Mississippi State Earns Win No. Eight In Return To Action Following Final Exams

Sunday, December 11

Starkville

5:00 PM

Mississippi State

8-2,0-0SEC

Texas A&M - Commerce

2-7,0-0Southland

Tex. A&M-Commerce

Mississippi St.

Mississippi State Earns Win No. Eight In Return To Action Following Final Exams

December 11, 2022 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Kelly Shipp, Assistant Director/Communications

Mississippi State forced the Lions to turnover the ball 30 times, the most this season, scoring 37 points off those turnovers. The Bulldogs entered Sunday averaging 12.7 steals per game, the best in the SEC, and forced a season-high 17 steals vs A&M-Commerce. Following the game, State is now averaging 13.1 steals per game. State had five players score in double-figures on Sunday. It's the seventh game this season with four or more players scoring in double-figures.

JerKaila Jordan led the Bulldogs with seven steals, which is tied for seventh in program history in a single game. Jordan added 12 points for her 50th career double-digit scoring game on the night. Jessika Carter recorded her fifth double-double of the season, the 23rd of her career, with a team-high 18 points and 12 rebounds.

Debreasha Powe tied for the team-high with 18 points leading to her sixth career game scoring in the double-figures. Powe added eight rebounds. Ramani Parker made a statement with seven rebounds and three blocked shots in the first half. Anastasia Hayes led the team with 10 assists, the first 10-assist game for a Bulldog since Dec. 1, 2021. Hayes earned her second double-double of the season, the eighth of her career, with 10 points.

Turning Point
Jordan started the second quarter with a three-point shot which started an 11-2 run for the Bulldogs. The runs continued late in the game when MSU used a 22-4 run to close the ballgame.

Game Notes:
• Jessika Carter is 10-for-10 winning the jump ball this season
• The Bulldogs totaled nine steals in the first quarter and ended the game with a season-high 17.
• Jordan's seven steals is tied for seventh in program history in a single game.
• Debreasha Powe recorded her sixth double-figure scoring game of the season.
• Ramani Parker led the team with three blocked shots.
• MSU is outscored TAMUC 64-22 in points in the paint, and 27-4 on fastbreak points
• The Bulldogs led for 18:22 in the first 20 minutes of the game
• Bulldogs held the Lions without a field goal made for the last 5:19 of the third quarter
• MSU outscored TAMUC 22-7 in the fourth. State held the Lions scoreless from the 7:34 mark to the 29-second mark in the quarter.

Quoting Coach Purcell
On what's holding the offense back
"That focus on finishing layups. We have to go up strong through somebody with contact. I love how the game is being called right now in women's basketball. They are allowing us to play physical, so it is our responsibility that we go up strong and don't finish off balance. Then, if we get fouled hard, we have to step up to the line and make free throws. I told them that if a breakaway layup is occurring, the other coaches are saying foul harder. Make them earn from the free-throw line. For us to go 11-22 is not reflective of the hard work that we have put in. I have a lot of great assistant coaches out there on social media and on our fan base that I love from the bottom of my heart that asks me if we could work on layups and free throws. I promise you we are. When the lights come on, our light has to come on, and we have to finish it."

JerKaila Jordan
On forcing turnovers and executing on defense
"I know specifically Coach Sam [Purcell] tells me that I play better when I work on my defense and get out in transition, and that's how I can score. Annie [Hayes] does a good job finding the open players, and I feel like that's what we did tonight. We shared the ball well [and] we played defense well."

Anastasia Hayes
On the third quarter emphasis from Purcell
"He told us we needed to pick it up on defense and make a statement. After we heard those words, we picked it up on defense and started rebounding, [I] started looking for Jess[ika Carter] more on offense, and that's what worked for us."

Up Next
Mississippi State will host their final non-conference home game on Thursday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. when they host Florida A&M. Fans are encouraged to wear an ugly Christmas sweater and stick around after the game to participate in the largest ugly Christmas sweater photo with the coaching staff and team.

For the most up-to-date information on the Bulldogs, follow MSU women's basketball on Twitter, like them on Facebook, and join them onInstagram by searching for "HailStateWBK.

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