COLUMBUS, Ohio — On a night when so many things went right, the Mississippi State women’s basketball team survived an atypical evening in the turnover department.
For just the seventh time this season, MSU committed more turnovers than its opponent (15-11), but it found a way to overcome those mistakes in a 73-63 overtime victory against Louisville in the national semifinals at Nationwide Arena.
“It was just mental mistakes,” MSU senior point guard Morgan William said. “I know I had three turnovers. I am mad. These last two games, I had three turnovers. I haven’t been turning the ball over all year, so it partly my fault.”
William is notoriously hard on herself because she knows MSU coach Vic Schaefer and assistant coach Dionnah Jackson-Durrett expect so much from her. But the turnovers were hardly the fault of William alone, as the Bulldogs committed back-to-back turnovers leading 56-53 with 2 minutes, 42 seconds remaining. The first came on an attempted lob entry to McCowan in the post. The second came on a steal by Jazmine Jones on a pass by Roshunda Johnson.
MSU also had back-to-back turnovers leading 62-59 in overtime. Jordan Danberry was called for an offensive foul on a drive into the lane. McCowan then lost possession of the basketball in the post.
William, who had 10 points, four assists, and three turnovers in 38 minutes, took responsibility for the Bulldogs’ turnovers after the game.
“At the end of games and at the end of possessions, I need to have the ball in my hands,” William said. “I don’t need to let my teammates turn it over, and I don’t need to turn it over.
With only nine assists, the game marked the eighth time this season MSU had more turnovers than assists. The Bulldogs entered the game averaging 10.6 turnovers per game, which was the third-lowest mark in the nation.
Toughing it out
Schaefer opened his remarks by praising his team toughness and for responding on numerous instances Friday when things got tough.
“That’s when it gets about right for us,” Schaefer said.
MSU rebounded from a 3-for-15 shooting performance in the first quarter. It still led 13-11 after the first 10 minutes.
The Bulldogs also trailed 53-46 after Asia Durr (18 points) hit a jump shot with 7 minutes, 12 seconds remaining.
But MSU’s defense made things tough for Louisville down the stretch, especially in overtime, when the Cardinals were 1-for-10 from the field.
“I feel like we practice really hard all of the time and we are always saying push through this drill, we’re putting extra time up,” SMSU senior guard Blair Schaefer said. “We said it all year, ‘Do one more.’ Whenever it gets tough for the other team, its gets just right for us. I feel like we really embraced that moment today and finished.”
MSU this and that
MSU is the seventh program to play in back-to-back NCAA championship games. It joins Louisiana Tech, Southern California, Auburn, Tennessee, Connecticut, and Notre Dame to accomplish the feat. … In addition to breaking the mark for rebounds in a national semifinal game, McCowan broke the record for rebounds in a Final Four game previously held by North Carolina’s Charlotte Smith (23 against Louisiana Tech in the 1994 national title game). She now has five 20-20 games this season. … McCowan’s 92 rebounds in the NCAA tournament are the most by any player. She shattered the previous mark of 75 in five games by Janel McCarville.
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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