Three Takeaways From Mississippi State Women's Basketball 78-68 Loss to Kentucky

As March looms large, MSU lost its third straight game after a nightmare fourth quarter.

The Mississippi State Bulldogs drop their third straight game with a 78-68 loss to Kentucky. It was a disappointing night for MSU, and it seemed the Bulldogs were playing their best basketball not long ago. 

What stood out on the court inside Humphrey Coliseum?

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The Bulldogs lost their second straight game, where they had the lead going into the final quarter. This has not been a consistent theme under MSU head coach Sam Purcell; it has been quite the opposite, as the Bulldogs were previously undefeated under their second-year head coach when they led with less than five minutes to go. 

However, all that changed after their loss to Ole Miss on Sunday. The Wildcats went on a 17-0 run in the fourth quarter and outscored the Bulldogs 24-5. 

It is concerning for MSU to do this in back-to-back games, as this cannot continue to happen. Despite the loss, the Bulldogs got an excellent performance from their senior forward. 

Dominant Performance

Perhaps the only positive for MSU during this loss was the performance of Jessika Carter. The Georgia native put up 20 points and racked up 20 rebounds.

Carter was a force inside all night and willed the Bulldogs in the third quarter to give them a nine-point lead. The 6-5 forward will be critical for MSU in their last three games as suddenly the Bulldogs need a pair of wins to ensure their spot in the NCAA tournament. 

Game Of Runs

This game had little back and forth, as both teams had large runs to take leads. The Bulldogs had their run to end the first half and to begin the second half.

MSU went on a 17-0 run, which was good enough to give the Bulldogs a nine-point lead going into the fourth quarter. However, the Wildcats saved their run for last as they went on a 19-0 run, which was enough to secure a win for UK. 

The Bulldogs built themselves a nice cushion during their five-game winning streak a couple of weeks ago, and it was a matter of what seed MSU would be. However, the SEC is ruthless, hence why they are the best conference in women's basketball.

Mississippi State sits at 7-6 in conference play, and desperately needs a couple of wins in order to avoid sweating out the selection show. MSU will be back in action Sunday at 4 p.m. CT on SEC Network against Alabama 

Another Fourth Quarter Collapse for Mississippi State Women's Basketball