HATTIESBURG — This road trip wasn’t as simple as packing clothes, collecting meal money, and boarding the bus for Breanna Richardson.
The Mississippi State senior forward participated in commencement ceremonies Friday night at Humphrey Coliseum. Richardson and MSU women’s basketball coach Vic Schaefer pulled in to Hattiesburg around 12:30 Saturday morning.
Less than six hours later, Richardson was at the team’s shootaround. On Saturday afternoon, Richardson collected her first double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds in No. 5 MSU’s 72-50 victory against Southern Mississippi before a MSU-dominated crowd of 2,890 at Green Coliseum.
“This was my graduation gift to the team,” Richardson said. “I thought they deserved something special. It’s been an emotional weekend, and I am glad it ended this way. I was kind of shocked to have this type of game to be honest.”
MSU (9-0) has won five straight in the series. The Bulldogs were playing for the first time in a week after a break for final examinations. The Bulldogs also played their second game without Dominque Dillingham, who continues to recover from a knee injury.
“We are just looking for other players to step up,” MSU senior center Chinwe Okorie said. “Sometimes, we have some really great practices, but we leaving things on the practice floor. I love my guards to death. Our plan was to get the ball inside. We just have to do more of that.”
Dillingham, a senior guard, always has been the team’s focal point on defense. Her hard-nosed, aggressive physical style helps set the tone. Without her, the Bulldogs have been looking for that spark on the defensive end.
Schaefer wasn’t pleased despite the fact Southern Miss (5-2) was the fourth opponent MSU has held to 50 points or less this season.
“I am totally frustrated with the defensive effort of this team,” Schaefer said. “This may be my worst defensive team. I know the 50 points part. I also know how many good looks Southern Miss got and they just didn’t go down. I have one player playing with a broken nose, willing to take a charge, willing to get in your face.
“We need more of those. I am not sure what it is going to take to get things going on the defensive end.”
MSU shot 46.2 percent from the field and had three players in double figures. The Bulldogs used a huge size advantage to take a 44-30 rebounding advantage.
Okorie added 18 points and nine rebounds. Leading scorer Victoria Vivians was 5 of 15 from the field and finished with 11 points.
“It’s just about repeating things,” Okorie said. “There are times where we take that play off. We just have to be more focused and more determined to get the ball inside. When the shots aren’t falling outside, we got to take advantage of other things we can do well.”
Schaefer said Vivians and Roshunda Johnson had off nights from the floor. He doesn’t expect both of them cold on the same day very often. When that happens, the team’s inside presence has more significance.
“I am really proud of Breanna,” Schaefer said. “We need that every night because she is certainly capable. When you see things going well for her early, it’s special. She has been through a lot this weekend but really came out and played well on the court.”
Richardson collected her career high of 20 points as a freshman in a victory against Southern Miss in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.
“I don’t know what is about playing those guys, but I really enjoy it,” Richardson said. “I think we know we have some advantage, so we just have to use them. We are trying to hold things together while (Dillingham) is out. I know my coaches and my teammates are counting on me, so it is time to step up.”
The Bulldogs fed Okorie on back-to-back possessions for easy layups to start the game. The fast started carried throughout the first quarter. Eleven-straight points by Richardson sent the Bulldogs to a 17-6 advantage late in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs held at least a nine-point lead the remainder of the game. The lead grew to 15 once and 14 three times in the second quarter, before MSU led 33-22 at halftime.
In the second half, a jumper by Okorie built the lead to 43-28 with 3 minutes, 53 seconds left in the third quarter. The Bulldogs’ size and depth wore on the Golden Eagles from there.
“You can tell how good a basketball team Southern Miss is,” Schaefer said. “We were fortunate to get off to the good start. That happened because Bre came out really ready to go. There is a little hesitancy, and we have to get over that. When you are on the road, you are going to get the other team’s best shot. We have to do a better job of being ready for that shot.”
MSU won its eighth game away from Humphrey Coliseum. The road swing continues Tuesday night at Arkansas-Little Rock. Richardson is relieved she can catch the bus with her teammates this time.
“This was a fun weekend,” Richardson said. “I am glad I don’t have to go through it again.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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