In Los Angeles, Mississippi State emerged victorious against California with a 59-46 win in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Madina Okot shone with 14 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out late in the game. Alongside her, Eniya Russell also contributed 14 points to help secure the ninth-seeded Bulldogs’ progression. Returning to March Madness for the first time in two years, the Bulldogs recalled their past successes, having reached the national title game in 2017 and 2018.
“We saw our best defensive game of the season today,” said Bulldogs coach Sam Purcell. Mississippi State improved their offensive play significantly in the second half, shooting 50% from the field. They outscored the Golden Bears 15-10 in the third quarter and 18-17 in the fourth, also managing to grab 15 steals in the process.
Russell noted, “Physical play and strong rebounding really make the difference for us. It seemed like they weren’t accustomed to that level of defense.”
For California, Michelle Onyiah was a standout performer, with 17 points and 15 rebounds, even while managing four fouls. Lulu Twidale added 13 points to the mix, before fouling out just before the game ended. Unfortunately, the Bears struggled substantially from beyond the arc, hitting just 3 of their 21 attempts. Twidale and Ioanna Krimili had particular difficulty in finding their form, missing most of their three-point attempts.
Reflecting on this, Bears coach Charmin Smith mentioned, “We had too many players unable to find their rhythm today, which made it tougher to overcome the turnovers and missed shots.” California’s only lead was fleeting, early in the first quarter, as they scored just five points. Although they matched Mississippi State for the second quarter, they went into halftime trailing 26-19.
Twidale expressed, “Our scoring issues really hurt us. Many of us were new to tournament play, but I’m proud of how we continued to fight.” The Bears, ending their season with a 25-9 record, returned to the NCAA for the first time since 2019, marking their first season in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Coach Smith commented, “We’ve definitely put Cal basketball back on the map.”
A crucial moment came in the third quarter when the Bears narrowed the gap to six points, only for the Bulldogs to turn things around with a 9-3 run, entering the fourth quarter up 41-29. That run was supported by four Bulldogs players contributing to the score.
Statistically, Cal committed 24 turnovers, significantly impacting their performance, getting outscored 32-18 in the paint and 15-0 by the Bulldog bench.
Looking ahead, Mississippi State will face off against top-seeded USC and JuJu Watkins in the second round on Monday at Galen Center. The Bulldogs last reached the Sweet 16 stage in 2019.
