Bulldogs’ Carter named finalist for Gillom Trophy

Credit: Mississippi State Athletics

Mississippi State women’s basketball player Jessika Carter has been named one of three finalists for the Gillom Trophy, announced Thursday by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.

The Gillom Trophy is awarded annually to Mississippi’s best female college basketball player. Angel Baker of Ole Miss and Dominique Davis of Southern Miss are Joining Carter as a finalist.

This year’s winner will be announced during a luncheon at the Golden Moon Casino at Pearl River Resort in Choctaw on Monday, March 6. Carter will be looking to join a list of Bulldog greats who have won this award since its inception in 2008. In the award’s 16th year, a Mississippi State player has won the award nine times.

Carter was named a finalist for the award for her strong play this season. She is having a career year under first-year head coach Sam Purcell. She is averaging a career-high 14.8 points per game to go along with her 7.6 rebounds per contest. She has blocked 55 shots through 25 games and is just six blocks from setting a new single-season career high. Carter has also established a career mark with 34 assists; her previous high was just 16 during the 2020-21 season while also being just seven steals away from a new career-high with 24.

Carter, who has a field goal percentage of 57.1%, has the second-best shooting percentage in the SEC and the 23rd-best mark in the country. She currently ranks second in the SEC, and 20th in the NCAA, in blocked shots (55) while leading the SEC and ranking 18th nationally in blocks per game (2.2). She also ranks 5th in the SEC in rebounds per game (7.6).