Shorthanded Bulldogs win 65-62 at Alabama
MISSISSIPPI STATE ATHLETICS- Mississippi State women’s basketball picked up its first SEC victory of the 2021-22 campaign on Thursday with a gutsy 65-62 win in a closely-contested battle at Alabama.
Playing with just eight players on Thursday, four players played more than 35 minutes against the Crimson Tide. Anastasia Hayes paced the Bulldogs playing all 40 minutes while also leading State in points with 22 and three rebounds and a pair of steals. Hayes hit a clutch free throw late in the contest, with the game knotted up at 57 to spark the final 8-5 run.
Myah Taylor was a warrior on Thursday, playing 37 minutes, despite rolling her ankle late in the third period. The senior from Olive Branch, Miss., came back into the contest in the fourth and scored two points, added four steals, an assist and a game-winning blocked shot. Taylor had 14 points with six steals on the night while tying a career-high with seven steals.
JerKaila Jordan, who played 35 minutes on Thursday, poured in 16 points and seven rebounds with a pair of assists and steals. Jordan opened the game, scoring eight of the team’s first 10 points. Denae Carter shouldered the rebounding load once again for the Bulldogs. The freshman came down with 10 boards while adding six points. Caterrion Thompson had a big triple off the bench, while Aislynn Hayes added four critical points in the second half.
The Bulldogs brought the defensive intensity tonight, forcing Alabama to commit 20 turnovers while scoring 20 points off of those turnovers. Mississippi State also played quickly when they needed to, scoring 16 fastbreak points compared to just four by the Tide. MSU held Alabama to 41.8% shooting from the field and held them to an even more impressive 35.3% shooting in the second half. As a team, the Bulldogs recorded 12 steals and blocked four shots, one of which was the game-saving block by Myah Taylor on a three-point shot attempt delivered with just 14 seconds remaining in the game.
Mississippi State led Alabama for over 33 minutes on Thursday. Alabama a late push to take control of the game in the second half, earning a 1-point advantage with just over seven minutes to play. State responded to Alabama’s mini runs with scoring runs to shift the advantage back in its favor.
The late-game defense shown by the Bulldogs would prove to be the deciding factor in the game as they would force four steals in the fourth quarter and hold Alabama to just 29.4% shooting in the closing period. MSU would also limit Alabama to just a single free throw attempt in the second half while making six of their own.
