ATHENS, Ga. — Khaalidah Miller shook off a two-game shooting slump as she and teammate Jasmine Hassell scored 16 points each to lead the No. 21 University of Georgia women’s basketball team to a 70-60 victory against Mississippi State 70-60 on Thursday night, ending a two-game losing streak.
Miller had played all 40 minutes of the last two games for Georgia (17-6, 6-4 SEC), which snapped a two-game losing skid. Starting point guard Jasmine James missed her fifth straight game with a knee injury Thursday. Miller was just 3-for-20 from the field in those games, including a 1-of-10 shooting effort from 3-point range Sunday in a loss to the University of Tennessee.
Against MSU (13-9, 3-6 SEC), Miller was 6 of 13 and twice fueled rallies.
“I just focused on making shots,” said Miller, who has played all but five minutes of Georgia’s last six games. “I missed a lot of 3’s against Tennessee and let it get to my head. I kept on going in this game. Coach also challenged me to get to the free-throw line too.”
Miller and guards Meredith Mitchell and Erika Ford have been forced to play extended minutes because of James’s absence. James dressed against MSU, and Georgia coach Andy Landers expects to play her for a few minutes Sunday at the University of Alabama.
Kendra Grant and Diamber Johnson scored 14 apiece for MSU, which lost its third straight game. MSU trailed most of the way, but led briefly with 4 minutes, 39 seconds to go in the first half when Grant made three free throws to make it 22-21.
It was tied at 40-40 with 14:10 to go before Miller sparked a 15-0 run. She scored eight of those points, on a 3-point play, a 3-pointer, and on a press-breaker.
“If you play hard for 40 minutes, you learn how to win,” MSU head coach Sharon Fanning-Otis said. “I am proud of the effort tonight. Even in the last couple of minutes, we found a way to make plays and score some points. Turnovers were the difference in the ballgame. We were almost even in rebounds. We have to rebound more consistency, but we also have to take better care of the basketball.”
In the first half when Georgia built a 12-1 lead, Miller hit a 3-pointer and got a layup off a steal.
Neither team shot better than 41 percent, splitting 41 turnovers between them.
“It was a sloppy game,” Landers said. “We did not make a lot of easy shots, and we did not hit free throws. We left a lot of points on the table.
“But I feel good that we disrupted them,” he continued. “Defensively we dug in and got some stops. It was great to see our team respond the way it did. You can’t pass us if you can’t score.”
MSU shot 41.4 percent from the field and had 12 assists and 24 turnovers. Fanning-Otis reiterated her team has to take better care of the basketball if it is going to be more competitive.
“You have to value each possession,” Fanning-Otis said. “If you play hard you will find ways to win. It all starts with intensity. We had the intensity and focus you need to have to win in this league tonight. Now, we have to build on this and carry that same attitude into the Vanderbilt game.”
Porsha Porter added 12 points for Mississippi State, and Martha Alwal scored 11. Mitchell scored 11 for Georgia.
MSU will play host to Vanderbilt University at 2 p.m. Sunday at Humphrey Coliseum. MSU will celebrate National Women in Sports Week on Sunday. There will be numerous games and promotions available for fans in attendance.
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