As Mississippi State women's basketball makes a final push to the postseason, a behemoth stands in their way. Thursday night, the #1 Texas Longhorns come to town, a Texas team led by someone Bulldog fans know better than anyone - head coach Vic Schaefer.
Vic Schaefer is a Mississippi State legend. He built the MSU women's basketball program out of mediocrity, leading them five-straight NCAA tournaments, two SEC regular season titles, one SEC tournament title, and back-to-back trips to the national championship game before leaving for Austin.
Schaefer will forever be a respected and loved figure in Mississippi State athletics. He has a genuine case as the greatest single coach to ever step foot in Starkville. But there's no question that Bulldog fans would love nothing more than to get a win against him.
Can State defy the odds? Here's how to watch Vic Schaefer's return to Starkville...
Game time and TV channel for Mississippi State women's basketball vs Texas Longhorns
Vic Schaefer's return to Humphrey Coliseum is set to tipoff at 6:30 PM CT. Despite this being a massive game in terms of the personal stakes, Mississippi State Bulldogs fans will have to turn to streaming to watch the Maroon and White in action against the program's all-time greatest coach. State vs Texas will air on SEC Network+, which is available through the ESPN app with the proper TV/streaming provider information. If you don't already have a TV or streaming provider, FuboTV is a great place to watch women's college basketball and offers a free trial.
Injury report for Mississippi State Bulldogs vs Texas Longhorns
For Mississippi State, the injury report is totally clean going into their showdown with the nation's #1 team. For Texas, guard Laila Phelia has been out for the Longhorns since December. Forward Aaliyah Moore was a starter for Texas, but she's missed the last month. Both remain out Thursday night.
ESPN Analytics prediction for the Mississippi State Bulldogs vs top-ranked Texas Longhorns
Not surprisingly, the metrics don't give State too much of a chance at upsetting the #1 Longhorns Thursday night. According to ESPN Analytics, Mississippi State has just a 10.8% chance of taking down Texas.
Mississippi State women's basketball vs Texas Longhorns score prediction
Beating your former coach, even a beloved one, is always special for a school, but unfortunately for Mississippi State, they've got an uphill battle to pull off that feat. Schaefer's Longhorns are elite, playing lockdown defense with a deep lineup. I think State will play hard defensively, but I have a hard time seeing their offense playing clean enough to get the upset.
Mississippi State loses 68-59