Women’s college basketball roundup: MSU and Southern Miss roll, Auburn tops Ole Miss
Published 11:02 pm Thursday, January 31, 2019
- Ole Miss’ Crystal Allen (5) shoots between Auburn's Unique Thompson (20), Erica Sanders (3), and Crystal Primm (23) on Thursday. Allen scored 16 points, but Auburn beat the Rebels 64-51. (Bruce Newman/The Oxford Eagle)
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Andra Espinoza-Hunter scored 16 points, Teaira McCowan had 13 points and 20 rebounds, and No. 6 Mississippi State scored the first 21 points of the game Thursday night in coasting to a 68-35 win over LSU.
It is the fewest points Mississippi State has ever allowed in a Southeastern Conference game.
Espinoza-Hunter scored the first eight points of the game, the Bulldogs went 7-of-10 from the field and the Tigers missed their first 12 shots and had six turnovers before Yasmine Bidikuindila scored with 1:57 to play in the first quarter
Jordan Danberry added 12 points for the Bulldogs (20-1, 8-0 SEC), who have won 10 straight games this season and 24 conference games in a row. McCowan reached 20 rebounds for the fourth time this season and 10th time in her career.
Mercedes Brooks had 11 points for LSU (12-8, 3-5), which had its lowest point total of the season, largest margin of defeat by 10 points, and worst shooting night by far. The Tigers had not shot below 36 percent all season but finished at 21 percent (12-of-57).
The game was decided quickly as Espinoza-Hunter had 10 points and McCowan seven before LSU scored. The Bulldogs were 7-of-11 from the field with two 3-pointers and 6-of-9 from the line, while LSU went 2-of-15 to trail 22-4 at the end of one quarter. The four points were the fewest in a quarter this season for the LSU offense and Mississippi State defense.
MSU led 38-13 at the half and had an 18-0 run in the third quarter, which ended with the score 59-21.
LSU did not hit a 3-pointer until the fourth quarter, when the Tigers outscored MSU — which went 4 of 19 and missed six 3s — 14-9. LSU also had 18 turnovers and just three assists and were 9 of 17 from the foul line.
Auburn 64, Ole Miss 51
Unique Thompson totaled 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Auburn outscored Ole Miss 25-10 in the third quarter to take down the Rebels on Thursday night.
Taylor Smith scored the first points of the third quarter for Ole Miss on a layup 21 seconds in to pull Ole Miss (8-14, 2-6 SEC) within a point at 27-26. Auburn (16-5, 4-4) answered with a 9-0 run, however, and led by as many as 20 in the final minute of the quarter.
Shandricka Sessom led Ole Miss with 16 points and eight rebounds, and Crystal Allen also scored 16 points.
Southern Miss 71, Florida International 57
Shonte Hailes scored 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting, and Megan Brown had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds as Southern Miss rolled past Florida International.
Hailes hit a new career high for 3-pointers with five balls, matching the total made by FIU (3-18, 0-8 Conference USA). Hailes had her third 20-point game this season, and was one point off her career high.
Respect Leaphart also had 11 points for Southern Miss (12-10, 4-5). The Golden Eagles were 7-for-12 from 3-point range in the first half as they built a 39-20 lead.
Ce’Nara Skanes led Florida International with 14 points and 10 rebounds.