Tide set to Host Mississippi State on Thursday
1/11/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 11, 2012
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The women's basketball team (10-7, 0-3 SEC) will host Mississippi State (10-5, 0-2 SEC) Thursday in Foster Auditorium. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. CT, with the game airing on Fox Sports South.
"The big key for us is that everyone just keeps playing hard right now," said Alabama head coach Wendell Hudson. "We also need to change some of the mental attitude and personal responsibility and make sure that everyone realizes they need to be on every play."
Both teams are looking to get their first Southeastern Conference win in Thursday's contest. Alabama is aiming to bounce out of their three-game losing skid, with the last defeat coming at LSU in an 84-40 loss. Alabama was unable to get off of the ground offensively, shooting 15.2 percent from the field. The Crimson Tide was also limited to eight active players in the game. Junior Jessica Merritt and sophomore Shafontaye Myers both suffered concussions and remain day-to-day.
"We are going to have to ask people to step up and play more minutes," added Hudson. "You may see players at different positions because of where we are with injuries at the moment as well."
Mississippi State is coming off an 88-40 loss to No. 11/9 Kentucky in Lexington. The Lady Bulldogs were led in scoring by senior Diamber Johnson with 16 points.
Thursday's game will be the 48th time the teams have faced each other in the series which began in 1977. The two teams split the contests last season with Alabama winning in Starkville on February 3, in a 66-61 decision and Mississippi State taking the game in Tuscaloosa with a 68-55 win.
