TUSCALOOSA – Ask any coach, team or player in the country what wins championships and you will be met with the resoundingly same answer: “Defense.”
Over the past few games, Mississippi State’s defense has been abysmal. Sunday afternoon’s 72-61 loss to Alabama would prove to be no different.
Coming into the second game against MSU this season, key Bama reserve player Lauren Hill averaged only 6.4 ppg.
At the end of regulation on Sunday, she obtained 22 points and help pace the Crimson Tide to an 11 point win over its conference rival.
State opened the scoring column on a jumper from senior forward Rebecca Kates.
After answering and bettering MSU’s shot, the Crimson Tide went on a 5-0 run before State got another basket from junior guard Doceide Warren at 15:55.
Neither team could seem to find the iron for over three minutes of play, until Bama finally hit a three point shot to make it a six point ball game.
Even though UA would go on another run, this time a 7-0 run, MSU continued to battle back as it had done all period. While Alabama was ahead at the half, the Lady Dawgs had pulled the game within five at 32-27.
In the second half, MSU responded by going on a 6-0 run to pull within two at 18:00. However, Alabama jumped back out on top by 13 points with a mid-period run.
Key baskets from State cut that lead back down to six with almost eight and a half minutes to play in the ball game.
Not to be outdone nor outplayed in its own house, UA would extend its lead to 18 over State with 1:03 left to play. A last gasp run by State led to the final 11-point margin.
“When you let a team make shots, and it’s uncontested you’re not going to win a ballgame,” MSU head coach Sharon Fanning said. “I go back to the defensive aspects of things. We’re not guarding very hard right now.”
As Hill proved, open shots were abundant against the Bulldog defense. The Crimson Tide outscored MSU 36-0 in bench points.
The MSU Lady Bulldogs will be in action this Thursday night as they take on the Lady Commodores of Vanderbilt at 8 p.m. in Humphrey Coliseum.
The Lady Dawgs will be looking for fan support for the televised game.
“I think you find what you’re made of right now, and it starts this Thursday at 8 o’clock,” Fanning said. “We need all our fans to come out and be a factor for us.”