Bulldogs can't hold on against Aggies in 68-64 loss

With Mississippi State’s postseason hopes essentially on the line, the Bulldogs had to have a win on Thursday night in College Station, Texas.

State was taking on a Texas A&M team that has been hovering above .500 overall but the Aggies have been a tough out for many in the SEC. The Aggies showed that again on Thursday as the Bulldogs couldn’t find a way in the fourth quarter and lost down the stretch, 68-64.  

“They made some unbelievable moves to get some dagger layups at the rim,” coach Sam Purcell said. “For us to play like we did for three quarters and give up 27 points in the fourth that hurts. As hard as we played, we just didn’t get the job done.”

It wasn’t a good start for the Bulldogs on the road as they dug themselves into a hole early in the game. For nearly 6 minutes of game time, they had just two points as the Aggies built an 11-2 advantage, but State would climb back into it.

As the Bulldogs closed the quarter by tying things up at 12-12, they would keep building in the second quarter. MSU would go on a 19-3 run overall to get a lead all the way out to 21-14 with 6 minutes remaining in the second quarter.

From there, things got really competitive between the two teams. A&M made a small run of its own to briefly take a lead back at 22-21, but it would ultimately be tied 25 going to the break.

After scoring no more than 13 points in each of the first two quarters, the Bulldog offense would come alive in the third as State scored 21 points behind 11 from Madison Francis. That lead would grow to as much as nine points in the quarter but it was 46-41 heading to the final frame.

The teams went back and forth for most of the quarter, but the Bulldogs struggled offensively and defensively in the final 2 minutes of the game. After leading by three points in the final 5 minutes, the Bulldogs would go without a made field goal for the final 4 minutes as A&M pulled ahead for good.

After State’s defense held A&M to 16 points or less in the first three quarters, the Bulldog defense surrendered 27 in the fourth.

Poor shooting  was again an indicator in the loss. The Bulldogs were just 5-of-21 from long range and shot just 24-of-67 from the field. Free throw shooting would also doom State as it finished just 11-of-17 from the line. A&M would hit 9-of-19 threes in return and that would be the ball game.

State’s turnovers were actually down compared to most of SEC play as the Bulldogs had just 13 turnovers and they outrebounded A&M 42-32 with a 16-4 edge on offensive boards. MSU also had 15 assists on the 24 made baskets.

Freshman Madison Francis narrowly missed a double-double as she finished with 19 points and nine rebounds. Chandler Prater had 13 points, nine rebounds, four steals and four assists in the game as Purcell would give her 35 minutes of action due to her intensity.

“We stuck with her because her plus-minus was off the charts,” Purcell said. “She had a look and demeanor in her eyes where she didn’t want to lose. We rode her coat tails, but the team didn’t bring it in the fourth quarter.”

Trayanna Crips also scored in double figures with 12 points and 3-of-6 shooting and Favour Nwaedozi had 11 points and 14 rebounds to notch her 13^th double-double of the season.

State (18-11, 5-10 SEC) has now put itself in a difficult position to make the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs have three losses to teams that aren’t projected to make the field in Missouri, Florida and A&M and can do no better than six SEC regular season wins.

To get that sixth win, State will have to beat the No. 6 LSU Tigers at Humphrey Coliseum on Sunday afternoon. Purcell will be taking a team that has lost three-straight games coming into Senior Night with a long shot of making the tournament, but he’ll try to get them back on the horse.

“It’s hard. These kids have been fighting and giving me all they’ve got,” Purcell said. “It’s a quiet locker room because we’re all frustrated. Now it’s about playing for your seniors on Senior Night, going to the SEC Tournament and making a run.”