STARKVILLE — Vic Schaefer won’t mind surprises if they continue to happen like they did Thursday night.
Led by 21 first-half points by Victoria Vivians and 17 second-half points by Roshunda Johnson, No. 4 MSU rolled to an 86-41 victory against Vanderbilt. The victory marked the fourth time this season MSU (24-1, 10-1 Southeastern Conference) has recorded the program’s biggest margin of victory against a SEC opponent. It also was the second-largest SEC win for the program.
Last month, MSU routed LSU (74-48) and Florida (82-49) at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville. On Feb. 2 in Auburn, Alabama, MSU pulled way in the third and fourth quarters for a 77-47 victory against Auburn at Auburn Arena.
Just like in at least one of those victories, Schaefer said Thursday he didn’t see that performance coming from his team.
“I thought they were outstanding defensively,” Schaefer said. “Morgan (William) had eight assists and no turnovers at the point guard spot. We forced 15 turnovers in the second half. I think the thing you saw tonight is we’re two deep everywhere and we can substitute and have continuity. That is a big deal. It gives you a chance to be really special and really good.”
Schaefer will look for an effort just like the last one at 3 p.m. today (SEC Network) when MSU takes on Ole Miss (15-9, 4-7) at The Pavilion at Ole Miss in Oxford. A victory will help MSU tie its single-season SEC wins record for the third-straight year. This year’s team would match the 2014-15 and 2015-16 teams for the most league wins in school history.
Vanderbilt coach Stephanie White was impressed with what she saw. White, a longtime women’s basketball analyst for television and the former coach of the WNBA’s Indiana Fever, has seen MSU play enough over the last few years. She said the Bulldogs’ maturity on offense and their mental game left her with the strongest impressions.
“The ball moves better,” White said. “It gets from one side of the floor to the other. Player movement is much more efficient. (I think they have a better) understanding what you’re trying to get out of offense. Sometimes when you don’t understand what you’re trying to get out of offense everybody gets really tunnel vision and the ball sticks. You’re not seeing that this year. You’re seeing everybody get a hand on it. Everybody is decisive when they do have it. They’re not waiting to decide once they catch it. I think you see a much more of a comfort level on the offensive end.”
White said the Bulldogs need to approach each game with the same mind-set if they want to realize a goal and get to the Final Four. She feels it is an attainable goal because the Bulldogs have the depth and experience.
“Vic does what he does on the defensive end of the floor better than anybody in the country,” White said, “so there is no doubt defensively it is going to be there. I think continuing to trust in the system and trusting in your teammates to be able to make shots and the ball movement and player movement piece of it on offense I think are the difference.”
For a coach who has been critical of his team’s defense and who has wondered about his players’ focus in practice, the victory against Vanderbilt was satisfying. The Bulldogs broke out to a 20-2 lead and played perhaps their best first 15 minutes of the season. MSU shot better than 50 percent from the field in three quarter and placed three players in double figures. Senior Breanna Richardson, who was honored for scoring her 1,000th career point, added 12 points and six rebounds.
“They were really locked in tonight,” Schaefer said.
Vivians said she didn’t know what to expect from the team at game time because the team had a lackluster shootaround. Individually, Vivians was in a rhythm from the tip, as she scored 10 of the Bulldogs’ first 18 points. She said the team’s focus was to finish what it started, especially after Schaefer has challenged the team to do just that.
“We have to keep treating each game in the SEC like it’s a championship game,” Vivians said.
It remains to be seen if Schaefer would be surprised to see his team reach that level of execution. In one sense, though, it might be inevitable because Schaefer is stressing the importance of getting one play and one minute better every day. Judging from the game against Vanderbilt, MSU is on pace to keep surprising its coach.
“I just think offensively we’re getting more continuity and getting more chemistry,” Schaefer said. “We’re understanding hey, don’t let it stop with me. If I can’t get to the rim, I know the next person is going to get to the rim. … I think our kids are getting an understanding offensively of what to look for. Again, I think we can get a lot better on that end. I think we can get a lot better on the defensive end.”
NOTES: The game will be broadcast live on the SEC Network. The game also can be heard locally on WKBB-FM 100.9 in the Golden Triangle. WCNA-FM 95.9 will carry the game in the Tupelo, Corinth, and Oxford areas. A free live audio stream will be available on www.hailstate.com/plus or the TuneIn app. … Ole Miss is coming off a 62-51 loss to LSU on Thursday at The Pavilion at Ole Miss. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for the Rebels, who slipped to 13-2 at home. ..MSU has won the last six games — and 14 of the last 17 — in the series, including with a 73-62 victory on Jan. 16 in Starkville.
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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