Lady Bulldogs Top Tulane 79-73, Advance To Round Of 16 In WNIT

Sunday, March 18

Starkville

TBA

Mississippi State

18-13

Tulane

26-7

Team	1	2	F
TLN	40	33	73
MS	43	36	79

State Women To Face Alabama Thursday In 6 p.m. Televised Contest From Tuscaloosa

Lady Bulldogs Top Tulane 79-73, Advance To Round Of 16 In WNIT

March 18, 2007 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: hailstate.com

* Official Statistics
* Official Statistics (PDF)
* Postgame Quotes (PDF)

STARKVILLE, Miss. ??“ Freshman guard Rack's basket with 57 seconds lifted the Mississippi State's women's basketball team into the round of 16 of the Women's National Invitation Tournament with a 79-73 win over Tulane Sunday afternoon at Humphrey Coliseum.

In what proved to be an evenly matched first half, the Lady Bulldogs came out on top. After jumping out to an early 5-0 lead on baskets by sophomore guard Marneshia Richard and Rack, the pace of the game quickened. The stanza would feature two lead changes and five ties. MState's largest lead of the half, which was nine, came after the Lady Bulldogs went on a 9-4 run with 3:30 left in the half that included treys by freshman forward Tysheka Grimes, a basket by sophomore guard/forward Robin Porter and free throws by Rack. MSU took a 43-40 lead into the lockerroom.

The second half proved to be just as physical as the first half. Tulane stayed within four before State jumped backed out by seven with 7:52 remaining in the game. Following a timeout, the Green Wave chipped away to tie the game at 71-all with 2:53 to play. With the game even at 73 apiece, MSU posted the game's last six points in the victory.

Somewhere I heard the statement, ???stop on demand' and from a defensive stand point, that is what we were encouraging, said MSU Head Coach Sharon Fanning. I think down the stretch we had a rebound that we had to have when the game was on the line. We also had a couple of big buckets relative to time and smart clock management. I am pleased to see the balance here.

Rack led all Lady Bulldogs with 18 points. Robin Porter registered her sixth double-double with 15 points and a career-best 16 boards. Junior Imesia Jackson scored all 12 of her points in the second half. She also pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds. Grimes and Richard posted 14 and 11 points, respectively.

The Lady Bulldogs won the rebounding battle, 56-34. The 56 rebounds posted by MSU ties their season-high they notched against Grambling on Dec. 19, 2006. The last time MState out-rebounded their opponent by 22 (50-32) was on Dec.15, 2005 versus New Orleans.

Tulane was led by Jennifer Sands with 18 points while Nikki Luckhurst chipped in 16.

The Lady Bulldogs await the winner of Monday night's Minnesota/Western Kentucky game. The date and time are to be determined but the game will be played at Monday night's winner.