Bulldogs Battle Valiantly but Gamecocks Secure Victory at Colonial Life Arena
The Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs faced a tough challenge against the South Carolina Gamecocks, ending with a 66-85 defeat. The Bulldogs now stand with an unranked status, while the Gamecocks hold the number one rank. The game unfolded at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina, where 15,751 fans witnessed an intense matchup.
The Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs started strong with 21 points in the first quarter but couldn't maintain their momentum against the top-ranked Gamecocks. Despite their efforts, they were outscored in each subsequent quarter. The team's overall field goal percentage was a modest 36 percent from their 75 attempts and they struggled beyond the arc with only a 16 percent success rate from three-point range.
Mississippi State's defense managed to block three shots and steal the ball six times throughout the game. They also showed prowess under both baskets by grabbing a total of 45 rebounds – including an impressive haul of offensive rebounds which stood at 15 – contributing to their second-chance points tally of 16.
On offense, Mississippi State made notable contributions inside as they scored an impressive 40 points in paint. Their free throw performance was below par though; hitting just nine out of sixteen attempts for a free throw percentage of only about fifty-six percent.
In contrast to Mississippi State's struggles from distance, South Carolina excelled with three-pointers making half of their twelve attempts. They also had better accuracy overall shooting forty-seven percent from field goals and seventy-five percent from free throws line which contributed significantly to their win.
South Carolina’s defense proved more effective than that of Mississippi State as well; they blocked six shots and stole eight balls over four quarters while committing fewer personal fouls (12 compared to MSST’s seventeen). Their assist-to-turnover ratio was superior too standing at approximately one point five-five compared to MSST’s zero point eighty-three indicating more efficient ball handling and distribution by SCAR players during playtime.
Looking ahead for Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs fans: The team will be traveling to face Arkansas Razorbacks on January eleven twenty-four at Bud Walton Arena located in Fayetteville AR starting eight o'clock PM Central Time Zone (CT). Fans can catch this upcoming game live as it happens ensuring not miss any action-packed moments on court!