency, a federal agency he said is "strangling American businesses." The Mississippi congressman is a co-sponsor of legislation introduced by Rep. Matt Gaetz last week that would abolish the EPA and end what the Florida Republican calls its "oppressive jurisdiction." "The EPA is a prime example of federal agency overreach, and they have far surpassed their original intent," Palazzo said in a statement. "Ultimately, I believe state regulatory organizations can develop and implement environmental regulations better than bureaucrats in Washington, DC." The measure, which experts and environmentalists say is unlikely to pass even the Republican-controlled Congress, has still attracted national attention. It has also drawn the ire of some Mississippians, including some in Palazzo's district.
 
NCAA OKs MUW's Athletics exploratory application
The National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Membership Committee approved the Mississippi University for Women Athletics' exploratory application. "Today marks a huge step forward for Owls Athletics," The W Director of Athletics Jason Trufant said. "With the acceptance of our exploratory application, we have shown a commitment and desire to be a part of the NCAA and its outstanding membership." Owls Athletics will be an official exploratory member beginning Sept. 1. The exploratory year of membership marks the first of a five-year process to becoming a Division III NCAA member. "Over the past several years many have worked toward this important milestone for The W and our athletics program, and I want to thank them, as well as our outstanding athletics staff, on behalf of our student-athletes who will benefit from this good work," The W President Jim Borsig said.
 
At Ole Miss, a Liberal Agitator's Education
Allen Coon, perhaps the most reviled student at the University of Mississippi, was walking to his public policy class at the Trent Lott Leadership Institute on a recent weekday morning, sporting a red faux Trump cap emblazoned with the message MAKE AMERICA NATIVE AGAIN. Mr. Coon, 21, a white man from Petal, Miss., had just cut his shoulder-length hair. It had been his visual signature on a conservative campus where the sight of a man with long hair retains some power to provoke. It had also inspired his black friends to refer to him, playfully and semi-sarcastically, as White Jesus. Mr. Coon is aware that black people aren't looking for a white savior. And he is acutely aware that his surname, which doubles as a racial slur, can teeter like an unexploded bomb on the lips of every Mississippian who dares to mutter it. Yet none of that impeded Mr. Coon's transformation into a full-blown campus celebrity in October 2015, when he helped lead the student movement that brought the Confederate-themed state flag down from the university's main flagpole.
 
Ole Miss student head-butts police officer
An Ole Miss student from Brandon, who is accused of robbing a North Mississippi store, is now in trouble for assaulting an officer. According to WTVA in Tupelo, Daniel Stewart Berry was heading to court Thursday morning when he shouted and headbutted a nearby deputy. He was quickly detained. His family lives in Tupelo and he is currently enrolled at Ole Miss as a business major. Officials suspect he was on drugs at the time of the head-butting incident, possibly on a new drug called "gravel."
 
UMMC dental students are on a mission
Dedicating one's life to serving others doesn't always come with a full benefits package: medical, dental, life and paid vacation. That's why Melissa Smith and her husband Joshua were thrilled to hear that free dental care would be available to them at the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry's inaugural Dental Mission Week. Over the past week, the school shut down normal operations and opened its doors to Mississippi's underserved community. Patients from the metro area and as far away as Pascagoula and Greenwood arrived well before 8 a.m. Monday to receive much needed care. The goal was to provide dental care to 800 adult patients between Monday and Thursday.
 
Ole Miss hosts Venture Launch Weekend
Launching a new business isn't easy. That is precisely why the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce, Insight Park, and the Ole Miss Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship held an event Friday and Saturday called Venture Launch Weekend. The two-day event ended Saturday afternoon. It was open to Ole Miss students and community members interested in launching their own businesses. Participants learned entrepreneurial skills and got the opportunity to network with those in the business community. They also heard from speakers like Garret Gray, President and CEO of Next Gear Solutions, a software company. The weekend ended with groups pitching their ideas to a panel of four judges. The winners earned prizes.
 
Southern Miss student dies in New Orleans
An undergraduate student from the University of Southern Mississippi died in New Orleans overnight. University officials said they were notified on Saturday Cole Whaley, a student from Mobile, Ala. and member of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, died in New Orleans. "The University was informed Saturday morning of the death of one of our students, Cole Whaley," said Eddie Holloway, Dean of Students. "We are all saddened by this tragedy, and are reaching out to his family, friends and loved ones to offer our prayers and support." USM will offer counseling services to those affected by Whaley's death. "We learned of this tragic accident early Saturday morning," said Pi Kappa Phi Chief Executive Officer Mark E. Timmes. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Cole's family and friends."
 
