Mississippi State
12-4 (0-1,SEC)
Vanderbilt
12-4 (1-0,SEC)
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS | 25 | 25 | 50 |
| VU | 36 | 36 | 72 |
Lady Bulldogs Fall To Vanderbilt In SEC Opener, 72-50
January 10, 2008 | Women's Basketball
? Official Statistics
? Official Statistics (PDF)
State fell behind quickly in the opening period, giving up two three-pointers to Vanderbilt guard Merideth Marsh on the Lady Commodores' first two possessions. VU did not give up the lead the rest of the way, as MSU turned the ball over four times in the first three minutes of play, helping the Lady Commodores to an early 22-10 lead with just over eight minutes to go in the first stanza. State cut the lead to seven late in the period, but could not overcome a 27 percent shooting performance, and Vanderbilt took a 36-25 advantage into the locker room.
MSU was without the services of junior point guard Marneshia Richard for most of the second period, as she left the game at the 18-minute mark due to injury. In addition, Vanderbilt built on their strong first-half performance, only allowing the Lady Bulldogs to get as close as eight in the second stanza. The Lady Commodores stretched their lead to as high as 22 in the half, forcing MSU to another poor shooting performance from the field. State went on an eight-minute scoring drought midway through the period, and VU went on an 18-4 run over the last 12 minutes to take control.
The Lady Bulldogs were led in scoring by sophomore guard Alexis Rack who posted 17 points in 36 minutes of action, while also adding a season-high five assists for the game. The sophomore continues to shoot the ball well from behind the arc, adding five three pointers in the game. Freshman forward Mary Kathyrn Govero added 12 points and five rebounds to the MSU cause. Junior forward Robin Porter tallied seven points, while leading the team with seven rebounds on the night.
Vanderbilt had four players score in double figures for the game. Guard Merideth Marsh led the Lady Commodores with 15 points, including 3-of-8 shooting from behind the three-point line.
