Twelfth-seeded UTC women play Mississippi State on Friday

The UTC women's basketball team members Chelsey Shumpert, Jasmine Joyner, Nakeia Burks, Alicia Payne and Queen Alford, from left, react while watching NCAA selection Monday, March 14, 2016 at the UTC University Center. The team will face Mississippi State on Friday, March 18 at 2:30 p.m. The UTC women's basketball team members Chelsey Shumpert, Jasmine Joyner, Nakeia Burks, Alicia Payne and Queen Alford, from left, react while watching NCAA selection Monday, March 14, 2016 at the UTC University Center. The team will face Mississippi State on Friday, March 18 at 2:30 p.m.

By Gene Henley March 15, 2016 3 min read

UTC at Mississippi State

› When: 2:30 p.m. EDT Friday› Where: Humphrey Coliseum; Starkville, Miss.› Records: UTC 24-7; Mississippi State 26-7› TV/Radio: ESPN2/96.1 FM› Series history: Mississippi State leads, 3-2› Last game: Mississippi State won 103-87 on Dec. 30, 1993

Jim Foster is fully aware that Mississippi State is a good team.

But the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s basketball coach also knows of a strong connection between the Bulldogs and his program. Mississippi State’s former longtime head coach, Sharon Fanning-Otis, grew up in Chattanooga and starred and coached at UTC.

The two went head to head against each other many times during Foster’s coaching stints at Vanderbilt and Ohio State. One time in particular stands out.

“I remember showing up without a belt one time,” Foster said. “She ran out and bought one so my britches would stay up.