IHL selects 33 members for Jackson State presidential search committee
On Friday the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) announced the 33 member Campus Search Advisory Committee (CSAC) for Jackson State University's presidential search. Members of the CSAC represent a cross-section of the Jackson State University (JSU) campus community. Yolanda Owens, President of the JSU National Alumni Association, and Dr. Jean Claude Assad, Associate Professor of Economics, will serve as co-chairs of the committee. The Campus Search Advisory Committee will have a public meeting Wednesday, February 15 at 11:30 a.m. in Ballroom B of the Student Center on the Campus of Jackson State University, 1400 John R. Lynch St in Jackson. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the search.
 
La. university endowments following national downturn; here's what that means for LSU
Louisiana's $2.3 billion collegiate nest egg is getting smaller because investments made by the endowments of most of the state's public colleges just aren't returning the dividends expected. Nationally, three-fourths of colleges are reporting they are dipping into the base of donations after suffering their first losses since the 2008 recession. The decline shocked many in the higher education community and led some university-affiliated foundations to alter their management. In Louisiana, most funds followed the national trend for 2016. But for many state schools, this is the second or third year of poor returns. LSU, for instance, has been quietly adjusting its foundation's operations after two consecutive years of losses. The LSU Foundation, a few years ago, intentionally shifted a portion of its assets from stocks and bonds to investments like real estate and energy, interim LSU Foundation CEO Dan Layzell said in an emailed statement.
 
Movies, documentaries at UGA to provide jumping-off points for political discussions
The second episode of Cinema Politique, a program which aims to introduce and discuss international and national political developments on the basis of documentaries and movies, will be Wednesday at the University of Georgia. Led by Cas Mudde of the School of Public and International Affairs, and Mary Miller, Peabody Awards Collection archivist with the UGA Libraries, the series will draw largely from the vast Peabody Awards Collection, and will take place once a month. A UGA faculty member will introduce each film, lead a discussion afterwards and make additional reading suggestions. January's selection was the 1939 classic Mr. Smith Goes To Washington.
 
The 'red zone': sexual assaults on Tennessee campuses
The early weeks of a college semester have been dubbed the "red zone" by some academics and sexual assault prevention experts -- a designation used to signal the period of time between the first day students arrive on campus until the last day before Thanksgiving break when students are more likely to be sexually assaulted, according to some analyses of college sexual assault reporting statistics. While skeptics have questioned data on the prevalence of campus sexual assaults, campuses across the country have taken such reports seriously. In Tennessee, colleges and universities have developed "red zone" awareness campaigns. At the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, nine sexual assaults were reported to have occurred between move-in day and Thanksgiving break last fall.
 
Texas A&M center to pair research, industry to rebuild infrastructure
The new Center for Infrastructure Renewal moved closer to reality this week, which will allow researchers with the Texas A&M Experiment Station and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute to begin work addressing the infrastructure challenges currently facing Texas and the U.S. The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents approved the official establishment of the facility during a meeting this week on the Texas A&M campus. Designed to facilitate multi-disciplinary and cross-industry projects, the center will seek to take innovations pioneered by Texas A&M University System researchers and put them into practice in the real world. The center will receive $250,000 in funding from TEES for its first six years, with officials noting that it is expected to be self-sufficient by the end of that initial period by using state and federal grants, industry sponsorships and training-related income.
 
White House, Republicans reach out to historically black colleges
During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump frequently asked African-American voters, "What do you have to lose by trying something new?" Less than a month into his presidency, leaders of historically black colleges and universities are exploring what they may have to gain from a new relationship with the Trump White House and congressional Republicans. Some HBCU leaders found themselves disappointed with the first African-American presidency within the first few years of the Obama administration. Now some see a chance to address many of the shortcomings of the previous administration with a White House led by a president overwhelmingly rejected by the vast majority of black voters -- partly because of his history of inflammatory statements about minority groups.
 
