GREENVILLE, S.C. — The engine that makes the Mississippi State women’s basketball team go is humming along nicely.
Junior point guard Morgan William delivered her second-straight solid effort Saturday night in second-seeded MSU’s 66-50 victory against sixth-seeded Texas A&M in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
William had 12 points on 4-for-7 shooting from the field and handed out five assists (zero turnovers) in 26 minutes. Her performance came on the heels of a 21-point, seven-assist effort Friday in a victory against LSU.
“Morgan has like 33 points and 12 assists in the last two games and no turnovers, which I absolutely love,” MSU coach Vic Schaefer said. “Scoot over here next to me (Schaefer said to William in the post-game news conference). I like that. I thought our execution in the first half is what really relaxed us.”
William stayed in help mode in the post-game news conference when she asked Schaefer as they found their seats, “Coach, got your glasses?” She then fist-bumped the moderator. On Friday night, Schaefer had to use the moderator’s glasses to read the final stat sheet.
William remained focused throughout the news conference, as she directed teammate Dominique Dillingham to answer a question about the significance of MSU earning a program-record 29th victory. Her ability to direct traffic sitting behind a table on a podium showed the same leadership she used in the first quarter when she waved off Dillingham and then confidently hit a jump shot as part of an 18-9 first quarter that set the tone for the Bulldogs.
“It helps when you have a point guard that takes care of the ball, and it starts with (Morgan),” Schaefer said. “It starts with Morgan and Jazz(mun Holmes) and it goes from there.”
William’s performance continued a recent stretch of superb play. She has scored in double figures in five of the last six games after reaching that mark only once in the previous seven games. MSU is 46-6 when William scores in double figures.
At the end of the news conference, William added a final assist when she leaned into the microphone to make sure the players’ portion ended with what has become Schaefer’s trademark saying, “Praise the Lord and go Dogs.”
Setting another record
In a season that has been filled with plenty of records, MSU notched another that likely will fall pretty quickly.
For Dillingham and senior teammates Ketara Chapel, Chinwe Okorie, and Breanna Richardson, the program-record 29th victory pushed their career record to 106-32.
“It’s a team that I will never forget,” Dillingham said. “We are just an amazing team. It’s just amazing to be on a team that is so good, and it is just another accomplishment, but we have so more to get. We just have to keep it on.”
Dillingham said the willingness of the players to “buy in” has been a key to the record-setting season. She said a lot more players are getting in the gym and working on their games. The difference has translated to increased efficiency on the offensive end. MSU entered the game scoring 75.9 points per game and shooting 45.4 percent from the field, which are the best marks in Schaefer’s five seasons in Starkville.
MSU shot 43.1 percent from the field (25 of 58) against Texas A&M. Dillingham led the way with a 6-for-10 effort from the field. It was her highest shooting percentage when she attempts 10 shots or more, which she has done four times this season.
Schaefer likes what he sees from Vivians
Schaefer isn’t pushing the panic button because leading scorer Victoria Vivians is 5-for-20 in the first two SEC tournament games.
Against Texas A&M, Vivians had 10 points on 4-for-14 shooting in 30 minutes.
Vivians was 1-for-7 in the first quarter. She looked tentative when she missed her first six shots. She paused before taking her seventh on the right wing. She appeared to drag her foot before launching a 3-pointer that went in and capped the Bulldogs’ 18-9 first quarter.
Vivians looked to grow more comfortable as the game progressed. She attacked the basket and even finished one left-handed layup.
But Schaefer was more impressed with Vivians’ defense.
“Torri was a rock defensively,” Schaefer said. “She was in stance, in help. She did a great job. We talked today about what we needed to do to take away some of their inside, and it had to do with help side. Torri was in that spot a lot. She might not have shot it well, but she was really big defensively for us tonight, not only guarding but also in help side.
“We’re going to keep giving her the ball. I thought she took good shots. She might have taken one we may not have wanted to take because it was quick. She missed a driving layup, so she should have been 5-for-14. Torri is a confident kid, and I am going to go to bed tonight confident she is going to wake up tomorrow and have a heck of a game tomorrow night because that is the kid I know. I just think in the moment she is going to embrace that opportunity. I have seen it too many times. Torri will be fine. When other people are scoring, it helps our team, but it might even affect her focus a little bit knowing she has some help. That is a good thing.”
South Carolina beats Kentucky
A’ja Wilson had 26 points, eight rebounds, and five blocked shots to lead top-seeded South Carolina to an 89-77 victory against fourth-seeded Kentucky in the first semifinal.
Mikiah Herbert Harrigan had a career-high 17 points in 23 minutes. Kaela Davis added 17 points for the Gamecocks (26-4), the regular-season champions.
Makayla Epps paced Kentucky (21-10) with 31 points, nine rebounds, and three assists, while Evelyn Akhator added 24 points and 11 rebounds.
South Carolina senior Alaina Coates limped off favoring her right ankle with 46 seconds left in third quarter and South Carolina leading 62-60. She re-joined her teammates on the bench in the fourth quarter with her right foot in a walking boot. She had one point in four minutes.
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said after the victory that Coates wouldn’t play today in the tournament title game.
Coates didn’t play Friday night in South Carolina’s victory against eighth-seeded Georgia in the quarterfinals.
History in the making
Entering the game, MSU had defeated the same team three times in one season twice. It defeated North Alabama on Nov. 9, 1978, Nov. 16, 1978, and Dec. 2, 1978. MSU also defeated Ole Miss on Jan. 13, 2000, Feb. 2, 2000, and March 2, 2000.
MSU defeated two teams — Alabama-Birmingham and Southern — three times in the same year but not the same season. It defeated UAB on Feb. 20, 1981, March 12, 1981, and Dec. 7, 1981. MSU beat Southern on Jan.4, 1990, Nov. 30, 1990, and Dec. 30, 1990.
Vanderbilt defeated MSU three times in the same season: Jan. 6, 2011, Feb. 17, 2011, and March 4, 2011.
Texas A&M entered the game having not lost to the same team three times in a season since 2012, when it lost to Baylor as a member of the Big 12 Conference. Baylor beat Texas A&M three times in 2006, 2009, 2011, and 2012. The Aggies won the fourth meeting in 2011 on their way to winning a national championship. Schaefer was an associate head coach on that team. Director of Operations Maryann Baker and Director of Scouting/Video Coordinator Skylar Collins were players on the team.
Noteworthy
Texas A&M entered the game looking to become the first team to win three games to reach the SEC title game since 2004, when Vanderbilt and Georgia advanced to the title game after starting play on Thursday. … The Aggies entered the semifinal without having a bench player score a point. Jasmine Lumpkin’s free throw with 4:03 remaining gave the Aggies their first point off the bench. MSU outscored Texas A&M off the bench 20-4. … Texas A&M’s 35.6-percent shooting was its lowest mark in the three games against MSU. … The Bulldogs’ 15 offensive rebounds were their most in the three games against the Aggies. Those rebounds led to a 21-4 edge in second-chance points. … The Bulldogs committed seven turnovers, which were their fewest in the three matchups. … Richardson led the way with eight rebounds, while McCowan had seven rebounds and three blocked shots. … MSU improved to 25-1 this season and 100-22 under Schaefer when it gives up 65 points or less. The 50 points were the fewest Texas A&M has scored against MSU this season.
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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