McCowan, Strong Defense Lead Bulldogs To Eighth-Straight Win Against Ole Miss
January 11, 2018 | Women's Basketball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – A strong defensive performance and 25 points from Teaira McCowan led No. 4/3 Mississippi State to a 76-45 win against Ole Miss Thursday night in Humphrey Coliseum.
The win, State's eighth-straight in the series, improved the Bulldogs to 18-0 on the season and 4-0 in SEC play. The 18-game win streak matches the 2014-15 squad for the second-best start in program history.
MSU, which recorded its largest margin of victory in the series, now stands as the only unbeaten team in the SEC after Tennessee fell in overtime at Texas A&M.
McCowan recorded her 13th double-double of the season, grabbing 13 rebounds to go with her eighth 20-point game of the year. The Brenham, Texas, native, who had four blocks in the game, made 92.3 percent (12-of-13) from the field to tie her own school record she tallied last season against Florida.
State opened the game on a 14-0 run, with all the points coming from Blair Schaefer and Teaira McCowan. Schaefer knocked down a pair of 3-pointers to put MSU ahead 6-0 before McCowan put in eight of her 12 first-half points to cap the run.
MSU outscored the Rebels 22-9 in the opening quarter, holding Ole Miss to 3-of-13 shooting.
The Bulldogs led 34-22 at halftime as Ole Miss claimed a 13-12 advantage in the second quarter. MSU took a 17-point advantage with 7:23 to play before half on a McCowan bucket and later claimed a 19-point edge on a lay-in by Zion Campbell.
Two Morgan William free throws put State ahead 14 with 23 seconds to play in the second quarter, but an Alissa Alston runner in the final seconds sent MSU to the locker room with the 12-point edge.
Ole Miss (11-6, 1-3 SEC) cut the MSU lead to seven early in the third quarter, but a pair of Morgan William free throws pushed State's advantage back to double figures and a McCowan bucket gave the Dawgs a 15-point lead with 3:30 left in the quarter.
State made 5 of its final 7 field goal attempts to end the third quarter, with Victoria Vivians putting State ahead by 18 with a lay-up with 40 seconds left.
The Bulldogs once again turned up the defensive pressure in the fourth quarter, out-scoring the Rebels 20-7 and holding Ole Miss to 13.3-percent from the field (2-of-15).
Vivians and Schaefer joined McCowan in double figures with 15 and 14, respectively.
Mississippi State shot 53.2-percent from the field and 88-percent from the free-throw line, while Ole Miss made 26.7-percent of its field goal attempts, 21.4 percent from 3-point range and 76.9-percent from the charity stripe.
State out-rebounded the Rebels 40-28 and forced 14 turnovers while committing 15.
Ole Miss, which was held to its fewest points of the season, got 14 points from Madinah Muhammad.
Mississippi State returns to the Humphrey Coliseum court again on Sunday, hosting Alabama in a 3 p.m. tip on ESPNU. The contest will be Superhero Night, with the best superhero costume winning a Bulldog Prize Pack.
The win, State's eighth-straight in the series, improved the Bulldogs to 18-0 on the season and 4-0 in SEC play. The 18-game win streak matches the 2014-15 squad for the second-best start in program history.
MSU, which recorded its largest margin of victory in the series, now stands as the only unbeaten team in the SEC after Tennessee fell in overtime at Texas A&M.
McCowan recorded her 13th double-double of the season, grabbing 13 rebounds to go with her eighth 20-point game of the year. The Brenham, Texas, native, who had four blocks in the game, made 92.3 percent (12-of-13) from the field to tie her own school record she tallied last season against Florida.
State opened the game on a 14-0 run, with all the points coming from Blair Schaefer and Teaira McCowan. Schaefer knocked down a pair of 3-pointers to put MSU ahead 6-0 before McCowan put in eight of her 12 first-half points to cap the run.
MSU outscored the Rebels 22-9 in the opening quarter, holding Ole Miss to 3-of-13 shooting.
The Bulldogs led 34-22 at halftime as Ole Miss claimed a 13-12 advantage in the second quarter. MSU took a 17-point advantage with 7:23 to play before half on a McCowan bucket and later claimed a 19-point edge on a lay-in by Zion Campbell.
Two Morgan William free throws put State ahead 14 with 23 seconds to play in the second quarter, but an Alissa Alston runner in the final seconds sent MSU to the locker room with the 12-point edge.
Ole Miss (11-6, 1-3 SEC) cut the MSU lead to seven early in the third quarter, but a pair of Morgan William free throws pushed State's advantage back to double figures and a McCowan bucket gave the Dawgs a 15-point lead with 3:30 left in the quarter.
State made 5 of its final 7 field goal attempts to end the third quarter, with Victoria Vivians putting State ahead by 18 with a lay-up with 40 seconds left.
The Bulldogs once again turned up the defensive pressure in the fourth quarter, out-scoring the Rebels 20-7 and holding Ole Miss to 13.3-percent from the field (2-of-15).
Vivians and Schaefer joined McCowan in double figures with 15 and 14, respectively.
Mississippi State shot 53.2-percent from the field and 88-percent from the free-throw line, while Ole Miss made 26.7-percent of its field goal attempts, 21.4 percent from 3-point range and 76.9-percent from the charity stripe.
State out-rebounded the Rebels 40-28 and forced 14 turnovers while committing 15.
Ole Miss, which was held to its fewest points of the season, got 14 points from Madinah Muhammad.
Mississippi State returns to the Humphrey Coliseum court again on Sunday, hosting Alabama in a 3 p.m. tip on ESPNU. The contest will be Superhero Night, with the best superhero costume winning a Bulldog Prize Pack.
Players Mentioned
C
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballWOMEN'S BASKETBALL | Sam Purcell Media Session - 6/17/25
Tuesday, June 17
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL | NCAA TOURNAMENT | Second Round Post Game Press Conference vs. USC 03/24/25
Tuesday, March 25
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL | NCAA TOURNAMENT | Second Round Preview Press Conference vs. USC 03/23/25
Sunday, March 23
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL | NCAA TOURNAMENT | First Round Post Game Press Conference vs. California 3/22/25
Saturday, March 22