The Mississippi State women’s basketball team (16-4, 5-2) picked up two huge wins in SEC competition beating Alabama, 72-56, on Thursday and traveling to Florida Sunday. The victory over the Crimson Tide (11-9, 1-6) marked the first time in the last 15 meetings played at The Hump between the cross-state rivals that MSU has prevailed.
Tan White poured in 25 points on Thursday night for the Bulldogs and just missed a double-double with nine rebounds. White also posted a team high four blocked shots during the game; the Bulldogs finished the game with an all-time high 10 blocks.
Despite notching only three points during the first 20 minutes of action, LaToya Thomas posted 17 points to go with eight boards. Freshman guard Doceida Warren added 11 points including 3-of-6 from three-point range.
“This was a big win for us,” White said. “We played with a lot of confidence. We really played with a lot of intensity in the second half. One thing we did tonight is that we played as a team. Each game that comes along we are getting more comfortable with each other on the court.”
The Bulldogs limited Alabama to 31 percent from the field, including 25 percent in the first half. To add to the 10 blocks, MSU posted 15 steals and forced 20 Crimson Tide turnovers. Alabama dominated the backboards during the contest, outrebounding the Bulldogs 54-42.
“There is no question that Mississippi State has two of the best players in this conference, probably in the country,” Alabama head coach Rick Moody said. “When you play (MSU) you have to pick your poison. I thought we did as good a job as you can do handling LaToya Thomas. Tan (White) had not been shooting the ball well, but she got off tonight.”
For Alabama, Monique Bivins led the way with 14 points and Beth Vice followed up with 13 for the only two Alabama players in double figures. Starkville native and Alabama senior center Jamilah Johns posted 15 rebounds to lead the Alabama Crimson Tide.
On Sunday the Lady Bulldogs traveled to Gainesville, Fla., to take on the Florida Gators (8-12,0-7). MSU took a 37-32 lead into halftime with the Gators before blowing open the score in the second half with a 40-10 run to finish with an 83-54 decision. The margin marks the largest win by MSU on the University of Florida campus. “This win started with a lot of energy for us,” MSU head coach Sharon Fanning said. “Our intensity on defense really picked up and we got some deflections and really played better.”
MSU placed four players in double figures for the night led by Thomas with 22 points and 13 rebounds to post her 40th career double-double. Rebecca Kates added 19 points for the Bulldogs, including 3-of-6 from behind the three-point stripe. White added 17 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while Blessing Chekwa posted a career-high 17 points.
The Lady Bulldogs will next travel to Athens, Ga., to take on the Bulldogs of the University of Georgia in a Thursday night contest. Tip-off at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Ga., is set for 7 p.m. Eastern.