Before defense took center stage in the Super Bowl, the No. 11 Mississippi State Bulldogs took advantage of a solid defensive effort to post a 52-42 victory over No. 22 Missouri in Starkville.
The Bulldogs forced 27 Tiger turnovers, and by holding Missouri to 42 points, they forced the Tigers into their lowest point total of the season.
Morgan William led the scoring for Mississippi State with 17 points, and Teaira McCown picked up ten points. Victoria Vivians finished the game with 13 points and seven rebounds, the team high, and five steals, a career best. Two of those steals came late in the game, resulting in two easy baskets for the Bulldogs.
The win moved Mississippi State into second place in the SEC. They return to action Wednesday in College Station against No. 12 Texas A&M in a Thursday contest scheduled for 6pm on the SEC Network.