Mississippi State Shocks No. 7 Kentucky 71-59 in Starkville

Mississippi State upended No. 7 Kentucky 71-59 at Humphrey Coliseum on Sunday, the highest-ranked victory under coach Sam Purcell. The Bulldogs (15-5, 2-4 SEC) overcame a halftime deficit and played an explosive second half, stunning the Wildcats (17-3, 4-2 SEC).

Though the Bulldogs did gain some traction in the first half, Kentucky held a three-point advantage at the break. After flip-flopping leads in the third quarter, Mississippi State broke away with a decisive 13-0 run with a mere five minutes left, turning a one-point game into a double-digit lead.

Senior guard Kharyssa Richardson led the Bulldogs with a career-high 23 points and 7 rebounds, going a perfect 6-6 in the second half. In a post-game interview, Richardson summed up how many fans and players were feeling: “It feels great. I’ve been waiting for an upset for a long time. We knew our time was coming, and we just had to be patient, and it came through tonight. Hopefully, we can get another one and keep on.”

Trayanna Crisp also played a remarkable game, hitting 4 of 5 three-point attempts on her way to 16 points, and Favour Nwaedozi collected her ninth double-double of the season with 10 points and 21 rebounds. Madison Francis added 7 points, 7 boards and 6 blocks, and Chandler Prater bagged 9 points and 3 steals.

Mississippi State will hit the road next, facing Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

Author administrator Corinne Ellington