The MSU Lady Bulldogs (11-8, 2-3 SEC) snapped their three-game losing streak against the South Carolina Gamecocks (11-9, 1-4 SEC) with a quick start and a career day from an up-and-coming freshman. The Lady Bulldogs pulled off an 8-2 run to start the game and, except for a brief 1-point Gamecock lead, were in control the entire evening.
The team did it with good defense and fundamentally sound offense, cornerstones of head coach Sharon Fanning’s game plan.
“They shot the ball well,” South Carolina head coach Susan Walvius said. “They defended very well. They forced turnovers. They scored in transition. They did all the things they needed to do in order to win.”
On the stat sheet there were no real indicators that pointed to such a dominating effort. The Gamecocks shot 48 percent from the field compared to the Lady Bulldogs’ 49.
USC guard Lauren Simms finished the game with 20 points and 6 assists.
The Gamecocks used their size advantage to get nine blocks on the day, led by forward Lakesha Tolliver, who had five by herself.
The Lady Bulldog vets had a good showing. Junior forward Imesia Jackson finished the game with 23 points and 5 rebounds, while Marneshia Richard recorded 13 points and 11 assists, notching her first career double-double.
The key to the Lady Dawgs’ victory, however, was freshman Tysheka Grimes.
Grimes had 28 points and eight rebounds and even managed to force four steals.
“We didn’t have an answer for her,” Walvius said. “At halftime that is what we talked to our team about … Who can guard her?”
Grimes had 19 of her 28 points in the first half.
“I’ve never had a first-half performance like that,” Grimes said. “I was shocked. I don’t know what came over me. This was a good experience. It’s a good feeling to go out, play your best and win. Now we should just carry it over to the next game.”
Fellow freshmen Alexis Rack finished the game with 10 points, and Bethany Washington pulled down 10 boards.
Up next for the Lady Dawgs will be a road trip to Kentucky on Thursday before a weekend matchup against cross-state rival Mississippi in Oxford on Sunday.