State Wins 12th Straight vs. Ole Miss with 80-39 Victory

Sunday, January 26

Starkville

4:00 PM

Mississippi State

18-3,6-1SEC

Ole Miss

7-13,0-7SEC

Ole Miss

Mississippi St.

State Wins 12th Straight vs. Ole Miss with 80-39 Victory

January 26, 2020 | Women's Basketball

Box Score VIDEO: Carter Interview Box Score (PDF)Postgame Quotes (PDF)

by Josh Lively, Assistant Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – A dominant defensive performance vaulted No. 9 Mississippi State to an 80-39 victory over Ole Miss Sunday afternoon at Humphrey Coliseum.

The Bulldogs have now won 12 straight in the series against the Rebels, and the 41-point margin of victory was the largest in the series by State.

"First of all, I want to say how proud I am of my team," said head coach Vic Schaefer. "Second of all, I want to say how proud I am of our fans. We had more than 9,500 tonight. This place is just an incredible atmosphere for everyone across the country to see. That is what makes this place so special. We were great, and I thought we were really good for them early but put them to sleep late. Really proud we jumped out early and outscored them 30-6 in the first quarter, attacking, making shots and defending. Proud of our kids for the way they came out and played in the first 10 minutes and set the tone for the whole game."

State (18-3, 6-1 SEC) posted one of its best defensive performances of the season against the Rebels (7-13, 0-7 SEC). The 39 points allowed by MSU were the second lowest it has given up in a game this season. For the first three frames of the contest, Ole Miss didn't eclipse more than eight points in a quarter, raising the Bulldogs' season total for quarters with fewer than 10 points allowed to 13. Mississippi State forced 23 turnovers in the game and converted that into 27 points on offense.

Offensively, State shot 48 percent from the field on the day and was excellent at finding open players for an easy basket, assisting on 24 of its 31 field goals. The Bulldogs even found success from beyond the arc, connecting on seven treys to mark the most 3-pointers made by MSU in a game since November.

Jessika Carter posted her second straight game with at least 20 points, finishing with 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting, 11 rebounds and a block. The sophomore forward has now recorded seven double-doubles this season and four in the last nine games.

The freshman duo of Rickea Jackson and Aliyah Matharu both scored double figures while coming off the bench. Jackson finished with 12 points, three rebounds and two assists, while Matharu added 11 points behind three 3-pointers.

Jordan Danberry posted an all-around performance with eight assists, five points, four rebounds and two steals. A total of 10 Bulldogs found the scoring column in the game to fuel MSU's offense.

Mississippi State had all the momentum early on, using a 12-0 run to begin the game. The Bulldogs were locked in on both ends of the floor for the entire period. Offensively, MSU shot 56 percent from the field and assisted on eight of its 10 baskets. On defense, State held Ole Miss to just six points in the period, the fewest points given up by the Bulldogs in the opening frame of a game this season. Mississippi State boasted a 30-6 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

State's lockdown defense continued into the second stanza, allowing the Bulldogs to extend their lead to 47-14. Fourteen points marks the fewest points MSU has allowed in the first half of a game this season. Ole Miss had 15 turnovers in the half, which Mississippi State turned into 17 points.

Carter had the hot hand early, scoring 16 points and grabbing seven boards heading into the break. Four Bulldogs had multiple assists in the half led by five from Danberry and Xaria Wiggins. State assisted on all eight of its baskets in the second quarter.

Mississippi State continued to extend its lead in the third period, going up 65-22 through three quarters. Carter made her presence felt, posting eight points and four rebounds in the stanza to notch a double-double. MSU cruised to its eighth wire-to-wire victory in the final frame.

Up next, State plays the second of its three-game home stretch, hosting Auburn at 7 p.m. Thursday. The game will be broadcasted on SEC Network+ and can be streamed on the MSU Radio Network.

For more information on the Bulldogs, follow MSU women's basketball on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateWBK."