Mississippi State Women's Basketball Vs Ole Miss
The Mississippi State Women's Basketball team faced off against the Ole Miss Rebels on January 24th, 2021. This was the first meeting between these two teams this season. Mississippi State came into the game with a record of 8-4, while Ole Miss was 7-3. Both teams were looking to gain momentum in the SEC Conference.
The First Half
The game started out with Mississippi State taking an early lead. They were able to dominate the offensive end and took advantage of Ole Miss turnovers. Jessica Carter, Mississippi State's leading scorer, had a strong first half with 10 points and 5 rebounds. Mississippi State led by as many as 11 points in the first half before Ole Miss was able to close the gap. Ole Miss' leading scorer, Shakira Austin, had a strong first half as well with 10 points and 6 rebounds. The first half ended with Mississippi State leading 31-28.
The Second Half
The second half started out with Ole Miss scoring the first basket to cut Mississippi State's lead to one point. The game remained close throughout the second half with neither team able to pull away. Mississippi State's defense was the key to their success in the second half. They were able to force Ole Miss into multiple turnovers and held them to only 29% shooting from the field. Mississippi State's Rickea Jackson had a strong second half scoring 11 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. The game ended with Mississippi State winning 60-56.
Player of the Game
The player of the game was Mississippi State's Rickea Jackson. She finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 steals. She was a force on both ends of the court and was instrumental in Mississippi State's victory.
Takeaways
This was a big win for Mississippi State as they improve to 9-4 on the season. They were able to take advantage of Ole Miss' turnovers and dominate on the defensive end. Ole Miss will need to clean up their turnovers if they want to be competitive in the SEC Conference. Both teams will face off again on February 25th, 2021, in another game that is sure to be exciting.
Final Thoughts
Mississippi State's victory over Ole Miss was a big win for their team. They were able to play well on both ends of the court and were able to take advantage of Ole Miss' mistakes. Rickea Jackson was the player of the game and was a force for Mississippi State. Both teams will need to continue to improve as they move forward in the SEC Conference. The rematch between these two teams on February 25th is sure to be exciting.