Bulldogs Hold Off Late LSU Rally in 64-60 Win

Thursday, January 16

Starkville

7:00 PM

Mississippi State

16-2,4-0SEC

LSU

13-4,3-2SEC

LSU

Mississippi St.

Bulldogs Hold Off Late LSU Rally in 64-60 Win

January 16, 2020 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)VIDEO: Danberry Postgame VIDEO: Postgame Press Conference

by Josh Lively, Assistant Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – Holding off a late rally from the Tigers, Mississippi State picked up its eighth-straight win with a 64-60 victory over LSU on Thursday night at Humphrey Coliseum.

The 10th-ranked Bulldogs (16-2, 4-0 SEC) struggled to find a rhythm in the fourth quarter, shooting 2-of-11 from the field, but the defense held strong when it mattered most as Jessika Carter came up with a huge block in the final seconds to prevent LSU from having a chance to tie the game. Carter finished with her sixth double-double of the season, tallying 13 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and three steals.

"I thought offensively, we were really stagnant in the fourth quarter and I'll take the blame for the play calling," head coach Vic Schaefer said. "I really thought that once we got up, we got kind of complacent, to be honest with you. At the end of the day, I'm proud of my team and I'm glad to get the win in this league – they're all beautiful and that's a really good team."

Carter helped lead the charge in the paint, where both teams battled for all 40 minutes of the contest. Of the 124 total points scored in the game, 100 came in the paint, where MSU held a 52-48 advantage. LSU (13-4, 3-2 SEC) won the battle on the boards, outrebounding State 36-33.

Mississippi State shot 50 percent from the field in the game compared to 48 percent by the Tigers. Defensively, State forced 17 turnovers in the game and converted that into 21 points. MSU finished with six steals and three blocks in the contest.

Jordan Danberry finished with a team-high 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting to go along with five rebounds. Andra Espinoza-Hunter earned the start and recorded 10 points.

Ayana Mitchell led LSU with 22 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Both teams had the hot hand in the first quarter, as State shot 63 percent from the floor while LSU was 53 percent for the period. MSU ended the frame on an 8-2 run to take an early 20-16 lead.

The second quarter was all Mississippi State on both ends of the floor. At one point, the Bulldogs knocked went 6-of-8 from the field to extend their lead to double digits. Defensively, State held the Tigers to just one basket during an eight-minute stretch. MSU entered halftime with a 34-22 lead.

Mississippi State found success in the paint early, scoring 30 points down low. The Bulldogs forced 12 turnovers and converted that into 15 points. Carter had a strong half, posting eight points and seven rebounds.

LSU came out strong in the third stanza, going 10-of-15 from the field. However, MSU was able to match them by shooting 63 percent in the period. The Bulldogs entered the final frame with a 55-42 advantage.

The Tigers wouldn't go away easily, though, using a 17-4 run between the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth to pull within six points at 55-49. LSU outscored the Bulldogs 18-9 in the period and held State without a basket for the final six minutes of the game, but Mississippi State held off LSU's late rally to win the game.

Up next, State is will travel to South Carolina to take on the top-ranked Gamecocks, who are also undefeated in SEC play, at Colonial Life Arena in a 6 p.m. CT tip. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and also broadcasted on the MSU Radio Network.

For more information on the Bulldogs, follow MSU women's basketball on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateWBK."