The Lady Bulldogs started off the 2009-10 season with consecutive wins over Arkansas Pine Bluff and East Tennessee State, earning them a top-25 ranking for the first time since since 2003. MSU is ranked No. 25.
In front of a crowd of 2,183 at Humphrey Coliseum, the Lady Bulldogs downed Arkansas Pine Bluff by a score of 106-48 Friday evening. The lead never left the Lady Bulldogs, extending to 60 points in the second half. State shot 44.7 percent in the game, and the defense forced the Lady Lions into shooting only 25.4 percent overall.
Senior forward Tysheka Grimes led the team with 22 points and picked up 12 rebounds for a double-double. Grimes was not the only Lady Bulldog to complete a double-double.
Junior guard Mary Catherine Govero scored 12 points with 13 rebounds, and senior forward Chanel Mokango scored 11 and scooped up 11 rebounds. Grimes moved up in the record books as the 24th place all-time career score leader with 834 career points.
“It is great to get started with a win,” head coach Sharon Fanning-Otis said. “I was pleased with the balance and the points off the bench. It was great to see the rotation. The more minutes people are out there, the more confidence they gain.”
This is the sixth straight season opener the Lady Bulldogs have won.
The women’s basketball action returned to the Hump Sunday afternoon with another big win over East Tennessee State. The Lady Bulldogs once again kept the lead throughout the entire game to defeat the Lady Buccaneers 80-50.
Mississippi State kept the same intensity from the season opener by keeping East Tennessee State to a 29.2 percent field goal average, while the Lady Bulldogs shot 43.8 percent overall.
All-SEC first-team guard Alexis Rack led the team in scoring with 14 points. Within six minutes of the first half, Rack moved to the ninth place all-time career scorer with 1,209 points. Grimes contributed 12 points and senior forward Armelie Lumanu added 11 points.
Rack said how important building momentum was her team. She said that solid defense leads to a stable offense.
Grimes said the offensive execution was good over the weekend but weekday practices are where seasons are won.
“To get a 20 point lead was a great thing,” said Fanning-Otis. “I challenged them that sometimes it is easy to relax when you do have a 20 point lead, but we need to develop the discipline and focus that we come up with the stop.”
The Lady Bulldogs will play host to Utah Valley Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Humphrey Coliseum.