Lady Bulldogs Usher In 2008-09 With Convincing Triumph Over UAPB

Tuesday, November 18

Starkville

7:00 PM

Mississippi State

1-0

Arkansas-Pine Bluff

1-1

Team	1	2	F
Arkansas-Pine Bluff	27	25	52
Mississippi State	43	51	94

Lady Bulldogs Fall In SEC Quarters To LSU

Lady Bulldogs Usher In 2008-09 With Convincing Triumph Over UAPB

November 18, 2008 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: hailstate.com

? Official Statistics
? Official Statistics (PDF)
? Postgame Quotes (PDF)

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State won its 23rd straight home opener in women's basketball Tuesday night. The Lady Bulldogs led from start to finish, racing past an out-manned squad from Arkansas-Pine Bluff 94-52 at Humphrey Coliseum.

Coach Sharon Fanning improved to 10-4 in season openers with MSU. The Lady Bulldogs rolled up their biggest margin of victory in an opener, since taking down Alabama A&M 88-42 in the 2001-02 season opener. MSU last lost its home opener in the 1985-86 season, when the Lady Bulldogs lost 65-64 to Mississippi College.

“This was a good first game,” Fanning said. “We were able to play a lot of players and look at different combinations. I thought we did a good job of sharing the basketball. The assists to turnovers ratio (24 assists, 11 turnovers) was outstanding.”

The teams were tied 5-5 early before the hosts put together a 16-6 run for a 21-11 lead. Mary Kathryn Govero provided a spark with back-to-back baskets during that run. The Lady Bulldogs also had a pair of blocks from newcomers Armelie Lumanu and Chanel Mokango during that run.

The Lady Bulldogs continued a blistering first half from the field, ramming home five of six shots during a stretch that saw the half's biggest lead open up at 35-19.

MSU maintained the 16-point push, leading 43-27 at the intermission.

“The important thing at halftime was maintaining the focus,” MSU junior guard Alexis Rack said. “Last year, we would have a letdown at times. For us to be a good a basketball team, we have to have focus for forty minutes.”

In the game's final half, the Lady Bulldogs turned up the defensive pressure, forcing 13 of the Golden Lions' 20 turnovers in the final stanza.

The hosts sprinted from the second half gates, reeling off 12 straight points to open a 55-27 advantage. Lumanu had a pair of nice baskets during that run.

In the final half, the Lady Bulldogs continued to hover at the 50 percent mark from the field. The defensive pressure was a also a key and never let up. MSU ended the contest with a 17-5 run to create the game's final margin.

Lumanu was one of five Lady Bulldogs in double figures. The 5-foot-9 junior had 20 points on 9 of 15 shooting from the field. Rack followed with 17 points, while Govero finished with 13 points. Tysheka Grimes added 12 points, while Mokango scored 11 points.

Donnisha Tate and Mokango each had a team-high seven rebounds for the Lady Bulldogs. Tate had six assists and only one turnover in 20 minutes of action. Rack and Lumanu each added five assists to the Lady Bulldogs' cause.

Arica Green paced UAPB (1-1) with 14 points, while Ciara Shields had 10 points. Ava Walters paced the Golden Lions with nine rebounds.

For the contest, the Lady Bulldogs finished at 50 percent from the field, converting on 33 of 66 shots. MSU was 6 of 11 from 3-point range (54.5 percent) and 22 of 29 at the foul line (75.9 percent).

UAPB remained cold all night, hitting on 23 percent of its shot attempts (14 of 61). The Golden Lions were 3 of 14 from 3-point range (21.4 percent) and 21 of 30 from the foul line (70.0 percent).

The Lady Bulldogs held a slim 46-42 in the rebounding department and were credited with 13 blocked shots, including four by Mokango and three by Grimes.

MSU resumes its season-opening three-game homestand by hosting Northwestern State at 2 p.m. Sunday. The homestand closes with Mississippi Valley State at 7 p.m. Tuesday.