STARKVILLE (AP) — VIctoria Vivians scored 23 points and Teaira McCowan had 21 points and 16 rebounds to help No. 2 Mississippi State beat Kentucky 74-55 on Sunday.

In front of a second straight sellout crowd at Humphrey Coliseum, coach Vic Schaefer defeated Kentucky for the first time in his career. The Bulldogs had lost 11 straight games in the series before Sunday’s win.

“I didn’t want to go my whole college career without beating them,” Vivians said. “It felt good to come out with the win.”

Prior to the 2017-18 season, MSU had one sellout in school history. It’s now becoming routine in Starkville.

Next Sunday’s Texas A&M game has also sold out, and another is imminent for the Auburn game to end the regular season home slate.

“If I was a fan, I’d be in here every night,” Schaefer said. “(The players) are just really special. I think our fans are very educated and they love these kids and this program. That’s part of building a program, but you’ve got to give these kids all the credit because of how they respect and honor the game.”

Roshunda Johnson worked Mississippi State through a relatively cold first quarter, hitting five 3-pointers for 15 points. Despite the 35 percent shooting in the first 20 minutes, the Bulldogs were up 40-22.

Johnson finished with 17 points.

“I thought Roshunda was very, very special in the first half,” Schaefer said. “She bailed us out of some bad sets and made some shots for us.”

Kentucky’s Maci Morris got going in the third quarter by scoring 11 points in the first 5:30 and helping the WIldcats close that 18-point lead deficit to nine at 50-41.

The Bulldogs (26-0, 12-0 Southeastern Conference) got control of the ballgame late in the period, extending the lead to 56-43 on a jumper by Teaira McCowan with 28 seconds to go. Morris missed a 3-pointer in the final seconds of the quarter, and the Wildcats never got it back down to single digits.

Kentucky (12-14, 4-8) was led by Morris’ 21 points before she fouled out in the fourth quarter. They won the battle of the boards against the Bulldogs 39-33, but Mississippi State forced 19 turnovers that led to 23 points.

“Morris came out and made some shots in that third quarter,” said Bulldogs point guard Morgan William, who had eight assists and no turnovers. “I think our defense just wore on them as the quarter went on from there. We played better on-ball defense.”

McCowan had 21 points and 16 rebounds for her 18th double-double of the season.

Alabama 82, Ole Miss 79

Shaquera Wade had a steal and go-ahead layup with 36 seconds left, and Jordan Lewis followed with a pair of free throws moments later as Alabama beat Ole Miss.

Lewis went 11-for-13 from the free throw line and finished with a career-high 23 points. The Crimson Tide was 28-for-34 from the line as a team and rallied from a 10-point deficit in the second half.

Alabama (15-10, 5-7 Southeastern Conference) snapped a four-game losing streak.

Torri Lewis led Ole Miss with 26 points and Shelby Gibson scored 20. Ole Miss (11-14, 1-11) hit 15 3-pointers, with Lewis going 7-for-11 from beyond the arc.