Financial concerns delay new U. of Memphis rec center
Financial concerns are delaying the construction of a new recreation center at the University of Memphis, the school announced Sunday in an email to the community. An increase in student fees to pay for the new rec center did not generate as much revenue as expected, President David Rudd said in the announcement, delaying the project 18 months. Also, the existing rec center will not be torn down as planned, as the school still owes money on that building until 2030. "Plans for the new student recreation center have been returned for redesign, with a request to lower costs to fit within the financial model constraints, along with accommodating retention of the current facility," Rudd said. "Costs for the project ballooned to well over $60 (million), exceeding the boundaries of the original financial model."
 
In wake of violent protests, colleges prepare for chaos
A crowd of about 1,500 people -- many of whom were college students -- gathered on the University of California's Berkeley campus this month to peacefully protest the appearance of conservative writer and provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos. They had come to march, to carry signs and to raise their voices in dissent of the Breitbart figure's controversial points of view, as is within their First Amendment rights. They did not come to start fires or break windows. But their message was overshadowed by another, smaller mass of about 150 protesters who did come to start fires, break windows and hurl rocks at police officers -- and who accomplished all of those things. They wore black and concealed their faces with masks. Black bloc is a strategy intended to unify protesters through their black clothing, masks and paramilitary tactics. The protesters become indistinguishable from one another, creating confusion for law enforcement officials and chaos among innocent bystanders.
 
Move remediation to community colleges, hybrid universities
Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford of Meridian, a former member of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, writes: "Across the nation ever rising higher education costs are in conflict with tight state budgets. At the same time, ever rising tuition costs are in conflict with stagnant family incomes. Many states are looking to restructure higher education to reduce costs, both for the state and for students. 'The pressure on higher ed budgets is going to continue,' said Andrew Kelly who works education reform for the American Enterprise Institute. 'So the question is, how do states navigate that?' The Pew Charitable Trusts, in an article entitled 'The High Cost of Higher Education,' suggests that 'the most difficult way,' but perhaps the most effective way, is through 'systemic change.' Systemic change is what Mississippi needs."
 
State should lean on open source software to save money, reduce brain drain
Mississippi newspaper publisher and columnist Wyatt Emmerich writes: "Oxford Entrepreneur Harley Garrett has an intriguing idea that deserves consideration by our state leaders: Use a portion of Mississippi's technology budget to promote university-based start-ups using open source code. Mississippi spends $250 million a year on software to run its government. Much of this software is proprietary code with big national companies. We get locked in to the software. Switching becomes impossible. Steep price increases follow. Taxpayers lose. Garrett proposes a better way. Working with our university computer departments, the Legislature should create a Center for Collaborative Software Development. A portion of our state IT spending should be set aside to support this. Student teams could design and compete for state software contracts using open source under university supervision. The winners could go on to found successful software companies based in Mississippi."
 
Discarded legislative bills a treasure trove of interesting ideas
Longtime Mississippi journalist Charlie Mitchell writes: "I know, I know, I know. When people hear about the Mississippi Legislature at all, it's school funding, yes or no on a lottery, morphing campaign donations into individual retirement accounts, whether the state will annex the City of Jackson for the Purpose of Pothole Repair. Big stuff. Important stuff. But there were 2,528 distinct pieces of legislation proposed in the House and the Senate this year, not counting assorted resolutions and commendations. There are nuggets in this treasure trove that should not pass without mention."
 
Gov. Phil Bryant tackles bureaucracy, but it fights back
The Clarion-Ledger's Geoff Pender writes: "Gov. Phil Bryant is trying to tackle state bureaucracy, but he's seeing firsthand the wisdom of Ronald Reagan's adage: 'A government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth.' House Bill 1425 would put most of the state's many occupational licensure boards under the governor's 'active supervision.' But after passing the House earlier last week, it's now in limbo, with a vote Friday to table a holding motion and send it on to the Senate failing 31-85. The bureaucracy fights back. And it has the Legislature's ear."
 
Alternate execution method bill ignores larger death penalty debate
Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: "There is no gentle way to say it, so here goes. House Bill 638 as passed by that chamber of the Mississippi Legislature isn't a bill that considers whether the state should impose the death penalty. No, that's not the matter at hand in this legislation. House Bill 638 is a bill that would govern the method by which the state would impose the death penalty should the current lethal injection method at some point in the future be ruled unconstitutional. Nationally, lethal injection as a method of execution is mired in litigation over the specific drugs used in the lethal injection "cocktail" and whether the practice actually is the 'more humane' method that legislators thought they were adopting almost 20 years ago."


