Mississippi State Basketball: The #12 Lady Bulldogs Mark Their Territory Against The Lady Bulldawgs in SEC Opener

Mississippi State Basketball: The #12 Lady Bulldogs Mark Their Territory Against The Lady Bulldawgs in SEC Opener

The Mississippi State Basketball Lady Bulldogs opened SEC Play on the road against the Georgia Lady Bulldawgs. The Lady Bulldogs left Georgia with their first SEC win and dropped the first loss on the Lady Bulldawg squad on the season by a score of 69-62.

Mississippi State had to hold off a Georgia comeback to secure the win, and the Lady Bulldogs used the free-throw line to keep Georgia at bay. The Lady Bulldogs scored 20 points in the fourth quarter, and 15 of those points came from the charity stripe.

Rickea Jackson finished with 11 points but endured an off shooting night. Jessika Carter scored 13 points, but she fouled out, and Mississippi State would have to secure the win without her.

Madison Hayes Steps Up

The Mississippi State Basketball Lady Bulldogs have two stars in Rickea Jackson and Jessika Carter. With Carter in foul trouble and Jackson struggling from the field, Madison Hayes stepped up and earned her first double-digit scoring game.

Hayes tied Carter for the team-high with 13 points. Hayes also shot 2-3 from three-point-land and 100% from the free-throw line. Hayes has played a reserve role all season, but tonight her scoring was needed, and she delivered.

It is well known that Mississippi State has a very thin roster. Hayes will have to continue playing at a high level because Coach McCray-Pinson will need the talented freshman to continue to provide offensive production and a boost of energy when she enters the game.

Defense, Rebounds, and other Game Stats

Georgia held the edge on the boards by a margin of 39-32. The Lady Bulldogs hit the defensive boards hard but struggled with offensive rebounds. Mississippi State shot 72% from the free-throw line.

I would like to see that percentage go up in the eighties consistently. The Lady Bulldogs shot  46 % from the field and three-point-land. Other scorers for Mississippi State against Georgia were Matharu (8), Cooks (8), Tayor, Mingo-Young (7), and Thompson (1).

The Lady Bulldogs will host Kentucky in their home SEC Opener on January 3, 2021, on the SEC Network.