Autumn Taylor tied for game-high scoring honors with 16 points Monday night to lead the Mississippi University for Women’s women’s basketball team to a 69-64 victory against Berry College at Pohl Gymnasium.
The W (8-2), the No. 1 team in the United States Athletic Association rankings, used a 22-15 fourth quarter to turn the tide in a game it trailed most of the evening.
Taylor led The W in scoring for the first time this season. The Newton native went 5-for-9 from the field, 2-for-2 from the 3-point line, and 4-for-6 from the free-throw line.
Keyahna Jones had her second double-double of the season with 15 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. She also had three steals. Former Columbus High School standout Rokila Wallace added 15 points, four rebounds, and seven assists in 40 minutes. Former West Point High standout Qiayon Bailey had 10 points and two steals. Tenazhia Hinkson added nine points, six rebounds, and two assists.
The W committed only nine turnovers. It outshot Berry College (2-6) from the field (42.4 percent to 37.1 percent). The Owls overcame a 51.6-percent effort from the free-throw line to pull away.
The W will face Blue Mountain College at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in Tupelo.
n Mississippi State women’s basketball team moves up to No. 5 in The Associated Press poll: At New York, the Mississippi State’s women’s basketball team moved up one spot to No. 5 in The Associated Press’ Top 25 poll, which was released Monday.
MSU improved to 9-0 with an 87-82 victory against then-No. 18 Marquette on Thursday. The game featured 25 lead changes.
MSU extended its ranking streak to 80 consecutive weeks. It has been in the top 10 for 44 straight weeks.
MSU is one of three teams to have its football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball teams all ranked in The AP poll (Kentucky and Syracuse).
Vic Schaefer’s team is the highest of five SEC programs in the poll. The Bulldogs are among the top 15 in the nation in 14 statistical categories. MSU leads the nation in scoring margin (+41.8) and is second in scoring offense, averaging 93.0 points per game. The Bulldogs are fourth in the country in field goal percentage (51.9 percent) and sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.5).
Senior center Teaira McCowan is third in the country with 27 blocked shots and is fourth in the country with seven double-doubles.
Jazzmun Holmes had a career-high and Humphrey Coliseum-record 13 assists against Marquette and now leads the country in assist/turnover ratio (5.4).
MSU will return to action at 6 p.m. Friday against Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.
n MSU men’s basketball team moves into top 20 in both polls: At New York, the MSU men’s basketball team climbed back into the top 20 in The AP and USA Today/Coaches Top 25 polls released Monday.
MSU checks in at No. 17 in the USA Today/Coaches Top 25 and at No. 18 in The AP Top poll. MSU is ranked in The AP’s Top 25 for the sixth-straight edition and the USA Today/Coaches Top 25 for the fifth-consecutive time to start a season for the first time dating back to 2004-05.
MSU, Kentucky, Syracuse, Arizona State, Gonzaga, Iowa, Marquette, Michigan State, and Tennessee are the only schools ranked in The AP men’s and women’s polls.
MSU joins Tennessee (No. 3 AP, No. 4 USA), Auburn (No. 8 AP, No. 8 USA), and Kentucky (No. 19 AP, No. 18 USA) in representing the Southeastern Conference in the national rankings. Florida is receiving votes in both polls.
n In related news, MSU junior guard Lamar Peters used two career-high scoring performances to earn co-SEC Player of the Week honors, which was announced Monday.
It is Peters’ second career weekly award from the SEC and the fifth time MSU has captured the honor under fourth-year coach Ben Howland. Peter shares this week’s nod with Tennessee’s Admiral Schofield.
Peters averaged 27.5 points and five assists per game as the Bulldogs extended their winning streak to a SEC-best five-straight games with victories against McNeese State and Clemson. He hit 62.1 percent of his shots from the field, including 16 3-pointers.
Peters set a program single-game record with eight treys against McNeese State only to equal it four days later versus Clemson. The New Orleans native had a career-high 28 points and five assists against Clemson. He had 27 points against McNeese State.
Peters is averaging 14.2 points and 5.7 assists per game. Thirty of his 44 field goals are 3-pointers.
MSU will play host to Cincinnati, the reigning American Athletic Conference (AAC) champion, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network) at Humphrey Coliseum.
n Southern Mississippi men’s basketball team will play host to Millsaps: At Hattiesburg, the Southern Mississippi men’s basketball team will play host to Millsaps at 4 p.m. Tuesday. The game will wrap up the Golden Eagles’ home schedule for 2018.
Southern Miss (6-2) is off to its best start through eight games since the 2011-12 NCAA tournament season, excluding vacated seasons from the 2012-13 season to the start of 2014-15.
Millsaps (8-0) is the alma mater of Jeff Mitchell, Golden Eagles’ interim director of athletics. Mitchell was a four-year baseball letterwinner for the Majors and later served as their director of athletics media relations.
n Southern Mississippi women’s basketball team will play host to Alcorn State: At Hattiesburg, the Southern Miss women’s basketball team will play host to Alcorn State at 6 p.m. Tuesday for USM’s Military Appreciation game at Reed Green Coliseum. This game will kick off a three-game homestand for the Lady Eagles,
Southern Miss (5-3) leads the series against Alcorn State (1-6) with a 6-3 record. The Lady Eagles are 6-0 when playing them at home.
Junior Colleges
n ICC basketball teams sweep Lawson State: At Birmingham, Alabama, the Itawamba Community College women’s and men’s basketball teams swept a doubleheader from Lawson State C.C. on Monday night.
In the women’s game, Taneshia Miller had 18 points and Shaniyah Buford had 13 in ICC’s 61-49 victory. The Lady Indians improved to 7-2 with the win.
In the men’s game, Kendricus Carlton had 15 points and Travonta Doolittle added 14 in ICC’s 77-56 victory. The Indians improved to 4-6 with the win.
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