SPORTS
 
Mississippi State women show off their depth in rout
Vic Schaefer has a two-headed monster at just about every position. That depth has propelled the Mississippi State women's basketball team to new heights in The Associated Press and the USA Today Coaches polls. On Sunday, No. 4 MSU received three solid efforts off the bench in its 66-44 victory against Ole Miss before a crowd of 4,634 at The Pavilion at Ole Miss. In addition to Teaira McCowan's 17-point, 18-rebound performance, senior forward Ketara Chapel had six points, three assists, and two steals in 24 minutes, while sophomore point guard Jazzmun Holmes had six points, two assists, and three steals in 13 minutes. All three players had key role in a 24-4 second quarter that helped MSU (25-1, 11-1 Southeastern Conference) break the game open.
 
Teaira McCowan stands tall in the middle, Bulldogs improve to 25-1
Ole Miss and No. 4 Mississippi State played on fairly even terms in the second half Sunday, but far too much damage was done by the Bulldogs in the first half. In both halves 6-foot-7 sophomore Teaira McCowan was dominant, and the Bulldogs defeated the Rebels 66-44 before 4,634 fans at The Pavilion. The Bulldogs improve to 25-1, 11-1 in SEC play, tying the school record for conference wins in a season. McCowan impacted both ends of the floor and had totaled 11 points and 13 rebounds by halftime. She blocked three shots and altered many others. "She's 6-7. They threw it to the corner of the backboard, and there was not a lot we could do. It was smart by Vic, and if I was him I'd do that for the next however many games they play. Ain't very many people that can do anything with that," Ole Miss coach Matt Insell said.
 
Teaira McCowan, Mississippi State dominate Ole Miss 66-44
Vic Schaefer knows Mississippi State President Mark Keenum puts an emphasis on the in-state rivalry with Ole Miss before SEC championships. "I get that message loud and clear," Schaefer said. It was abundantly clear Sunday as the No. 3 Bulldogs dominated the Rebels 66-44 at The Pavilion. It was Mississippi State's seventh consecutive victory in the rivalry. "I guess I've got job security for maybe one more year," Schaefer said. "This is obviously an emotional game for a lot of people," Schaefer said. "For us, it was just the next one to be honest." The business-like approach paid off just as it has most of the season for Mississippi State, which tied the school record with 11 SEC wins, a mark it has reached each of the past two seasons.
 
No. 4 Mississippi State downs Ole Miss
Mississippi State's Teaira McCowan is 6-foot-7 with broad shoulders, plenty of athleticism and a surprisingly soft touch around the basket. She also, at times, has displayed quite a temper. So when an Ole Miss player slammed into McCowan during a rebound attempt and knocked her to the floor, Mississippi State coach Vic Schaefer had a few extremely nervous moments. "A year ago, she might have stood up over her and punched the kid," Schaefer said. But on Sunday afternoon, McCowan got up as a flagrant foul was called and calmly walked away. In many ways, it was Schaefer's favorite moment during No. 4 Mississippi State's 66-44 victory over rival Mississippi.
 
No. 4 Mississippi State dominates Ole Miss for season sweep
For a moment it appeared Ole Miss' women may have a chance to pull off the upset of their season. Then, Mississippi State proved why they are a Top 4 team and a heavy favorite to make a run in the NCAA Tournament next month. The No. 4 Bulldogs flexed their muscle with a big second quarter and defeated Ole Miss 66-44 inside the Pavilion on Sunday afternoon. It is the fifth straight win for Mississippi State, while the Rebels suffered their second straight defeat. The sheer size and strength of the Bulldogs (25-1, 11-1 Southeastern Conference) was too much for Ole Miss. "Really proud of our energy and effort," Mississippi State head coach Vic Schaefer said.
 
Teaira McCowan's big day sparks No. 4 Mississippi State's victory against Ole Miss
The numbers continue to pile up at a dizzying pace for the Mississippi State women's basketball team. On Sunday, Teaira McCowan made sure to add an exclamation point to the latest additions to the Bulldogs' best regular season to date. McCowan made her impact felt in every facet, scoring 17 points, grabbing 18 rebounds, and blocking three shots to propel No. 4 MSU to a 66-44 victory against Ole Miss before a crowd of 4,634 at The Pavilion at Ole Miss. The 44 points is the second-lowest total MSU has allowed in the 93-game series. "I am really proud of my basketball team," Mississippi State coach Vic Schaefer said. "I am really proud of our energy and effort, especially that second quarter. I thought we really won the hustle points, which we take great pride in. I thought that was a big difference in the game."
 
