Mississippi State
7-0
Memphis
5-5
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | 19 | 30 | 49 |
| Mississippi State | 42 | 39 | 81 |
State Downs Memphis To Win Seventh Straight And Remain Perfect
December 14, 2008 | Women's Basketball
? Official Statistics
? Official Statistics (PDF)
? Postgame Quotes (PDF)
STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs had four players reach double figures in their 81-49 winning effort over the visiting Memphis Lady Tigers, as the Bulldogs extended their season-opening streak to 7-0.
It was a back-and-forth battle through the first four minutes of the game, until a three-pointer by Mary Kathryn Govero, who had 14 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists, sparked a 17-2 Lady Bulldog run over the next seven minutes, eventually pushing Mississippi State's halftime lead to a 42-19 MSU advantage.
The Lady Bulldogs were able to capitalize on 31
“We wanted to come out and play with some intensity,” said junior guard AlexisRack. “In the first half we worked hard on defense and were able to force some turnovers. We wanted to make a statement and this was the first game we played intense the whole first half.”
Rack had a team-high 19 points to go along with five assists and three steals, and managed to knock down four three-pointers in the process. Junior forward Chanel Mokango was two-for-three from beyond the arc to add toward her 12-point total along with three blocked shots. Rounding out the Lady Bulldogs in double figures, junior guard Armelie Lumanu finished with 10 points, six rebounds and game-highs in assists and steals with six and four, respectively.
“I think our first half was as good intensity wise as I have seen from a Mississippi State team,” said Mississippi State Head Coach Sharon Fanning. “Hopefully we can continue to improve, but it was great to see the balance and depth tonight, and we will continue to get better at that.”
Memphis was paced by senior guard Paris Leonard, who had a game-high 20 points, converting eight of her 13 field goal attempts. Lady Tigers freshman guard Ramses Lonlack had the game's lone double-double, finishing with 12 points, including six-of-six from the charity stripe, and 11 rebounds and played throughout the entire contest.
Mississippi State is 7-0 for the first time since the 1999-00 season, where the Lady Bulldogs started 11-0 under Coach Fanning. Mississippi State will look to advance their record this Tuesday, Dec. 16, when they visit the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.
