Just like with every sport in the SEC, the grind can be daunting. While the Mississippi State University women’s basketball team has been almost flawless up to this point, it finally found out what back-to-back losses feels like for the first time all season last Thursday night against LSU. However, following the double overtime loss, the Bulldogs were able to regroup and end the skid on Sunday against Alabama. 
Thursday night’s matchup produced a wildly entertaining affair that spanned two overtimes. The Bulldogs found themselves down double figures for the majority of regulation, but surged back to hold a seven-point lead at one juncture in the second half. 
After the first half saw the Bulldogs shoot only 29 percent from the field and below 70 percent from the free throw line, the Bulldogs were lucky to be down only three points at halftime. LSU managed to post a field goal percentage of 66 on 12-18 shots during the first half. The Tigers capitalized on Mississippi State turnovers and were able to play a very efficient first half to take a lead into halftime. 
Following the break, the Bulldogs emerged from the locker room with a much more precise attitude. Halfway through the second half, the Bulldogs climbed their way back into the lead, thanks to thetimely shot-making abilities of both Dominique Dillingham and Jerica James. Along with this, Head Coach Vic Schaefer’s team straightened things back out on the defensive end, holding the Tigers to only 36 percent shooting in the second half. 
Even with the Bulldogs’ jump in performance during the second half, the game still ultimately came down to the final shot of regulation, when LSU’s final shot was blocked by Dillingham, sending the game into overtime.
With the Bulldogs clinging to a three-point lead with nine seconds remaining in the first overtime, LSU’s Danielle Ballard got the ball up the court quickly enough to launch the game-tying three pointer. 
While people in attendance may have been affected by the swing in momentum to begin the second overtime, the Bulldogs responded admirably by jumping out to an early 68-65 lead on the back of two back-to-back three pointers by Dillingham. 
Just like in the overtime, the tide turned quickly back in the favor of the Tigers, who forced the Bulldogs into converting two costly turnovers within a matter of 25 seconds. This sudden turn of events led LSU to reel off the final six points and get the 71-69 win. 
After the game, Schaefer was adamant he was proud of the spirit his team displayed and showed great respect for the LSU Tigers. 
“It was a knockdown, drag out game,” Schaefer said. “I hate it for these kids. They played their guts out. LSU is a top 25-team. Now that Ballard is back, they are a really good team. I am proud of the effort. It hurts to lose a game like this. I love the fight of my team.”
With two days to regroup, the Bulldogs were looking to get back on track against Alabama on Sunday. To the enjoyment of the eighth-largest crowd in the history of the program, the Bulldogs flexed their defensive prowess to pick up the 66-50 win against the Crimson Tide. 
Unlike recent previous games, the Bulldogs played a solid first half that resulted in a halftime lead that they never surrendered. Shooting a nice 46 percent from the field, the Bulldogs showed once their offense was on par with their defense, they were a very difficult team with which to contend. 
The second half brought a stretch of nerves though for the Bulldogs as they struggled to put points on the board in the first 10 minutes of the half. This allowed the Crimson Tide to pull back in within three points, but at this stage of the game the Bulldogs, by the power of their defense, soared back to a 10-point lead. 
From this point forward, the Bulldogs seized control of the contest and snapped the losing streak at two games with the 15-point victory. Kendra Grant and Morgan William led the Bulldogs in scoring with a combined 29 points for Schaefer’s squad. 
Overall the Bulldogs  have gotten back on track, thanks mostly to the reemergence of their stellar defensive play. Dillingham broke down what she believed to be different in Sunday’s game compared to the two before it by pointing to better principles as the main catalyst. 
“We didn’t play well (on defense), against LSU and Vanderbilt, so that was a big focus,” Dillingham said. “We worked hard to keep the ball in front of us and made sure we didn’t foul them. Defense has been a real big emphasis in practice.”
One other aspect the team has begun to notice and appreciate is the pickup in attendance over the last couple of weeks. The last two games had a joint total of 9,329 fans, one of the highest two-game totals in team history. Schaefer expressed his gratitude to the fans for all of the great support with the team’s newfound success. 
“We are so appreciative of the fans and numbers we are getting,” Schaefer said. “We are meeting people every day who would go to football and baseball games, and now they are going to women’s basketball games. Our ladies deserve the support they are getting. I think they represent the name on the front as well they represent the name on the back.”
The Bulldogs return to action on the road at Auburn Monday. The game can be seen on the SEC Network or heard on MSU radio.