The MSU Lady Bulldogs (17-13, 7-8 SEC) made an early exit from the SEC Tournament Thursday night after being upset by the Florida Gators (9-22, 3-13 SEC). The Gators dedicated the victory to their coach, Carolyn Peck, who will not be returning next season.
The Lady Bulldogs went up 7-2 to start the game, then the Gators went on a 10-3 run that tied things up.
The game would go back and forth through the entire first half, but the Lady Bulldogs would finish the period with a one point lead, 30-29.
State came out in the second half and held the Gators without a field goal for nearly eight minutes.
But the team failed to put the Gators away during the drought, and a Briana Phillips jumper put the Gators up again, 48-47.
“None of us wants this to be over,” Peck said of her team.
The Lady Bulldog sophomore guard Marneisha Richard did not want her team’s season to be over, either. Richard put up 14 points in the last minute and a half of the game
It would not be enough, though.
The Gators never relinquished their lead, completing 20 of 22 free throws down the stretch.
The inspired Gator defense slowed down the Lady Bulldogs and scored 18 points from MSU turnovers.
“They played their type of defense,” Imesia Jackson said. “With us being a team, we were supposed to come together and figure it out and just play out of whatever defense they threw at us. We didn’t come out and perform.”
Florida forward Marshae Dotson finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds in the effort.
The Gators led the game in rebounds 48-37 and free throw attempts, making 27 of 31, and turned both of those advantages to points on the board.
“I felt like in the second half we ended up getting a lead and got ourselves in a position to win the ballgame,” MSU head coach Sharon Fanning said. “I think you have to give credit to Florida because they kept taking it at us.”
Richards lead the Lady Bulldogs with 18 points – all in the second half – 8 assists and 6 rebounds.
Jackson added 12 points and 6 boards, and Tysheka Grimes chipped in 11.
“I’m very, very, very disappointed in terms of our effort,” Fanning said. “I’m very disappointed in terms of our focus. We just didn’t step up.”
The loss has all but ended the Lady Bulldogs’ post-season hopes, but Fanning is still optimistic about State’s shot at the NCAAs.
“I think we’ll just have to leave that up to them,” she said. “You know, playing into the league, being 7-7 … We’ll just have to see, but it’s not going to be in my hands.