While this year has seen so many contributions come from younger players within Head Coach Vic Schaefer’s squad, it should come as no surprise that one of the team’s youngest players provided the moment of magic that led the Bulldogs to their 20th win of the season. Freshman guard Morgan William was able to knock down a jumper with three seconds remaining in the ballgame to seal the 64-62 victory at Tad Smith Coliseum, snapping the Bulldogs’ three-game losing streak at the venue.
After the game, the night’s hero referenced the awareness she had in realizing her advantage in being able to get to the basket.
“My dad has always said big-time players step up and make big time plays,” William said in a news release. “I knew I couldn’t drive because I had been driving all night and not getting fouled. So I had to create some space and get a shot off. Fortunately, I made it.”
William is beginning to make a name for herself within Coach Schaefer’s system. Her quickness, as well as her floor recognition, make the prospects of her still having three more years as a Mississippi State University Bulldog exiting.
The freshman point guard  currently leads the team in assists and averages 10.1 points a game, the second highest on the team. She has shown an uncanny ability to get to the free throw line, as she has attempted 127 free throws in 22 games this season, an average of almost six a game. What makes this even more important is the fact she has made 107 of those 127 free throws, making her an 84 percent shooter from the line, the best on the team of anyone who has attempted at least 20 free throws for the season.
When Schaefer told the media before the season he thought his group of freshman was going to come in and produce early, even he could not have expected to see his two leading scorers be players he just recruited last spring. He’s got his squad playing the best of any women’s basketball team at MSU in over a decade, and his specialty on the defensive end is starting to take hold with this year’s team.
After Thursday night’s win, he did not waste anytime in pointing out his unit’s stellar defensive effort in the second half that ultimately helped the Bulldogs close the deal.
“In the second half, we held them to 26 percent shooting from the field and that was the difference in the game,” Schaefer said in a news release. “I have a lot of confidence in this team because we have some really good players. Tonight, those players made enough plays to win a critical game on the road in the toughest conference in the nation.”
Although the offensive numbers are still not where Schaefer would like them to be, the team continues to do just enough on offense to get them over the hump. Sophomore Breanna Richardson led all scorers on the day with 16 points, tying her SEC-high for her career.
Richardson said Schaefer motivated the team to finish strong down the stretch.
“Coach told us the first five minutes (of the second half) were going to be really huge,” Richardson said in a news release. “We knew we could either punch them in the mouth or they could punch us first. I really like how we came in the second half and got things started.”
MSU will return to action at home on Thursday against Vanderbilt. The game begins at 7 p.m.