MONROE, La. – The ULM women's basketball team (3-6) fell in their first home game in a month, 70-78, to the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Warhawks kept it close in throughout the game, accruing five ties in the contest.
The Warhawks led in points off turnovers, scoring 24 points off the Bulldogs' 20 turnovers. Mississippi State dominated in the paint, however, scoring 44 of their 78 points in the paint. ULM also went 6-15 from beyond the arc, scoring the most three-pointers since competing against Hawaii (Nov. 22). It was also the best three-point field goal percentage since the season opener vs. Central Baptist (Nov. 4).
Jakayla Johnson led the team in points with 18, also racking up five assists, four rebounds and four steals.
Nya Valentine also got in on the scoring, scoring in double-digits for the first time since the season opener with 14. Valentine's 14 points, four coming beyond the arc, is a career-high.
Brikayla Gray tied her season high with 10 points, six rebounds and two steals. Both
Meloney Thames and
Sakyia White racked up five rebounds apiece.
Mississippi State opened the scoring with a 4-0 lead before the Warhawks got started, with
Cianté Downs getting the first points for ULM in her second start of the season. The three-point shooting started early for the Warhawks as well, with Johnson tying up the score 6-6 with the first three ball. ULM was able to tie the Bulldogs three times in the first quarter alone, ending the first 10 minutes down one, 19-20.
ULM started just as hot in the second quarter, Gray
picking up two rebounds and four points in the quarter. The Bulldogs began to take the lead with a 38-31 score late in the half. The Warhawks were able to battle back on a 6-0 run to finish the half within one, 37-38, with Valentine scored a buzzer beater to close the half.
The Bulldogs continued the fight, however, opening the second half with a 7-0 run to get ahead, 48-41, sending the Warhawks into a scoring drought for the first four minutes of the third quarter. ULM returned the favor, however, going on a 8-0 run and shutting out Mississippi State for the final three minutes of the quarter, making it 53-58.
The fourth quarter remained as gritty as the previous three, with both teams opening the scoring with a three-pointer. The team's seventh three came from Johnson, cut down Mississippi State's lead to one. Another scoring run for the Bulldogs, however, returns the lead to eight in the final seconds of the contest, 78-70.
The Warhawks will round out nonconference play on the road, competing in the Tulane Holiday Tournament on Friday (Dec. 20) and Saturday (Dec. 21). ULM will face Central Arkansas at noon in New Orleans on Friday, before facing either Alabama A&M or Tulane on Saturday.
