Carter tabbed for SEC Co-Player Of The Week

Credit: Mississippi State Athletics

The Southeastern Conference announced on Tuesday, Jan. 16 that graduate student center Jessika Carter has been named SEC Co-Player of the Week.

It marks the second time this season and the fourth overall in her career that Carter has been selected for the conference’s top weekly award. Mississippi State has earned SEC Player of the Week honors four times this season by three different players – Carter, graduate student guard Lauren Park-Lane and senior guard Darrione Rogers – which is already the highest total since 2018-19.

Carter averaged 22.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.0 blocks on 64.5 percent from the field in 34.5 minutes to lead Mississippi State to its first two conference wins last week. Carter totaled 45 points and 24 rebounds over the last two conference contests compared to 14 points and 18 rebounds in the first two.

She was the leading scorer in both contests and turned in consecutive 20-point performances for the first time this season.

Carter finished with 22 points, 19 rebounds, three assists and two blocks, the last block which came on the Razorbacks’ final possession to tie or take the lead, in 32 minutes in a 66-63 road win at Arkansas on Jan. 11. The 19 rebounds for Carter surpassed her previous SEC high total; she has led the team in rebounds in three SEC contests and eight games this season.

With the latest double-double, Carter now has 35 for career, which ranks second among active SEC players and third in program history. The Bulldogs are 7-0 this season and 17-0 under head coach Sam Purcell when Carter records a double-double. The effort also marked her 11th career 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds performance.

Carter followed that performance with 22 points, five rebounds and two blocks in 37 minutes in a 69-57 home win over rival Ole Miss on Jan. 14. With Mississippi State trailing entering the fourth quarter, Carter anchored the defense that did not allow a point over the final 5:52 minutes of action and matched the visitors’ scoring output by herself with six points on 3-4 from the field in the final 10 minutes helping the Bulldogs outscore the Rebels 20-6 in the frame to secure the win.

Mississippi State remains home to take on Tennessee inside Humphrey Coliseum at 6:00 p.m. on SEC Network.