Park-Lane's Program-Record Night Leads Mississippi State Over Colorado State, 82-75

Wednesday, December 20

Fort Collins, Colo.

6:30 P.M.

Mississippi State

12-2,0-0SEC

Colorado State

9-2,0-0Mountain West

Mississippi St.

Colorado St.

Park-Lane's Program-Record Night Leads Mississippi State Over Colorado State, 82-75

December 20, 2023 | Women's Basketball

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Fort Collins, Colo. – Graduate student guard Lauren Park-Lane knocked down a program-record 10 threes and finished with 33 points in 35 minutes to lead Mississippi State to an 82-75 win over Colorado State inside Moby Arena on Wednesday.

In addition to 33 points – which marked her 13th career 30-point contest – Park-Lane tied a team-high six assists and added four rebounds in the effort. She also converted on 10 of Mississippi State's season-high tying 14 threes made.

Graduate student center Jessika Carter turned in 14 points on 6-10 from the field with eight rebounds in 30 minutes, while her frontcourt mate graduate student forward Erynn Barnum added nine points and a career-high 13 rebounds in 25 minutes. Senior guard Jerkaila Jordan filled the stat sheet with eight points, a career-high six assists and four rebounds in a team-high 37 minutes.

With the win, Mississippi State has won four straight contests and improves to 12-2 on the season. Mississippi State also handed Colorado State its first home defeat of the season and its first in almost an entire calendar year.

Mississippi State connected on four early attempts from behind the arc to take back some momentum from the home crowd and secure a 16-5 lead at the 5:16 mark of the first quarter. Colorado State responded to the offensive onslaught from Mississippi State in the opening minutes with a 9-0 run to cut the margin back to one possession, 16-14, at the media timeout.

In the first set out of the timeout, senior guard Jerkaila Jordan drained the fifth three of the frame before freshman guard Mjracle Sheppard buried a mid-range look to provide Mississippi State with a 21-19 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Each team continued to trade baskets throughout the initial minutes of the second quarter before consecutive jumpers around the top of the key from senior guard Darrione Rogers pushed the margin to 28-21 with 6:28 left before the half.

After Park-Lane converted on her fourth three of the first 20 minutes and secured a 37-36 lead for Mississippi State at the 1:06 mark before half, Colorado State beat the buzzer with a layup inside to take back the halftime lead at 38-37. The four threes in the first half already surpassed a season-best total for Park-Lane.

It marked the first time that Mississippi State has trailed at half this season. After erasing the halftime deficit, Mississippi State has now won its second game when trailing at half under head coach Sam Purcell after entering the contest 1-10 in the mark.

A buzzer-beating three from Colorado State's Kendyll Kinzer closed out a 26-19 third quarter for the Rams and put the home team in front 64-56 entering the final 10 minutes.

Facing its largest deficit of the season, Mississippi State never blinked in the midst of a tough road environment and responded once more with a 12-4 run to start the fourth quarter that tied the game at 68 all with 5:44 left in regulation.

The home faithful came out for Colorado State due in part to the fact that Mississippi State was the first-ever SEC team that the Rams have hosted inside Moody Center.

A three from sophomore guard Debreasha Powe provided Mississippi State with a 74-71 lead and marked the first lead for the Bulldogs since the 1:09 mark of the second quarter. Mississippi State never relinquished the lead and outlasted its hosts by knocking down late free throws to reach the eventual final.

After trailing by eight heading into the final 10 minutes, Mississippi State outscored Colorado State 26-11 in the fourth quarter.

Mississippi State outrebounded Colorado State 43-27 with an 11-1 advantage on the offensive glass. The one offensive rebound allowed is the lowest total for Mississippi State since at least 2006-07.

The Bulldogs also recorded 20-plus assists for the fifth time this season and the 11th time under Purcell - the Bulldogs are 4-1 this season and 10-1 overall when reaching the mark.

Mississippi State returns to action after the holiday break when it hosts Mississippi Valley State inside Humphrey Coliseum on Friday, Dec. 29 at 6:30 p.m. CT.