Feb. 21, 2008
 |
COLUMBIA – South Carolina suffered a 58-54 loss to Mississippi State in front of 1,336 fans tonight at the Colonial Center. The Gamecocks (13-13, 2-9 SEC) out-rebounded the Lady Bulldogs (16-10, 4-7 SEC) 41-32, but could not collect the extra possessions during crucial moments late in the game. Junior Demetress Adams and freshman Jordan Jones tied for team-high honors with 12 points each, while Adams pulled down a team-high eight rebounds, seven of which came in the second half.
The first half saw the Lady Bulldogs jump out to a 12-point lead behind sniper-like marksmanship from Alexis Rack, who hit three straight 3-pointers. With 9:04 left in the period, the Gamecock offense came alive and went on a 10-2 run to narrow the deficit to four at 17-21. Adams kicked off the surge with a turnaround jumper just below the free throw line, and Ebony Jones got the deficit under 10 with a 3-pointer from the right baseline. After a layup from Imesia Jackson, Jordan Jones hit her first 3-pointer of the night from the right wing. Adams capped the run with a layup as Ilona Burgrova spotted her out of a double team driving the lane.
After a Mississippi State time out, the team’s traded baskets over the next three minutes before the Lady Bulldogs moved ahead 31-23 on Rack’s steal and layup with 2:29 remaining in the half. Jordan Jones buried a 3-pointer from the right wing to get the Gamecocks back within five. When Jackson hit just 1-of-2 from the free-throw line, Burgrova sent South Carolina to the locker room down just 28-32 with a mid-range jumper in the final minute.
The Gamecocks erased the deficit quickly in the second half as Jones drained a 3-pointer from the top of the arc, and Lakesha Tolliver hit a runner in the lane to put South Carolina on top for the first time 33-32. A Tolliver layup pushed the lead to three points and ended a two-minute scoring drought by both teams.
The game yo-yoed back and forth over the next seven minutes as the teams traded one-point leads. After Adams collected a defensive rebound, Jones stuck a 3-pointer for put the Gamecocks up 44-40 with 9:47 left to play. The lead grew to five two minutes later on a pair of free throws from Burgrova.
MSU got a baseline driving layup from Robin Port to pull within three, and Marneshia Richard hit a two free throws to narrow the gap to 46-45. The Gamecocks broke the Lady Bulldogs’ press to find Tolliver for a layup, but it was the last lead South Carolina would hold as Richard went on a one-woman 7-0 run to put her team up 52-48 at 4:34.
With both teams playing aggressive defense, offense was difficult to come by in the final minutes. Burgrova hit another free throw, and Brionna Dickerson hit a mid-range jumper off the dribble to get the Gamecocks within one. Ebony Jones finished off the rally with a 3-pointer from the left wing to put Carolina back in front 54-52 with 2:21 to play. Porter knotted the game with a floater in the lane, then put the Lady Bulldogs up with a jumper from the free throw line extended.
Under a minute, the Gamecocks’ rebounding woes came back to haunt them as the defense forced an awkward shot from Richard late in the shot clock. But Tysheka Grimes snagged the elusive rebound, allowing Richard to hit a runner in the lane with 12.2 seconds remaining. Trailing by four, the Gamecocks set up a play for either of the Jones’. Ebony got open on the left side, but her 3-pointer sailed long. Jordan collected the rebound on the opposite side of the floor, but the Lady Bulldogs were there to smother her defensively and not allow a shot.
Adams handed out five assists in addition to shooting 6-of-12 from the field for Carolina. Jordan Jones found her shooting stroke with a 4-of-9 showing from behind the 3-point line.
South Carolina heads to Gainesville for a Sun., Feb. 24, contest at Florida. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m.
