Sharon Fanning-Otis routinely lists battles she wants her Mississippi State women’s basketball team to win every game.
Rebounding, defense, turnovers, and deflections are staples on Fanning-Otis’ rundown. Toughness is the drive force behind winning each of those statistical tallies.
The fact that Fanning-Otis didn’t see enough of that intangible Sunday in a 93-47 loss to then-No. 6 Texas A&M left her wanting more.
“Embarrassed,” Fanning-Otis said after the game when asked how she felt. “I hope it’s a lesson we can learn from. I hope any lesson where you have a setback, you can grow from that.”
Fanning-Otis expanded on her feelings Monday after she and her team watched a replay of the game. She said she and her assistant coaches still believe the 2011-12 Lady Bulldogs (3-1) can be a special team, but she said it is time to put that potential into action.
“This team has to get tougher and do it consistently, not do it when it is easy,” Fanning-Otis said. “We have to have it. If you don’t, you see what you get. We have to have it. It is not a question of if or maybe. You have to have toughness.”
Fanning-Otis hopes to see a more focused and more aggressive MSU at noon Wednesday when it plays host to Mississippi Valley State at Humphrey Coliseum. She hopes that game will give MSU a chance to showcase an attacking style and mind-set she has been talking about for the past two seasons.
Last year, it wasn’t until the final two months of the season that MSU showed signs of being that team. Led by point guard Diamber Johnson, MSU went 5-5 in February and March to finish 13-17. Although the finish was a far cry from the 2009-10 team’s trip to the program’s first Final Four, it provided hope for this season, especially with an experienced group of players returning.
Fanning-Otis points to seniors like Johnson, Porsha Porter, Catina Bett, and Ashley Brown as ones she needs to set the tone. She wants Johnson to continue to develop an attacking mind-set that drives her to take the basketball to the rim. She wants to see Bett, a 6-foot-5 center, and Brown to continue to pound the backboards on both ends and to do a better job of defending the post. She also wants Porter to use her athleticism and quickness to harass opponents and to set them on their heels, much like Texas A&M did to MSU.
Texas A&M (4-0), which will move into the Southeastern Conference next season, led 43-21 at halftime and by 25 points early in the second half. It used a 14-0 run to take a 65-26 lead and pull away. MSU made only five field goals in the first half and never challenged.
“If you don’t take it at them they’re definitely taking it at you,” Fanning-Otis said. “It is from the get-go. … You can’t be soft and compete.”
University of South Carolina transfer Kelsey Bone had 20 points and 13 rebounds to help Texas A&M give coach Gary Blair his 600th career victory.
Fanning-Otis praised the Aggies for playing hard. She said the Aggies’ intensity makes their talent and experience even more impressive, and is part of the reason they were able to win the program’s first national title last season. Fanning-Otis hopes her players can take a page from Texas A&M and be as annoying and frustrating as the Aggies were Sunday afternoon. She feels the Lady Bulldogs have the depth and versatility to mix and match lineups to ensure every player gives maximum effort. She praised the efforts Sunday of Porter, Brown, Brittany Young, Shamia Robinson, and Carnecia Williams, and said all of the Lady Bulldogs need to bring their best efforts in all facets if the team is going to have a “special” season.
“We’re talking about what we’re going to do and we’re not putting forth the action that we’re going to make it happen to beat a great basketball team,” Fanning-Otis said. “We’re coaching them up and teaching them better and asking them to play harder, longer, and stronger and not to make the same mistakes the second time.”
Associated Press reports were included in this story.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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