College football may be at the midway point of the schedule for most teams around the country, but Mississippi State women's associate head coach Johnnie Harris had a very important message for those who attended Monday's meeting of the Starkville Rotary Club.
It's time for Bulldog basketball.
"It's here," Harris said with excitement in her voice. "It's basketball season. We still have some fun football times ahead, but we tell our kids all of the time that it's getting closer and closer. It's a week or two weeks away from our opener. We're preparing for that."
The MSU women will hold their Maroon-White Scrimmage on Wednesday at 6 p.m., then the one and only exhibition game will take place on November against Arkansas-Fort Smith at Humphrey Coliseum, which is also a 6 p.m. tip.
Harris make sure the Rotarians were aware about the season-opener on November 10, which is the second half of a home basketball doubleheader with the men's team. The women take on Virginia at 8 p.m. and Harris said head coach Vic Schaefer is working hard to get a sellout.
Season reserve seat tickets for the 2017-18 season have already been sold out.
The reason Harris points to for that is the way the players represent Mississippi State on and off the court.
"It's a testament to our kids, how hard they play and how they reach out to the community," Harris said. "We try to make sure our kids are out there, greeting the fans and doing a good job in the community. The community is what makes us so we want to give back to them."
The Bulldogs have gained more and more popularity, especially since the NCAA Final Four run of last season and knocking off Connecticut 66-64 in overtime to reach the national championship game.
Harris said the fans fueled the success MSU enjoyed in the NCAA Tournament last season.
"During the NCAA Tournament, you guys were loud," Harris told the Rotarians. "It was important to us and coach Schaefer and it doesn't go unnoticed."