Mississippi State
6-0,0-0SEC
Jacksonville
3-3,0-0ASUN
Montague's Career Night Leads Mississippi State Past Jacksonville, 80-35
November 24, 2024 | Women's Basketball
ORLANDO, Fla. – Sophomore forward/center Quanirah Montague scored a career-high 17 points to lead Mississippi State women's basketball past Jacksonville, 80-35, inside State Farm Field House at the 2024 WBCA State Farm Showcase on Sunday.
With the win, Mississippi State is 6-0 on the season and 9-1 overall in non-conference neutral-site games under Purcell.
Graduate student guard Jerkaila Jordan recorded her second-consecutive double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in 23 minutes, while graduate student guard/forward Eniya Russell added 12 points of her own in 22 minutes.
Mississippi State established its presence inside with a 50-18 advantage in points in the paint and 20-4 in second-chance points.
Mississippi State limited Jacksonville to its season-low 35 points on 18.9 percent from the field and 5.6 percent from three. The 18.9 percent from the field is the lowest allowed an opponent has totaled this season.
Mississippi State raced out to a 10-3 lead through the opening half of the first quarter on a fast-break finish from Russell. The Bulldogs then traded baskets with the Dolphins to narrowly extend their margin to 17-9 at the end of the first quarter.
The Bulldogs' margin increased to 18 points at 31-13 with 4:41 minutes left in the second quarter on driving layup from redshirt junior guard Destiney McPhaul. 20 of Mississippi State's 32 first-half points came from within the paint as it commanded a 32-19 lead heading into the halftime break.
Mississippi State went back to work out of the halftime break and used a 23-4 run to open up a 53-24 lead late in the third quarter.
The third quarter featured the same dominance that Mississippi State has shown out of half through the early portion of the season. Mississippi State outscored Jacksonville 27-7 in the third quarter and has now outscored its opponents 154-50 in third quarters this season.
Graduate student guard/forward Terren Ward scored seven-straight points in the fourth quarter to help Mississippi State open its largest lead of the contest at the eventual final score with 25 seconds left in regulation. Mississippi State outscored Jacksonville 48-16 in the second half.
Mississippi State has now held all six opponents under 30.0 percent from the field. The Bulldogs limited the Dolphins to 10 or less points in all four quarters.
Mississippi State is back in action when it travels to George Town, Cayman Islands to battle Utah and South Florida in the 2024 Cayman Islands Classic.
