Lady Bulldogs Drop School Record 10th Straight In Loss To Kentucky, 51-46
* Official Statistics (PDF)
* Game Notes
* Postgame Quotes
STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Mississippi State University women's basketball team(6-19, 1-11 SEC) dropped its home closer to the University of Kentucky(19-6, 8-4 SEC), 51-46, on Sunday afternoon at Humphrey Coliseum. Seniorforward Mamie McKinney and freshman guard/forward Robin Porter led MSU with10 points each.
"We had two or three possessions where I think we got anxious a little bit,"said MSU head coach Sharon Fanning. "The first half, we took some shots offof the second and third option. We didn't get those later in the game. Wecould see a look of frustration, and it just seemed a little too quick. Wedidn't do it together. We gave up lay-ups and second shots and missed freethrows."
Marked by four lead changes and two ties, the first half saw the Wildcatstake an early six-point lead, 10-4, with 11:15 remaining in the period. TheLady Bulldogs fought back to tie the game and take an eventual five-pointlead. With 1:34 remaining in the half, MSU led by seven, its largest lead ofthe period. The Wildcats fought back to within three as MSU took a 26-23lead into the lockerroom at the break. McKinney, Porter and senior guardDoceide Warren led MSU with six points each in the opening period.
In the second half, Kentucky fought to within one and tied the contest at28-28 with 18:05 to play. From there, MSU rallied to go up by 11 with 12:36to play. With 11:12 left on the clock, the Wildcats got a three-point basketfrom Carly Ormerod to trim the State lead to four. On the next UKpossession, Sarah Elliott hit a jumper to bring the 'Cats to within two. MSUmanaged to stretch the lead back out to four, but with 4:36 remaining in thegame, Eleia Roddy's free-throw basket tied the game at 45-45. With Roddy'sjumper at the 3:59 mark, UK led the rest of the way to take the 51-46 win.
Samantha Mahoney led Kentucky with 18 points, while Eleia Roddy added 12.
State closes out the 2005-06 regular season on the road at South Carolina onFeb. 23 and at LSU on Feb. 26.
GAME NOTES
POST-GAME QUOTES
MSU HEAD COACH SHARON FANNINGOpening comments:
It takes a lot of focus. We talked at halftime about the defense in the second half. We had two or three possessions where I think we get anxious a little bit. We want it, but we don't do it together offensively. You have to play with composure and that is the bottom line. You have to play harder, you have to play hard down the stretch. As a team, I was glad on how they were fighting. We are putting ourselves in a position to win games. That is the first step of winning.
On second half play:
It doesn't matter if a team knows what you are going to do or how they guard. The first half we took some shots off of the second and third option. We didn't get to those later in the game. We could see a look of frustration and it just seemed a little too quick and we didn't do it together. We gave up lay-ups. We gave up second shots and missed free throws. That is the bottom line of the game.
On road games:
You look at Elliott tonight, a 6-6 kid, good scorer in the paint. She got 12 boards and eight points. We are getting better position with the big kids. With South Carolina we just have to get better position, force them out of step. It was their smaller players that hurt us on rebounds today. You have to adjust whether it is their size or whether it is the quickness. We've got another chance on Thursday and that is all I know right now. We have another chance to win a ball game.
MSU Player Quotes
Mamie McKinney, Senior Forward
On letting this win slip away:
It was tough. I wanted a win but especially because it was senior night.
On losing momentum at the end of the game:
We gave up a lot of offensive boards. Our defense stayed strong, but we just didn't block out. One time, I think we gave them three chances to score.
Robin Porter, Freshman Guard
On what it will take to come away with a win:
It'll take us playing hard, playing smart and playing together as a team.
On the three-point shooting:
I go into practice and sometimes I make them and sometimes I don't. I felt it and I believed it was going in, but it just didn't today.