Xaria Wiggins and Jessika Carter make pledges to Mississippi StateMississippi State coach Vic Schaefer and his staff had a successful weekend after hosting four-star prospects Xaria Wiggins and Jessika Carter on official visits and securing verbal commitments from the pair. Wiggins and Carter join current Mississippi State commit's Daphane White and Brittany Davis. Both Wiggins and Carter seem to be natural fits for last year’s NCAA national runner-up as both are elite athletes and versatile defenders. With three ELITE 150 commits Wiggins, White, and Carter, Mississippi State’s 2018 class, will jump towards the top of the recruiting class rankings when they are released later this week.
At 5-foot-11, Wiggins is one of the best athletes in the class. She has a long, wiry frame and superior foot-speed. Mississippi State has earned a reputation as one of the elite defensive teams in the country, but even on last year’s NCAA runner-up team, they didn’t have a perimeter defender with the natural gifts that Wiggins possesses. It is within the frame of possibility that Wiggins can develop into an “all-league” type of defender during her college career.
With the addition of Jessika Carter, Mississippi State now has one of the best center and power forward duos in this year’s recruiting class. At many programs, Carter may be asked to play as a primary post, but with Mississippi State already having a commitment from Daphane White, a classic post, Carter will be able to use her athleticism and develop as a versatile offensive player with the mobility and length to be an impact defender. Carter is a prospect with an abundance of talent if she can continue to develop and season her game she could be considered one of the steals of this 2018 recruiting class.
Moving forward, Mississippi State may look to add a key perimeter piece. With Blair Schaefer, Morgan William, Victoria Vivians, and Roshunda Johnson all departing at the end of next season, a playmaker on the perimeter or an accurate perimeter shooter would be a key area for coach Schaefer and his staff to address. That said, with four seniors on the current roster and four commitments in the 2018 class, look for the SEC program to address future needs on the perimeter in the 2019 class.
