STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Shay Holle scored all of her season-high 16 points in the second half, and No. 1 Texas edged Mississippi State 68-64 on Thursday night in coach Vic Schaefer's return to Starkville.
Schaefer's team won its 12th straight game, this one against the team he coached from 2012-20 — but the Bulldogs didn't make it easy.
Holle matched her career high of four 3-pointers as Texas (28-2, 14-1 Southeastern Conference) pulled in front by 10 points in the fourth quarter after trailing by one at halftime.
Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda had a season-best 15 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Madison Booker scored 12, and Rori Harmon had 10 points and seven assists.
Jerkaila Jordan scored 14 points for Mississippi State (19-10, 6-9) and Madina Okot had 11.
The Longhorns led 66-56 on Booker's layup with 2:10 remaining. Jordan's 3-pointer with 1:37 left got Mississippi State within five, but she missed a 3 that would have made it a two-point game, and Texas closed it out at the foul line.
Takeaways
Mississippi State: Mississippi State fans applauded Schaefer, who took the Bulldogs to NCAA championship games in 2017 and ’18. Then coach Sam Purcell's team contained Texas’ usually effective interior offense with a sagging zone. Centers Taylor Jones and Kyla Oldacre combined for 10 points.
Texas: The Longhorns have their best record since 1987-88, when they were 32-2 before losing to Louisiana Tech in the Elite Eight.
Key moment
Harmon made a 3-pointer from midcourt at the end of the third quarter, giving Texas a 49-48 lead it did not relinquish.
Key stat
The Longhorns average fewer than three 3-pointers a game against SEC competition. They made seven on Thursday.
Up next
Texas hosts Florida on Sunday, when Mississippi State is at Auburn.
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