Tide Comes Up Short At Mississippi State, 84-77
1/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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STARKVILLE, Miss - Natasha Gamble scored 16 points and added eight rebounds, but it was not enough to propel the Tide to a win over the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs, who extended their winning streak to a team-record 12 games, defeating the Crimson Tide, 84-77, at the Humphrey Coliseum on Thursday night.
State took control in the second half, led by senior point guard Tan White. White finished with 30 points, marking the 26th consecutive time that she has finished with double-digits in scoring. White's largest contribution came from the charity stripe, as she nailed 11 of 16 free throws, out-shooting the entire Crimson Tide team, who finished 11 of 18 from the free throw line.
The Tide forced 17 Mississippi State turnovers and out-rebounded the Lady Bulldogs 46 to 38 overall. Alabama also dominated State in the paint, out-scoring the Lady Bulldogs 38-26 in the lane. But the Crimson Tide could not overcome their own poor three-point shooting, finishing just four of 22 from behind the arc.
"You can't go on the road and play poorly and expect to win," Alabama head coach Rick Moody said. "Regardless of the outcome, the fact is we had numerous opportunities to win, and the fact is wither you make the plays or you don't.
"I give Mississippi State a lot of credit; they have players that can make big plays."
Gamble's 16 point effort paced the Tide, but three more Alabama players scored in double digits on the night. Monique Bivins scored 12 points, while Lauren Hill and Lateefah Joye each contributed 10 points.
The Tide women shot very well in the first half, connecting on 16 of their 30 first half attempts from the field. Alabama out-shot the Lady Bulldogs 53 percent to 47 percent, but Mississippi State owned a distinct edge from beyond the arc, connecting on four three-point shots in the opening period. Despite their hot hands, the Tide trailed State at the halftime break, 38-34.
Alabama continues their conference road trip on Sunday, Jan. 16 when they travel to Baton Rouge to take on the third-ranked LSU Lady Tigers. The game is scheduled to tip off at 2 p.m. from the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
