No. 21 Mississippi State vs Miami | 2023 ACC/SEC Challenge | 11.29.23

STARKVILLE — Undermanned, undersized and overtaxed, Mississippi State did all it realistically could Wednesday night against Miami. But the Hurricanes more than doubled up the No. 21 Bulldogs on the boards and shot 50 percent from 3-point range to send MSU to a 74-68 loss.

Written by Benjamin Rosenberg | The Dispatch

The Bulldogs (8-1) had played — and won — on three consecutive days over the weekend at the Van Chancellor Classic, and after just two days off, they were down to seven scholarship players against Miami (6-0). Star post player Jessika Carter missed her second straight game with an injury, forward Erynn Barnum was also injured, and another post player, Quanirah Montague, was out with an illness.

“We were just a couple points short there in the fourth quarter, ran out of gas, but man, they competed,” head coach Sam Purcell said. “It’s as simple as this. We’ve got to get healthy.”

With Ramani Parker already out for the season, that left Nyayongah Gony, who started her college career with the Hurricanes, as MSU’s only healthy non-guard. Gony played 34 minutes, total, in eight games last season for the Bulldogs, but played 39 out of 40 minutes against her former team. It didn’t even take her one minute to begin making a case to play more.

On Miami’s first trip down the floor, Gony blocked a jumper in the lane from Ja’leah Williams, and after the Hurricanes kept the possession alive, Gony swatted a driving layup by Lashae Dwyer out of bounds as the shot clock expired, giving MSU the ball back. She finished with seven points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and two steals.

“I know she probably wanted that win more than anybody on this team,” grad transfer guard Lauren Park-Lane said. “She came out, she gave it her all at a position she’s usually not at. She did her best and we’re all really proud of her. She showed a lot of heart, and that’s one thing (Purcell) said; we proved a lot to him tonight.”

The Bulldogs were hot from 3-point range early, with JerKaila Jordan and Debreasha Powe each hitting from deep during an 8-0 run to open the game. Powe and Darrione Rogers, the tallest guards on MSU’s roster, were forced to shift down to more hybrid roles, but both shot the ball well — a combined 23 points on 8-for-16 from the floor, almost all of that coming from behind the arc.

But on a night when MSU was out-rebounded 49-23, including 18-5 on the offensive glass, it was the smallest Bulldog who made the biggest impact. The 5-foot-3 Park-Lane recorded her third double-double in her last four games with 20 points and 10 assists, with 10 of her points coming in the opening quarter.

“Right now, I feel like I’m back to my old self,” Park-Lane said. “I wish we would have had that win tonight so I could really feel back to my old self, but shoutout (to) my teammates and (Purcell), always in my ear (telling me to) be confident, stay confident in yourself. Just having them around me and having positive energy always around me, even when I make mistakes, they’re there for me.”

MSU made up for the rebounding deficiency by forcing 19 turnovers while committing just 10, and turning those turnovers into 21 points. Some luck was involved, too, as Miami finished just 5-for-13 from the free throw line.

The Bulldogs’ leading scorer, Jordan, had an off night, with a season-low nine points on 3-for-11 shooting. She also played much of the second half in foul trouble, committing her fourth while contesting a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter and ultimately fouling out in the final minute.

“It was tough,” Purcell said. “We had a game plan and then she gets in foul trouble, and it mixes up the lineup. That definitely was deflating, but I’m proud for the other kids who came in and stepped up.”

Powe’s 3-pointer in the opening minute of the fourth gave MSU a one-point lead, but Lemyah Hylton made a 3-pointer of her own while absorbing the contact from Jordan and hit the ensuing free throw to put the Hurricanes ahead by three. The Bulldogs rallied back to tie the game on Jordan’s layup with four minutes left, but their focus on containing Miami in the paint gave the Hurricanes too many open looks on the perimeter, and that was the difference late.

MSU will head back on the road Sunday, when the Bulldogs visit Chattanooga for a 1 p.m. tip. Purcell said he is hopeful that Carter will be back soon, but is unsure on the statuses of Barnum and Montague.

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