One good turn deserves another.That was the theme Sunday evening as the Ole Miss Lady Rebels (20-8, 9-4 SEC) got their revenge on the MSU Lady Bulldogs (16-11, 6-6 SEC) in a 86-84 overtime thriller.
With just over a minute left, Armintie Price gave the Lady Rebels a two-point lead. Bethany Washington responded on the other end tying things up once more.
The game was tied with 14.6 left, and Ole Miss had a chance to take the last shot for a win. They went to Price, and she missed, pulled down her own rebound and missed again.
Carla Bartee rebounded for the Rebels this time and missed the tip-in, sending MSU into its third overtime game in a season for the first time since 1981.
The overtime period started off slow. Both teams went back and forth, but with 3.4 seconds left, Ashley Awkward took a 3-pointer that bounced off the rim and was rebounded by MSU forward Bethany Washington.
Washington stepped on the out-of-bounds line, though, and Ole Miss got the ball back with 1.8 seconds left.
“Don’t let the ball hit our butts, and don’t let them lob it,” was the strategy according to junior forward Imesia Jackson.
However, Awkward did just that, lobbing the ball into the air to Price, who took flight and gave the Rebels the go-ahead score.
Price finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
“Offensively we took care of the ball and rebounded well,” MSU head coach Sharon Fanning said. “But for us to have the amount of turnovers we did in the second half was the game-changer to me.”
The Lady Bulldogs turned the ball over 31 times in the game, and Ole Miss turned the miscues into 31 points.
MSU came out flat in the second half, and Rack got into an ugly collision with Ole Miss star Armintie Price.
Price came away from the collision a bit banged up and missed only a few minutes.
Rack, on the other hand, suffered a gash over her eye and left the game to receive treatment.
After receiving four stitches, Rack returned with just under eight minutes left in the game, but was still not herself.
“When Alexis [Rack] had to leave the ballgame, it hurt us in terms of her 3-point shooting, and the lack of guards on the floor made us struggle to adjust.”
Five Lady Bulldogs finished with double figures, including Jackson, who finished with 18 points and 8 boards. Marniesha Richard also chipped in 15 points.