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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Mississippi State women’s basketball team lost its third consecutive Southeastern Conference contest on Sunday to the Arkansas Razorbacks by a 74-54 margin.
The Razorbacks took control in the third quarter and smothered the Bulldog attack in the fourth. The Bulldogs fell to 11-7 (2-4 SEC), while the Razorbacks (13-6) evened their record to 3-3 in SEC play.
Arkansas got off to a quick start, building a nine-point advantage midway through the first quarter. The Bulldogs responded, claiming several rebounds to reduce the Razorback lead to 16-15 at the end of the first quarter. Both teams battled evenly in the second quarter, and the Bulldogs and Razorbacks were knotted at 28-28 at halftime.
Arkansas caught fire in the third quarter, shooting over 60% from the field and 4-of-6 for 3-pointers. The Razorbacks outscored the Bulldogs 32-17 for the quarter and held a 60-45 lead after three quarters. MSU was limited to 21% shooting from the field including 0-for-7 from 3-point range in the fourth quarter, and Arkansas cruised to a 74-54 victory.
The Razorbacks held a 13-2 advantage in points off turnovers and a 13-4 margin in fast-break points. Arkansas also made fewer turnovers and grabbed more steals than MSU.
Redshirt senior guard Anastasia Hayes led the Bulldogs with 17 points, while graduate guard Caterrion Thompson added 11 points. Four Razorbacks scored in double figures, including sophomore guard Sasha Goforth, who claimed a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Two-time All-SEC performer Rickea Jackson announced on Tuesday that she was leaving the Bulldog basketball program and immediately entering the NCAA transfer portal. The junior forward is leading the SEC with 20.3 points per game. The loss of Jackson leaves the Bulldogs with eight available players until graduate forward Raven Farley is able to return to action. Farley has begun practicing for the first time in several weeks.
Next up: MSU hosts the Missouri Tigers at Humphrey Coliseum on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT for a game that will be broadcast on SEC Network. The Tigers hold a 15-5 (4-3 SEC) record and gained a signature victory over No. 1 South Carolina on Dec. 30.
Missouri is coming off a 78-69 win over Texas A&M on Sunday. Junior guard Aijha Blackwell leads Missouri with 16.6 points per game and leads the nation with 12.7 rebounds per game. MSU leads the all-time series against the Tigers 9-3 but lost the most recent contest 77-57 in Feb. 2021.