The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Suffer Home Loss To Mississippi State
2/12/2009 | Women's Basketball
OXFORD, Miss. Shawn Goff scored a team-high 17 points, but it wasn't enough as Mississippi State forced Ole Miss into 19 turnovers on its way to a 66-50 victory Thursday evening at Tad Smith Coliseum.
Junior Bianca Thomas scored 13 points and pulled down four rebounds, while Shantell Black added 11 points and six assists. Black has dished out five or more assists in each of her last five games.
Mississippi State guard Alexis Rack scored 21 points to lead all scorers. Robin Porter pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds to pace the Lady Bulldogs.
MSU (19-6, 6-4 SEC) created easy scoring opportunities off of Rebel turnovers and held a 17-0 advantage in fast break points. The Lady Bulldogs also pulled down 20 offensive rebounds and capitalized with 18 second chance points.
The Lady Bulldogs used a strong defensive effort in the first half to limit Ole Miss to just six field goals. In fact, the Rebels had only two field goals over the final 13:31 of the opening stanza.
Mississippi State closed the half on a 12-3 run to lead by 15 points at halftime.
The Lady Bulldogs shot 50 percent from the field in the second half and led by as many as 27 points. Ole Miss closed the game on a 12-2 run over the final four minutes, but the Rebels would get no closer than 16 points.
Ole Miss returns to action Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. when the Rebels travel to Fayetteville, Ark., to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks.
