STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State women’s basketball team continues to find a way to get things done.
MSU coach Vic Schaefer will grant you the Bulldogs don’t always earn aesthetic points, but he usually loves the defense and the intensity his players bring to the court every game.
On Sunday, No. 11 MSU mixed defense and intensity with clutch plays by Victoria Vivians, Morgan William, and Dominique Dillingham to earn a 52-42 victory against No. 21 Missouri before a crowd of 4,521 at Humphrey Coliseum.
“Mama said there’d be days like these,” Schaefer said. “It wasn’t pretty. That is all I can say, but as bad as we played I really got to give it to our kids for fighting and their resilience, especially defensively. As bad as we were playing and as bad as we were shooting the ball, we kept fighting and trying to make a play.”
MSU’s fourth-straight victory helped it improve to 21-4 and move into sole possession of second place in the Southeastern Conference at 8-3. The Bulldogs held the Tigers (18-6. 5-6) to a season-low point total in avenging a 66-54 loss on Jan. 14 in Columbia, Missouri.
MSU erased the memory of slow start in the first meeting by “throwing the first punch” and outscoring Missouri 17-6 in the first quarter. Schaefer has encouraged his players to start games with a focus and a resolve that helps them set the tone for the game. The Bulldogs accomplished that despite stretches of offensive struggles on a day in which 52 fouls (23 by MSU) were called, 38 free throws were shot (15 of 22 for the Bulldogs), and both teams shot less than 33 percent from the field (18 of 55, 32.7 percent, for MSU).
“We knew it was important to come out and punch them first,” Dillingham said. “Earlier this year, they really punched us in the mouth and kept attacking. We weren’t ready. This game we were able to win because we had the good start.”
MSU overcame a six-point second quarter and a scoreless stretch in the third quarter by forcing 27 turnovers, the second most by Missouri in a game this season. The Bulldogs turned those mistakes into a 29-11 edge in points off turnovers.
The Bulldogs also fought through one of the worst pregame shootarounds Sunday morning and responded with a victory that will bolster its resume. Entering the game, MSU had a Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) of 29, according to the NCAA, and a Strength of Schedule (SOS) of 76, according to RealTimeRPI.com. Missouri entered the game with an RPI of 33 and a SOS of 62.
William led the Bulldogs with 17 points, while Vivians added 13 and Teaira McCowan had 10. Vivians had a team-high seven rebounds and a career-best five steals, while Dillingham had five points, six rebounds, and accounted for five offensive fouls. The 5-foot-9 junior also took two charges on Jordan Frericks (12 points) in the final four minutes that fouled the Missouri junior out.
Dillingham’s first charge set the stage for a drive to the rim by William, who was 5 of 13 from the field and 6 of 10 from the free-throw line, that gave MSU a 43-38 lead. Vivians sandwiched a baseline jump shot and steal and a three-point play around another drive by William that finally helped the Bulldogs pull away.
Vivians also had a steal she converted into a layup at the end of the third quarter to spark the Bulldogs.
“Even though my shots weren’t going in, I was still trying to focus on defense because I know eventually my shots will come because I shoot all of the time,” said Vivians, who was 5 of 19 from the field. “I was just trying to focus on defense because it was a defensive game and I was trying to help my teammates any way possible on that end.”
The 13 attempts by William is her third-highest total of the season. In the last five games, she has attempted 12 or more shots. Prior to that, she had attempted 10 or more shots six times. She said she is trying to be more aggressive and challenge defenses, either by taking jump shots when left open or beating her defender off the dribble.
William took the ball to the basket hard against Lianna Doty twice in the final 3 minutes, 45 seconds and was able to beat the help defense and finish.
“Coach has told me I need to get in the gym, so I have been shooting every day, just about,” William said. “I know we need some more scorers because you never know who is going to have a good offensive night. When I am open, I got to shoot and make wide-open shots.”
MSU’s defense earned the gold star, though, as it limited Missouri to 2 of 12 from 3-point range. The two 3-pointers matched the fewest in a game this season. Missouri also had a season-low 14 field goals and shot 14 of 44 (31.8 percent) from the field, its second-lowest mark. In the teams’ first meeting, Missouri limited MSU to 27.6-percent shooting, which was its lowest output of the season to that point.
All of the factors helped MSU work through its third 50-plus foul game of the season and set the stage for a crucial matchup against No. 12 Texas A&M at 6 p.m. Thursday (SEC Network) in College Station, Texas.
“Success is fleeting,” Schaefer said. “Embrace the opportunities we have. We have worked our tail off to be 21-4 and 8-3 in the league. I am sure they will have a great crowd and it will be a hostile environment. … Our kids are going to have to play, but I think they will. I think they will be excited about that challenge and about the opportunity.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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