MSU overwhelms Ole Miss late to win 13th straight game over their in-state rivals
Mississippi State took some punches in the first two quarters against Ole Miss in Oxford Sunday, but in the end the Bulldogs were just too strong for the Rebels, who became the first team in SEC history to go 0-16 in conference play. State turned a 32-30 second quarter deficit into an 84-59 win over their in-state rivals before a predominantly maroon and white crowd in Oxford. The Bulldogs were led by true freshman Aliyah Matharu, who turned a 5-7 shooting day from behind the arc into 24 points. Jordan Danberry threw in 19 of her own, as the Bulldogs lock up their fourth straight season of 13 or more SEC wins and will head to Greenville, SC for the tournament as the two seed.
LONG RANGE SNIPER
ALIYAH. MATHARU.
FOR THREEEEEEEE#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/3UX7pxGYQW
— Mississippi State WBK (@HailStateWBK) March 1, 2020
That is two games in a row where freshman guard Aliyah Matharu has come up big. Coach Vic Schaefer lamented on Friday that his young stars had not been able to stack quality performances together, but on a day where Jessika Carter and Rickea Jackson were held to 18 combined points, Matharu sparked a 14-0 run to end the second quarter than turned a two point deficit into a 12 point halftime lead for MSU. Schaefer remarked postgame that Matharu had earned her spot in the rotation, and she could become a valuable weapon for a Bulldog team that has lacked a perimeter presence all season long.
WHAT’S NEXT?
https://twitter.com/SECNetwork/status/1234234790674649090
Mississippi State will enjoy a double bye in the SEC Tournament, which begins Wednesday in Greenville, SC. State will be the two seed, meaning any matchup with the nation’s #1 team South Carolina would not come until the finals. State could push their way into a two seed in the NCAA Tournament with a strong showing next weekend, and a one game exit might drop the Bulldogs down a line in the bracket. There’s plenty to play over the next week as the postseason has arrived in Starkville.
Photo courtesy of Mississippi State Athletics
