FORT SMITH – Two days after pulling off an upset of NCAA Division I Tulsa, the UAFS women’s basketball team hoped to shock the world again by toppling No. 7 Mississippi State.
It proved to be too tough of a task.
Three players scored in double-figures and UAFS shot almost 50 percent from the field, but that wasn’t enough as the Bulldogs beat the Lady Lions 100-67 on Fridaynight at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, Miss.
It was a homecoming of sorts for UAFS coach Elena Lovato, who was an assistant coach at Mississippi State prior to becoming Lady Lions head coach in the spring of 2016.
It also was the final exhibition game of the preseason for the Lady Lions, who will begin regular-season play on Friday when they host the four-team, two-day Conference Challenge at the Stubblefield Center.
UAFS will play Colorado School of Mines at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and will play Colorado Christian at 3 p.m. on Saturday. In other challenge games, St. Edward’s will play Colorado Christian at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and will play Colorado School of Mines at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
The Lady Lions shot 49.1 percent from the field (26 of 53) – they were 5-of-16 shooting from 3-point range – and shot 67 percent from the free-throw line (10 of 15). Junior forward Ellie Lehne had a team-high 19 points, while sophomore guard Micayla Haynes and junior guard Lundon Williams had 14 and 10 points, respectively.
Senior forward Tayla Taylor just missed a double-double finishing with eight points and a team-high 10 rebounds, but UAFS was still out-rebounded by 11 rebounds (47-36) by the Bulldogs, who turned 24 offensive rebounds into 27 second-chance points.
Mississippi State, which finished national runner-up last season, forced 26 turnovers, too, that led to 42 points.
The Bulldogs shot 45 percent from the field (38 of 87) – they were 15-of-32 shooting from 3-point range – but shot just 44 percent from the free-throw line (7 of 16). Center Teaira McCowan had a team-high 20 points and topped off her double-double with a team-high 12 rebounds. Guard Roshunda Johnson had 19 points, guard Blair Schaefer had 18 points and forward Victoria Vivians had 13 points.
