STARKVILLE — When you’re part of a bench effort that gets outscored 32-4, you would think there aren’t a lot of positives to come from that effort.
But Shamia Robinson is trying to make the most of every minute she is on the floor for the Mississippi State University women’s basketball team.
On Thursday, the 5-foot-8 freshman from West Oktibbeha County High School in Maben scored only two points and had only one rebound in 11 minutes in MSU’s come-from-behind 66-61 victory against the University of Alabama.
“I feel great,” Robinson said. “I feel this team needs me and my energy, and I feel like I bring a lot to the team, like rebounding. My defense isn’t quite there yet, but I do a lot for the team.”
Robinson will try to deliver a timely effort again at 2 p.m. today when MSU (11-5, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) plays host to No. 19 Georgia (14-3, 3-1) at Humphrey Coliseum.
The game can be heard on WKBB-FM 100.9 and WXWX-FM 96.3.
Prior to the game, MSU will recognize its alumni as part of the program’s annual Alumni Day festivities. The contest will also be part of the SEC’s “We Back Pat” week, which is recognizing University of Tennessee coach Pat Summitt’s fight against early onset dementia.
Robinson’s only basket came on an impressive baseline jump shot in which she created space for herself and then rose up in between two defenders to hit a shot that helped MSU cut its deficit to 55-54 with 7 minutes, 26 seconds to play. It was the biggest points scored by a MSU reserve on a night in which Alabama’s reserves dominated.
The move showed the confidence Robinson has developed in her game after a surprising start to the season in which she has split time at both forward spots. Robinson’s knack for being in the right place at the right time, reading the basketball off the rim, and her athleticism and leaping ability have allowed coach Sharon Fanning-Otis to go to the freshman often and quickly in games. Through 15 games, Robinson is averaging 2.7 points and 4.3 rebounds in 12.7 minutes.
“Shamia used a shot fake and hit a huge baseline shot,” Fanning-Otis said. “Shamia can make things happen. She played at a three and at a four in the second half, and she is getting to understand sets and positions.”
Robinson smiled when asked if the energy she brings off the bench means she is taking lessons from senior Porsha Porter, who is MSU’s spark plug on both ends. Robinson said she is taking pointers daily from Porter and that she hopes she will be able to take Porter’s place as an energizer next season.
“It was different coming in from the high school I came from because I didn’t think a big, major university like Mississippi State would need me much,” Robinson said. “It is totally different. I didn’t expect to be playing as much as I am playing.”
Robinson said she doesn’t allow her lack of size to prevent her from rebounding like a seasoned veteran. She attributes her success in tracking balls down from growing up playing basketball and having a sense of the game.
She hopes that sense of the game will allow her defensive game to improve, too. She said she wants to improve her first step and her positioning off the ball so she can help teammates when needed.
So far, though, Robinson is taking what she can get. She understands she might not be a primary scoring option when she is on the floor, which enables her to go hard to the offensive boards.
But Thursday she showed she has the potential to give MSU a little more, even if that baseline shot came as a surprise to the player who hit it.
“I didn’t think I had it in me,” Robinson said. “I just want to become a beast on the rebounding end and get a lot more rebounds, improve my defense, and the offense is going to come.”
Senior Diamber Johnson had a game-high 22 points to pace MSU against Alabama. She increased her SEC-leading scoring average to 17.6 points per game. She needs six points to reach 900 career points, and an 8.2 average to reach the 1,000-point milestone during the regular season.
Georgia defeated Florida 61-55 on Thursday behind 19 points each from Khaalidah Miller and Anne Marie Armstrong. Miller averages 13.1 ppg., second only to Jasmine Hassell’s 13.4 clip.
Hassell and Armstrong, who averages 10.9 ppg., are tied for the rebounding lead with 5.6 per game.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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