STARKVILLE — Stephanie White didn’t look frustrated, agitated, or disappointed.
The Vanderbilt women’s basketball coach very well could have been all of those things and more after No. 4 Mississippi State rolled to an 86-41 victory before a crowd of 5,052 at Humphrey Coliseum and a national television audience on the SEC Network. Instead, White was clinical in breaking down the worst beatdown MSU (24-1, 10-1 Southeastern Conference) has given Vanderbilt (11-13, 1-10).
“Mississippi State did exactly what a top program in the country should do,” said White, the former coach of the WNBA’s Indiana Fever, who is in her first season as head coach at Vanderbilt. “You should come out and you should knock somebody in the mouth, and you should keep punching.”
MSU delivered plenty of body blows in the first half thanks to Victoria Vivians, who scored all of her 21 points in the first half. Roshunda Johnson scored all 17 of her points in the second half to help the Bulldogs win their fourth straight-game, and 12th straight at home. The 45-point margin of victory eclipsed the previous high of 25 set twice. It also was the program’s second-largest margin of victory in history and was Vanderbilt’s second-largest margin of defeat.
The result added further proof to a changing of the guard in the SEC. More than four years ago, Vanderbilt defeated MSU 92-41 in coach Vic Schaefer’s first season as head coach in Starkville. Since that game, MSU has won five of six games in the series. In the process, it has won 20 or more games for four-straight seasons for the first time in program history. This week, MSU earned another program first when it climbed to a record ranking of No. 3 in the USA Today Coaches poll.
Schaefer didn’t see it coming, especially after a lackluster shootaround where he saw a team that looked ripe for an upset against a team that had lost six games in the league by eight points or less.
“When the lights came on today I thought they were really special,” Schaefer said. “I continue to fight this team with that lackadaisical, taking-things-for-granted (attitude) it seems, but apparently they are really paying attention in their own way because when the lights come on they have really been special.”
White never would have guessed MSU didn’t have a good shootaround.
“I am not sure what their shooting percentage was in the first five minutes of the ballgame, but they knocked down jump shots, they got out in transition, and they set the tone on the defensive end,” White said. “They showed why they are a team that is fighting for a Final Four. We, obviously, didn’t respond to that. I think we were a little wide-eyed to start the ballgame. You can’t play a great team and have fear in your mind.”
The Bulldogs hit their first five shots and seven of their first eight to build a 20-2 lead. The margin grew to 40-8 midway through the second half on one of Vivians’ patented moves. First showcased at Scott Central High School and now on display at MSU, Vivians uses a bounce in her step to get into a rhythm. When she has that quick set-up move to help set her feet, the result is usually a given, as was the case on this shot when she bounced back to separate herself from a defender on the left wing and drained a jump shot.
“I felt great. I came out and played hard and good things started to happen, so I felt good,” Vivians said.
Said Schaefer, “I thought Torri came out and was really electric early.”
Johnson took up the cause in the second half. The Oklahoma State transfer, who missed the game against Missouri to be with her ailing mother in Arkansas, was just as hot as Vivians, going 5 of 10 from the field. All five were from 3-point range, and several were from nearly the same spot. Johnson was so in the “zone” that she was able to go low to catch a pass and raise up and drain a trey from the left corner.
“It has gotten easier (to fit into her role),” said Johnson, who played 13 minutes. “You just have to adapt to wherever the team needs you. I just came in and did what I know how to do for my team. We kept the lead and we wanted to keep punching. That is just what we had to do.”
Johnson said her mother is doing better even though she hasn’t been released from the hospital.
After being honored for 1,000 career points prior to the game, senior forward Breanna Richardson had 12 points and six rebounds. Sophomore center Teaira McCowan had seven rebounds. Junior point guard Morgan William added eight assists and zero turnovers.
MSU’s domination was complete. The Bulldogs limited the Commodores to a season-low 23.5 percent shooting from the field. Vanderbilt’s 12 field goals were a season low. The Bulldogs also forced 24 turnovers, which was the eighth time the Commodores have committed 20 or more in a game this season. The 41 points also was the lowest output of the season for Vanderbilt.
All of that was enough for White to offer plenty of kind words to Schaefer and the Bulldogs.
“I think they came out and showed they have the mental toughness it takes to be a great team every night,” White said. “That’s what it takes to make a Final Four run, and I think they have the potential to do that.
“I think you’re seeing a little more balance offensively and the mental toughness. You’re not seeing some of the inconsistencies throughout the ballgame, or game to game. It is not about the opponent you play. It is about the way you play every day, and I think you’re seeing that from this team. Part of that is you’re a year older, you’re a year more experienced, and then part of that is the changing culture that the expectation is we’re going to compete for championships.”
MSU will play Ole Miss at 3 p.m. Sunday in Oxford. The game will be broadcast live on the SEC Network.
NOTES: Earlier Thursday, Vivians was named to the Late Season Top 20 for the Wooden Award presented by Wendy’s, the Lost Angeles Athletic Club announced. The honor came a day after she was named to the Top 30 for the Naismith Trophy. She is also on the midseason watch lists for the Wade Trophy and Ann Meyers Drysdale awards.
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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