Friday, March 22
Starkville
approx. 8:30 PM
Mississippi State
31-2
103
vs
46
Southern
20-13
1
2
3
4
F
Southern
10
19
5
12
46
Mississippi State
37
18
31
17
103
Top-Seeded Bulldogs Advance With 57-Point Victory
March 22, 2019 | Women's Basketball
by Brian Ogden, Assistant Coordinator/Communications
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State cruised through the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night with a 103-46 victory against No. 16-seed Southern in Humphrey Coliseum. The 57-point victory is the largest in MSU's NCAA Tournament history.
The Bulldogs (31-2, 15-1 SEC) dominated the first and third quarters of the contest, outscoring the Lady Jaguars (20-13, 14-4 SWAC), 68-15, in those two periods alone. State shot better than 50 percent from the field for the 14th time this year.
Anriel Howard led all scorers with 23 points and added 12 rebounds for her 11th double-double of the year. Teaira McCowan followed close behind with 22 points and 16 boards for her 28th double-double of the season. The Dawgs are now 10-0 when both players record double-doubles in the same game.
"I was very pleased with the first and third quarter. When you score thirty something points in one quarter, that's pretty good. Five points [allowed] in the third quarter is what I'm really excited about, as you can probably tell," Head Coach Vic Schaefer said.
State opened on an 11-3 run over the first 2:39 of play before closing the first quarter on a 20-2 run over the final 5:42 of the quarter. The Bulldogs forced nine turnovers in the first 10 minutes and shot 75.0 percent (12-of-16) from the field. MSU led 37-10 at the end of the quarter
Southern fought back and outscored MSU, 19-18, in the second quarter to trail, 55-29, at the break. State held a 26-4 edge in paint points through the first half and scored 17 points off 16 turnovers.
The Bulldogs opened the second half by scoring the first 14 points over the first 4:17. After surrendering a three-point basket to the Lady Jaguars, the Dawg's sparked a 10-0 run to span the next 2:47 and build a 79-31 lead. State held Southern to just five points in the third quarter while pouring in 31 of its own on 60.0 percent (12-of-20) shooting. The MSU defense held the Lady Jaguars to 2-of-15 shooting from the field.
The teams traded baskets in the fourth quarter with neither team scoring more than six consecutive points. For the game, the Bulldogs shot 52.9 percent (36-of-68) from the field and outrebounded the Lady Jaguars, 51-28.
The Bulldogs scored 100 points for the second time in State's Tournament history. It was MSU's largest scoring output in the tournament since the Bulldogs scored 110 against Troy in the first round of the 2017 Tournament.
Bre'Amber Scott (18), Jordan Danberry (13) and Jazzmun Holmes (10) rounded out the Bulldogs in double figures. Southern was led by Skylar O'Bear's nine points and Alyric Scott's five rebounds.
MSU will advance to play No. 8-seed Clemson on Sunday at 8 p.m. CT. The game will air on ESPN with Paul Sunderland and Steffi Sorensen on the call.
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State cruised through the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night with a 103-46 victory against No. 16-seed Southern in Humphrey Coliseum. The 57-point victory is the largest in MSU's NCAA Tournament history.
The Bulldogs (31-2, 15-1 SEC) dominated the first and third quarters of the contest, outscoring the Lady Jaguars (20-13, 14-4 SWAC), 68-15, in those two periods alone. State shot better than 50 percent from the field for the 14th time this year.
Anriel Howard led all scorers with 23 points and added 12 rebounds for her 11th double-double of the year. Teaira McCowan followed close behind with 22 points and 16 boards for her 28th double-double of the season. The Dawgs are now 10-0 when both players record double-doubles in the same game.
"I was very pleased with the first and third quarter. When you score thirty something points in one quarter, that's pretty good. Five points [allowed] in the third quarter is what I'm really excited about, as you can probably tell," Head Coach Vic Schaefer said.
State opened on an 11-3 run over the first 2:39 of play before closing the first quarter on a 20-2 run over the final 5:42 of the quarter. The Bulldogs forced nine turnovers in the first 10 minutes and shot 75.0 percent (12-of-16) from the field. MSU led 37-10 at the end of the quarter
Southern fought back and outscored MSU, 19-18, in the second quarter to trail, 55-29, at the break. State held a 26-4 edge in paint points through the first half and scored 17 points off 16 turnovers.
The Bulldogs opened the second half by scoring the first 14 points over the first 4:17. After surrendering a three-point basket to the Lady Jaguars, the Dawg's sparked a 10-0 run to span the next 2:47 and build a 79-31 lead. State held Southern to just five points in the third quarter while pouring in 31 of its own on 60.0 percent (12-of-20) shooting. The MSU defense held the Lady Jaguars to 2-of-15 shooting from the field.
The teams traded baskets in the fourth quarter with neither team scoring more than six consecutive points. For the game, the Bulldogs shot 52.9 percent (36-of-68) from the field and outrebounded the Lady Jaguars, 51-28.
The Bulldogs scored 100 points for the second time in State's Tournament history. It was MSU's largest scoring output in the tournament since the Bulldogs scored 110 against Troy in the first round of the 2017 Tournament.
Bre'Amber Scott (18), Jordan Danberry (13) and Jazzmun Holmes (10) rounded out the Bulldogs in double figures. Southern was led by Skylar O'Bear's nine points and Alyric Scott's five rebounds.
MSU will advance to play No. 8-seed Clemson on Sunday at 8 p.m. CT. The game will air on ESPN with Paul Sunderland and Steffi Sorensen on the call.
Team Stats
SU
MS
FG%
.273
.529
3FG%
.313
.231
FT%
.917
.757
RB
28
51
TO
28
13
STL
6
17
Game Leaders
Pts
23
FGM
7
3FGM
1
FTM
8
Pts
22
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
8
Pts
18
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
8
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballC
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballWOMEN'S BASKETBALL | Sam Purcell SEC Tip-Off | 10/15/25
Wednesday, October 15
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL | Select Players Media Session
Wednesday, October 08
WOMEN'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