Notebook: Bulldogs will be watching big game Monday night
The shadow of UConn always looms large in women's basketball. No. 4 Mississippi State players -- while setting their sights on big things this postseason themselves -- will take a sneak peak at the Huskies' shot at history tonight. UConn will win its 100th-straight game if it defeats South Carolina, which currently shares the SEC lead with MSU. "I watch most games. I'll be watching tomorrow night. It will be a good game," MSU guard Dominique Dillingham said. Her teammate, Teaira McCowan, will not only be watching but will be taking notes. "I'll also be watching. I look at teams and scout them on my own in case we have to play them so I would know some of the things they do," she said.
 
Plenty of competition remains for Mississippi State baseball as opener approaches
Andy Cannizaro believes in competition. MSU's first-year head baseball coach has facilitated plenty of it at practice, and it looks like his players will get more of it prior to the season opener. Cannizaro provided that outline for his Bulldogs on Saturday at Media Day. He said every-day competition will continue at some positions to determine starters and will extend into the opening weeks of the season at other spots. "I've always believed in the theory that if you let them compete against each other the cream truly does rise to the top," Cannizaro said. "That's the model I've gone into the last couple of weeks with: put them on the field, head-to-head competition, show me who can play, show our coaching staff who can help our team win, show (pitching coach) Gary Henderson who we can trust putting on the mound."
 
Tyson Carter's big night a good sign for Mississippi State going forward
When senior I.J. Ready suffered an injury two weeks ago that has caused him to miss the past four games, Mississippi State coach Ben Howland said the Bulldogs were going to need more production from guards like Tyson Carter. The freshman received opportunities; Ready left the game against Alabama on Jan. 28 and hasn't returned to the court while Carter played 20, 14 and 13 minutes, respectively, in the following three games. Positive results were not immediate. Carter went 3-for-21 from the field with eight points during that stretch and was scoreless against Ole Miss on Jan. 31. Then Saturday night happened. Carter scored a season-high 22 points in 27 minutes off the bench during a 77-73 loss against No. 16 South Carolina. He went 8-for-13 from the field and was 5 of 10 from 3-point range.
 
Experience counts for Mississippi State's new safeties coach, Ron English
Ron English first crossed paths with Dan Mullen at the Capital One Bowl following the 2007 season. English was defensive coordinator at Michigan and matched wits with Mullen, who was serving as offensive coordinator at Florida at the time. English's Wolverines won 41-35 that day and held Mullen's offense led by Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow to 399 yards. That defensive performance left an impression on Mullen and the next year when he was hired as the head coach at Mississippi State, English was offered a position on the Bulldogs' staff. However, English had already accepted a head coaching job of his own at Eastern Michigan. "He has done a wonderful job here," English said of Mullen, his new boss. "This program has now made bowl games an expectation. They have been No. 1 in the country for several weeks and they have had great players. I just think there is an opportunity to win here."
 
Coast duo helps Mississippi State fishing club finish second
Two Pearl River County residents led Mississippi State's Bass Fishing Club to second place at the YETI FLW College Fishing Southeastern Conference bass tournament. Carriere's Jack Stegall and Caleb Hebert of Poplarville earned $1,000 for the MSU club at the tournament held on Lake Seminole in Georgia. The duo also qualified for 2018 YETI FLW College Fishing National Championship. Both students are juniors. Stegall is a marketing major in the College of Business. Hebert is a wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture major in the College of Forest Resources.
 
NCAA status marks 'milestone' for MUW sports
Jason Trufant takes pride in being a process-oriented individual. That's why it shouldn't be surprising that the Mississippi University for Women director of athletics said he "actually enjoyed" being a part of the team that put together a 79-page exploratory application to send to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Membership Committee. On Friday morning, The W announced the NCAA had approved the application, which means it will become an official exploratory member of the NCAA on Sept. 1. The exploratory year of membership with the NCAA is the first of a 5-year process to becoming a Division III NCAA member. Trufant was hired last May to spearhead The W's drive toward rebuilding an intercollegiate athletic department that was discontinued in 2003 by then-President Claudia Limbert after a November tornado destroyed the school's gymnasium. He started his work last June and has been working closely with MUW President Jim Borsig to formulate the plan The W will follow to make sure everything comes into focus.



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