The Mississippi Lady Rebels snatched state bragging rights Sunday against the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs on “Pack The Hump Day” with a 78-62 victory.
After 10 minutes, Lady Dawgs and the Lady Rebels stood deadlocked at 20. Both teams scored 33 in the second half. How did the Lady Rebels sweep the Lady Dawgs for the first time since 1997?
Five Lady Bulldog turnovers and four Lady Rebel three’s helped Mississippi close the first half on a 25-9 run.
“When we were tied at 20, we got winded and missed shots,” said Lady Dawgs’ head coach Sharon Fanning. “We got frustrated and just didn’t fight.”
Mississippi claimed a 15-2 scoring advantage off 10 MSU turnovers in the first half. UM gave the ball up just three times in the first half.
Fanning expressed disappointment that her team did not force more turnovers and said the Dawgs’ turnovers resulted from poor decision making.
“We are going to work on the fundamental things in practice to limit turnovers as we get ready for Florida Thursday,” Fanning said.
Armintie Price posted the game’s only double-double with 21 points and 11 boards for the Lady Rebels. Carletta Brown added 13, Amber Watts added 12 and Genice Terry chipped in 10.
“We wanted to come out and work inside and out,” Watts said. “We want to give the same kind of effort our coach gives us.”
In her first season at UM, head coach Carol Ross has taken a team that won one SEC game last season and posted six wins in nine conference games.
“Sharon and Missisippi State have done a tremendous job of bringing attention in this state to women’s basketball,” Ross said. “We are trying to establish a little dominance of our own.”
State outrebounded Missisippi 44 to 37, and made two more field goals, but the Lady Rebels sank 26 of 30 free throws. The Lady Dawgs went five for 11.
Seneca Anderson posted a career high with 12 rebounds, including nine offensive boards.
Tiania Burns led the Lady Dawgs with 21 points and Tan White’s 15 points moved her into third place on the all-time scoring list with 1,539.
“We came ready,” White said. “Things just didn’t go our way.”
Up next for State is a contest with No. 24 Florida in The Hump Thursday at 7 p.m.
Fanning said the team chemistry is still not where it needs to be and added, “We have to refocus, learn and mature.”
“We have to take the bad from today and mold into into good stuff,” Burns said.