After a two-game losing skid, Mississippi State women's basketball got back on track. The Bulldogs blew out lowly Arkansas team 78-55 in Humphrey Coliseum Thursday night. It was a much-needed complete effort from State as they look for a stronger closing-half to their SEC slate.
State is now 17-7 on the year with a 4-6 record in the SEC.
The Bulldogs had no issue shutting down a struggling Arkansas offense
Arkansas has not been an impressive offensive team this season, and Mississippi State did what it needed to against them. The Hogs really have one player that can truly hurt you in Izzy Higginbottom, but even with her having big games, Arkansas has not found success.
So rather than try and shut her down, State instead made sure no one else would give them fits. That's what happened. Higginbottom had 26; no other player scored more than six. MSU held the Razorbacks to 38% shooting and just 2-14 from three. They dominated the boards and forced 23 turnovers. That'll do.
Mississippi State got a balanced offensive effort
Five Bulldogs - Debreasha Powe, Jerkaila Jordan, Madina Okot, Chandler Prater, and Destiney McPhaul - were in double-figures. Four of those five shot better than 50% on the night. Powe and Jordan both led the way with 16 points apiece, with Powe putting together a masterful three-point shooting display. Jordan and Okot both recorded double-digit rebounds.
It was about as good as Mississippi State can play offensively. The Bulldogs shot 47% from the field and 43% from three. They were dominant in the paint and turned 17 offensive boards into 15 second-chance points. Now they only managed to go 3-8 from the free throw line, and unsurprisingly, turnovers were a problem, but you'll absolutely take this performance.
Challenging opponents on deck for Mississippi State women's basketball
While it was nice to beat up on a bad Arkansas team (and much needed), the level of competition is about to be ticked up several notches once again. MSU has back-to-back Top 25 opponents on deck. They host #23 Alabama at the Hump on Sunday, and next Thursday, they'll travel to #24 Vanderbilt. For the Bulldogs to feel strongly about their chances of returning to the NCAA Tournament, they really need to win at least one of those games. Ideally, their performance against Arkansas will prove to be a spark.