STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State took control with a 15-0 run in the second half to upset the No. 17 West Virginia women 74-61 on Thursday night in the Preseason WNIT semifinal.
The Mountaineers (2-1), paced by Averee Field’s career-high 23 points, trailed 42-41 with 16 minutes left, before Mississippi State (3-0) went oh a six-minute surge. Bulldogs freshman Victoria Vivians, who hit two of her four 3-pointers to put the game away, finished with 26 points and five rebounds. Ketara Chapel added 19 points in the win.
Mississippi State held a 31-20 edge on the offensive boards and a 26-10 cushion in second-chance points.
“They hurt us on offensive rebounds,” said coach Mike Carey. “We needed to see this to see what we need to correct. Give credit to Mississippi State, they did what they needed to do.”
Bria Holmes finished with 18 points in a 40-minute outing, her seventh straight game in double figures. But she made only 8-of-23 shots and committed eight of West Virginia’s 24 turnovers. Crystal Leary added nine rebounds and five boards before fouling out.
Teana Muldrow (seven points, five rebounds) and Lanay Montgomery (two points, five boards) also fouled out—Montgomery doing so in only 15 minutes.
The Mountaineers return to action Wednesday when they host Evansville.