The Mississippi State University women’s basketball team continued its electric win streak Sunday in College Station, Texas, with a 74-63 victory over Texas A&M.
Bulldogs and Aggies fans filled Reed Arena in anticipation for the matchup between the two teams, both of which have been facing a tough schedule recently.
It was obvious that the Bulldogs’ busy week had taken a toll, as the team seemed sluggish on the court early in the game. Despite their exhausting week, MSU solidified a three-game sweep after facing LSU, Kentucky and Texas A&M.
The Bulldogs trailed 11-2 within the first few minutes of the game, but the score did not linger long. MSU continued to fall behind as the second quarter rolled around, but their grit and determination is what pulled the Bulldogs back in the game.
With 4:06 left in the first half, senior Darrione Rogers lit a spark for Mississippi State as she secured their first lead of the game 22-21. The rest of the Bulldogs followed suit, as they put up 9 more points before closing out the first half with a 31-23 lead over the Aggies.
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In true Bulldog fashion, Mississippi State forward and transfer student Erynn Barnum took over the court in the second half to ultimately secure the win for the Bulldogs. As the star player of the game, Barnum put down a season-high 22 points with 6 rebounds and 3 assists for the Bulldogs.
However, Mississippi State’s talent did not stop with her. Senior Jerkaila Jordan and Darrione Rogers were powerhouses for MSU, helping to settle the scoreboard against the Aggies. Rogers was a force to be reckoned with as she totaled 18 points and 5 rebounds for Mississippi State. Jordan followed close behind her with 11 points and an impressive total of 11 rebounds.
While the Bulldogs commanded the court in the second half, the Aggies fought hard to close the gap as time elapsed. MSU was not able to get comfortable until the team secured a 10 point lead with less than 30 seconds remaining in the game after back-to-back successful free throws from senior Lauren Parker-Lane, Barnum and Rogers to seal the deal.
The strong defensive effort from the Bulldogs held the Aggies to 39% shooting with a total of 22 turnovers, and Texas A&M’s foul-heavy game gave the Bulldogs many opportunities to rack up points with little effort. The Bulldogs pulled off 75.9% from the charity line in Sunday’s game.
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With this road win, Mississippi State improved to an overall record of 19-5 and 6-3 in SEC play. The Bulldogs are set to face the University of Georgia Thursday in the Humphrey Coliseum at 6:30 p.m. CT in a clash that will air on SEC network.
