Mississippi State Women's Basketball Defeats Ole Miss 69-57

The Bulldogs improved to 2-2 in conference play after defeating in-state rival Ole Miss.

STARKVILLE, Miss. — The Mississippi State Bulldogs in women's basketabll defeated their rival Ole Miss 69-57 on Sunday, and in the process head coach Sam Purcell got his first career win over the Rebels. MSU lost both matchups with the Rebels last year for the first time since 2004.

The Bulldogs were led by senior center Jessika Carter, who had a game-high 23 points. 

"She's in the best shape of her life. She's a dog. She works hard," Purcell said.

The coach also called her the best post player in the country. Carter did not make quite the impact Bulldog fans were hoping for in the first two SEC games, but she bounce back with two strong performances, both wins. 

The Bulldog defense also played well while only allowing 57 points, their lowest margin in SEC play. This excellent defense culminated in the fourth quarter, when they yielded just six points.

MSU began to pull away late in the game, as the Bulldogs only gave up two points in the final six minutes. Bulldog guard Lauren Park-Lane spoke on the importance of defense.

"We like when it comes down to these close games, it's going to rely on defense, not offense. So you know, we just kept harping on getting a stop," Park-Lane said.

The Bulldogs dropped their first two SEC games last week, and it was important for MSU to rally to keep their NCAA tournament dreams alive. Purcell praised his team's toughness and willingness to fight through adversity.

"My kids are working hard behind the scenes. I keep saying it," Purcell said. "We have multiple injuries and sickness, but they keep on saying, give me that jersey. I'm down to seven kids. Don't worry about that. Give me that jersey."

Anytime a team can beat their in-state rival, it is a big win, but there was a bit extra juice after an 0-2 record against the Rebels last year. Purcell wants his team to celebrate the win for now, but with a new week on the horizon, he knows his team needs to lock back in.

"We're gonna celebrate tonight, but we got to go back to work, Purcell said. "We got to make sure we stay hungry."

Live Updates For Mississippi State Women's Basketball Against Ole Miss.