82
Mississippi State coach Vic Schaefer used 13 players, and each of them scored. It was that kind of night for the Bulldogs.
Jacaira Allen scored 12 of her 14 points in the second half, and No. 7 Mississippi State beat San Jose State 88-51 today in the Rainbow Wahine Showdown.
Mississippi State will take on tournament host Hawaii on Sunday. It will mark the first time the Bulldogs and Rainbow Wahine have faced off.
Allen was 7 for 9 from the field in 15 minutes. The reserve also had two assists and two rebounds.
“I liked my bench tonight. I thought they came in and played really well,” Schaefer said. “It was a good win. I thought our athleticism and quickness really dominated the game defensively.”
The Bulldogs (6-0) never trailed and led by as many as 39 points. Teaira McCowan, a 6-foot-7 sophomore center, added nine points and 16 rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass.
The Spartans (2-4) were held to their second-lowest scoring output of the season and shot just 37 percent from the field.
San Jose State had 24 turnovers, leading to 35 points for Mississippi State.
“That’s what we try to do: disrupt you and not let you run what you want to run,” Schaefer said.
Jasmine Smith had nine points for San Jose State, which was outrebounded 58-28 by the Bulldogs.
“We wanted to compete against them and force them to make adjustments and, for the most part, and I thought we did that,” San Jose State coach Jamie Craighead said. “We knew we were going to give up size on our offensive end. It was really difficult. Our players had to battle a lot and it took its toll. We just looked really fatigued.”
BIG PICTURE
Mississippi State: One day after a 14-turnover game against Oregon, the Bulldogs took better care of the basketball. They committed 13 turnovers against San Jose State, but just three in the first half before emptying the bench in the third and fourth quarters.
San Jose State: The Spartans’ first-quarter struggles continued against the Bulldogs. They were outscored 21-12 in the opening period Saturday and have been outscored 124-82 in the first quarter through their first six games.
UP NEXT
San Jose State returns to the court Sunday against Oregon, which has won 10 of 12 meetings against the Spartans. SJSU has lost five straight in the series since its last win over the Ducks, 68-62 on Feb. 14, 1986.
By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the Terms of Service. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our guidelines.
Having trouble with comments? Learn more here.