STARKVILLE — The good lead vocalist sounds a lot better with a quality ensemble.
Add in a little harmony from a group of fine-tuned backup singers and you can produce some sweet music.
Through the first eight games, Victoria Vivians served as the “lead singer” for the Mississippi State women’s basketball team, leading the Southeastern Conference at just over 20 points per game. The sophomore scoring sensation had her best game of the 2015-16 season Sunday with a 36-point showing in a 30-point victory against Louisiana Tech.
On Wednesday night, the “backup singers” showed they can shine, too.
Ketara Chapel, Morgan William, and Dominique Dillingham had season-high point totals to lead five players in double figures in No. 9 MSU’s 78-65 victory against Southern Mississippi before a crowd of 3,505 at Humphrey Coliseum.
Chapel and William led MSU (8-1) with 17 points, while Dillingham added 15 points. Chinwe Okorie had 13 points, which was two points shy of her career-best mark, while Vivians added 10 points on a night of plenty of other firsts. Chapel, Dillingham, Okorie, Vivians, and William started and played more than 31 minutes, which marked the first time any group of starters has done that this season for MSU. The victory also marked the first time the Bulldogs didn’t have any bench players log double-digit minutes. Breanna Richardson and Teaira McCowan (four minutes) saw the most action off the bench.
The final telling statistic was 62: The number of points MSU starters other than Vivians scored, which was the most this season.
“It was just being aggressive,” Chapel said. “Coach has been on me about being aggressive, going to the basket and finishing.”
Chapel, Dillingham, and Okorie set the tone in the first quarter as they combined to score all of the Bulldogs’ 18 points and help the team build a 12-point lead. They did it with a variety of moves that all had purpose. Okorie turned and went strong to the rim twice, including one time when she split a double team. Dillingham didn’t hesitate after missing her first three shots and knocked down a 3-pointer. She added another jump shot off an assist from Vivians, who didn’t score until the 6-minute, 54-second mark of the second quarter.
Chapel added to the arsenal by showcasing her versatility. She scored on a drive and then hit a free throw to complete the three-point play, added a jumper off an assist from William, and had a steal and layup.
“She probably is as intelligent defensively as anybody I have got on the team,” MSU coach Vic Schaefer said of Chapel. “I have a lot of confidence in her on both ends. … I am proud of her, and I need that. I hope it isn’t a one-game deal. I will continue to stay on her to be aggressive and to continue to be selfish and want to play.”
Schaefer said he talked with Chapel and showed her her statistics from last season in an attempt to help her make a change. A year ago, Chapel started the first 19 games and played some of her best basketball. She scored in double figures five times in the Bulldogs’ first nine games, but she didn’t score more than seven points in a game the rest of the season.
Schaefer has said several times that he needs more production from the four position (power forward) and that it doesn’t matter if Chapel, Richardson, LaKaris Salter, or another player provides it. He said Richardson was “really good” Sunday in a 93-63 victory against Louisiana Tech. He has said repeatedly that he believes in all of his four players but that he needs someone to emerge to deliver consistency. He hopes Chapel’s performance Wednesday paves the way for her to step into a more prominent role.
“I am really proud of Ketara,” Schaefer said. “She came to play tonight.”
Schaefer praised the variety of ways Chapel contributed the victory with seven rebounds and five steals in a career-high 36 minutes. The effort came on the heels of games in which Chapel started and played eight and nine minutes and scored a combined four points.
“I think the past few games I have been scared to make a mistake,” Chapel said. “It is just playing without thinking about making a mistake and being aggressive.”
Dillingham and William (nine assists) had the same mind-set and looked to attack the basket the most they have this season. As a result, Chapel (eight shots), Dillingham (12), and William (12) attempted the most shots they have in a game this season.
Southern Miss (6-3) had something to do with Bulldogs other than Vivians getting more scoring chances. Jerontay Clemons (24 points) and Brittany Dinkins (18 points) capitalized on a spread floor and attacked the rim nearly every chance they touched the ball, which put pressure on Vivians to try to stop them on defense.
“I don’t know that they took (Victoria) out. She still got 14 shots off and took 10 threes,” Schaefer said. “Where I thought they got after Victoria is making her defend. … That is not going to be anything different the rest of the year. Until she makes a concerted effort, it is going to be that way. Victoria knows. She got four steals tonight.
“It was a tough night for Victoria, but we had some kids really step up.”
On Tuesday at a media availability, Schaefer gave Dillingham a hint that he wanted her to be one of those players by turning and staring at her as she was about to answer a question. Dillingham told Schaefer to “stop looking at me” in a way that indicated she had seen that look and knew what he was trying to say.
“When teams leave me open, I have to make them pay,” Dillingham said. “I have to make them respect me out there, too, so I have to take an open shot and not be afraid to take an open shot.”
Said Schaefer, “That is the player I have been telling y’all (about). She can shoot it and she can score.”
William apparently has heard a similar message because she looked more like the attacking player she was last season, darting from side to side and daring the defense to leave her open. The telling statistic for her was a season-high 8 of 8 from the free-throw line, which showed she was in attack mode.
“Coach said, ‘Morgan, you have to play better. You have to go score, you have to attack and stop settling and be a threat,’ ” William said. “When people leave me open, I have to make shots. If you leave me open, I have to shoot. If you come guard me, I have to attack and create for my teammates. That is what I tried to do tonight.”
MSU will try to stay in attack mode this weekend when it plays three games in three days at the Puerto Rico Classic. It will kick off the tournament at 10 a.m. Saturday against reigning Atlantic Sun champion Florida Gulf Coast, which advanced to the NCAA tournament last season.
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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