STARKVILLE, Miss. — Shay Holle’s impressive performance in the second half helped top-ranked Texas secure a narrow 68-64 victory over Mississippi State on Thursday night, during coach Vic Schaefer’s much-anticipated return to Starkville. Holle contributed a season-high 16 points, all scored in the second half, as Texas claimed its 12th consecutive win. Despite a determined effort by Mississippi State, the Longhorns managed to edge out the win in the end.
After trailing by a point at halftime, Texas (28-2, 14-1 Southeastern Conference) surged ahead with Holle hitting four 3-pointers, matching her career record, to build a 10-point advantage in the fourth quarter. Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda also made significant contributions with a season-high 15 points and a career-best 11 rebounds, while Madison Booker added 12 points and Rori Harmon filled the stat sheet with 10 points and seven assists.
Mississippi State (19-10, 6-9) was led offensively by Jerkaila Jordan with 14 points, and Madina Okot added another 11 points. As the game drew to a close, the Longhorns extended their lead to 66-56 following a layup by Booker with just over two minutes remaining. Though Jordan retaliated with a timely 3-pointer for Mississippi State to narrow the gap to five, she was unsuccessful in making another crucial 3-pointer, allowing Texas to secure the victory from the free-throw line.
Mississippi State fans hailed Schaefer, acknowledging his previous achievements with the Bulldogs, despite now coaching for their opposition. The home team, under coach Sam Purcell, executed a sagging zone defense effectively, limiting Texas’ usually strong interior play. Centers Taylor Jones and Kyla Oldacre combined for only ten points for Texas.
Texas is enjoying its best record since the 1987-88 season, a remarkable feat when they went 32-2 before falling to Louisiana Tech in the Elite Eight. A key moment in the game was when Harmon clinched a lead for Texas with a dramatic buzzer-beating 3-pointer from midcourt to end the third quarter, a lead the Longhorns maintained.
Typically averaging fewer than three 3-pointers per game against SEC opponents, Texas managed to convert seven in this encounter. Looking ahead, Texas will host Florida on Sunday, while Mississippi State is set to face Auburn.
