Mississippi State women's basketball continued their up-and-down season on Sunday, this time hitting the positive end of that spectrum with an 81-55 win over Texas A&M. The Bulldogs pulled away in the middle two quarters to secure a comfortable Senior Day victory in what was a must-win for their NCAA Tournament hopes. State is now 19-9 on the season and 6-8 in the SEC.
The Mississippi State Bulldogs finally protected the basketball
The story of MSU women's basketball since last season has been turnovers. They've been one of the most turnover-prone teams in the SEC, and usually, committing so many of those mistakes each game has been the deciding factor in their losses.
Against Texas A&M, State finally took care of the basketball. They committed just seven turnovers, the only time this season they've been in single-digits. On the flipside, they forced 18 Aggies turnovers and scored 18 points off of them. That's been a strength for this team. They know they can score off opponent mistakes. It's whether or not they can protect the ball themselves that's key.
Mississippi State women's basketball dominated the offensive glass against Texas A&M
Along with a big advantage in points off turnovers, second chance points were huge in MSU running away with this one. The Bulldogs managed 17 offensive rebounds, scoring 18 second chance points off those extra opportunities. That's thanks in large part to center Madina Okot, who nabbed 12 boards, seven offensive, on her way to a double-double performance. Okot has now posted double-digit rebounds in nine of her last 12 games.
Debreasha Powe played one of her best games as a Bulldog
Bulldog wing Debreasha Powe has played the role of State's perimeter sharpshooter over the last few seasons, and she had one of the best showings of her career on Sunday against the Aggies. Powe posted a season-high 19 points, the second-most she's scored against an SEC opponent in her career, on a 7-12 shooting day.
She knocked down 5-9 from beyond the arc. This season State has only one loss when Powe makes at least four three-pointers. Getting big shots from her is big for this team reaching their ultimate potential.