Mississippi State Women's Basketball continues winning ways at Van Chancellor Classic

The Lady Bulldogs are on a hot streak to start the season and they continue to find ways to win games.

Defense, shooting, and constant pressure to the basket seem to be the recipe for success for the Mississippi State women's basketball team, but Sunday afternoon it found another way to notch a win, 3-point scoring.

No. 25 Mississippi State (7-0) defeated Arkansas Bluff-Pine (1-4) 77-68 at the Van Chancellor Classic in Katy, Texas. 

A sloppy start was saved by Debreasha Powe and her early scoring barrage of nine points from behind the arch in the first quarter. JerKaila Jordan started to get hot in the second quarter after going scoreless in the first. She eventually finished with another 20-point performance as she continues to lead the team in scoring.

Going into half 43-33, the lady Bulldogs started to assert their dominance against the scrappy UAPB team. However, the second half was one of their weakest of the season. This is when Jessika Carter started to heat up in the fourth quarter.

For most of the game, she was a non-factor, but easy layups, mismatches, and hook shots held the Golden Lions at bay. Erynn Barnum was effortless on the glass, picking up huge offensive rebounds and Lauren Park-Lane was big in the quarter as well by hitting a 3 and almost finishing with a double-double with points and assists to lead the Bulldogs past their SWAC competition.

Head coach Sam Purcell constantly states that it can be anyone on this team who can win the game and that is how this team operates and finds ways to win. 

Barnum notched her fourth career double-double and second of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds in 28 minutes, while graduate student guard Lauren Park-Lane added 12 points and eight assists in 35 minutes. Park-Lane has 18 assists over the last two games.

The Lady Bulldogs' final game in the Van Chancellor Classic will be Sunday at 6:15 p.m. CT against Tulsa on ESPN+ as they look to move to 8-0. 

Mississippi State Women Start Off Strong at Van Chancellor Classic