ESTABLISHED 1879 | COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI C DISPATCH.COM FREE! FRIDAY | MARCH 30, 2018 GROWING THE CHOIR Kelly Price/MSU Athletic Media Relations Mississippi State’s women’s basketball team huddles up during a practice in the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, in preparation for its Final Four match-up against Louisville. The Bulldogs will face the Cardinals at 6 p.m. for a shot to return to the national title game. From a small group of Bulldog believers to sellout crowds, women’s basketball sees boom in fan support MSU faces Louisville tonight for berth in national title game From left, Tommy and BDMY A A MINICHINO Terri Nusz, Brad Brad-
[email protected] way, David Hunt, and former Mississippi COLUMBUS, Ohio — It didn’t take long for Tommy State women’s bas- Nusz to get to know Vic Schaefer. ketball coach Sharon Asked by then Mississippi State Director of Athletics Fanning-Otis and her husband, Larry Otis, are Scott Stricklin to meet Schaefer, Nusz spent about half part of a group of core of the free time at the August Road Dawgs Tour stop fans that has traveled to in 2012 in Houston, Texas, talking to Vic and his wife, follow the MSU women’s Holly. basketball team since “He is clearly passionate. He is infectious,” Nusz said. coach Vic Schaefer was “He is very persuasive.” hired in 2012. They Nusz said Schaefer communicated his vision for the will cheer the team on tonight against Louisville MSU women’s basketball program and outlined what in the national semifi- he needed to help the program reach the highest level.