By Adam Minichino
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Bre’Amber Scott didn’t know when Vic Schaefer was going to call on her.
It didn’t matter because the sophomore guard was prepared for anything.
Summoned at the 8-minute, 6-second mark of the first quarter after Schaefer wasn’t pleased with starter Andra Espinoza-Hunter, Scott was up to the challenge of playing a pivotal role in the biggest game to date for the Mississippi State women’s basketball team.
Scott poured in 20 points in 22 minutes to give No. 1 seed MSU five players in double figures Sunday in its 101-70 victory against No. 10 seed Arkansas in the championship game of the Southeastern Conference tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
“I just wanted to come in and do whatever I needed to do to help my team win,” said Scott, who was one point shy of matching her career high. “It really wasn’t a ‘my time’ thing. It was just doing whatever I could to help the team.”
Scott was 7-for-9 from the field, including 4-for-5 from 3-point range, to join Teaira McCowan (24 points, 14 rebounds), Espinoza-Hunter (24 points), Jordan Danberry (14 points, six rebounds, four assists), and Anriel Howard (11 points) in double figures.
Scott recorded her 11th double-digit scoring game of the season and second 20-point showing of the season. Her career-best 21-point effort came on Dec. 30, 2018, in a 104-36 victory against Louisiana. There was much more on the line against Arkansas, which was OK with Scott, who is from Little Rock, Arkansas.
“I didn’t know I was going to go in that quick, but I did feel good coming into the game,” Scott said. “It was against Arkansas, my home state, so I always try to do the best I can against them. I really felt good coming into today’s game.”
An offensive rebound putback by Kiara Williams gave Arkansas a 12-8 lead with 6 minutes, 26 seconds to go in the first quarter.
That’s when Scott helped the Bulldogs kick things up a notch.
She hit two 3-pointers and had eight points in MSU’s 18-0 run that turned the tide.
The crowning moments for Scott, though, came in the second half. With 3:16 to go in the third quarter, Scott took her fifth charge of the season when she stepped in front of Chelsea Dungee. She did herself one better in the fourth quarter when she took a charge against Alexis Tolefree with 4:43 to go in the game. That play earned a slap of the hand from MSU coach Vic Schaefer, who met Scott near midcourt during the break in the action. He then patted Scott’s left cheek as she walked to the bench.
“I thought our bench was really special,” Schaefer said. “Bre came off the bench and played extremely well.”
No one was happier to contribute to the program’s first SEC tournament title than Scott, who has logged double-digit minutes in 12 games following the season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury to Chloe Bibby.
“At first, I didn’t know I had 20, but it feels good to know that I could help my team with the impact I made, especially on this big stage,” Scott said. “It really feels good.”
Follow Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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