Bulldogs stay undefeated with hard-fought 59-52 win at Cayman Classic
Courtesy of Mississippi State Athletics
Graduate student guard Jerkaila Jordan turned in 20 points to earn All-Tournament team honors and propel Mississippi State past South Florida, 59-52, in game two of the 2024 Cayman Classic inside John Gray Gymnasium.
With the win, Mississippi State tied a Purcell-best 8-0 start to the season. Mississippi State is now 11-1 in non-conference neutral-site games under Purcell. The Bulldogs move to 5-1 in Thanksgiving week tournaments under Purcell and are winners of five-straight such games.
In addition to her 34th-career game with 20 or more points, Jordan added six rebounds and two assists in 34 minutes.
Russell filled the stat sheet with 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists in 30 minutes, while sophomore forward/center Quanirah Montague posted six points and eight rebounds in 20 minutes.
Mississippi State scored right out of the gate on a drive and finish from Russell. South Florida then commanded a 9-6 lead at the initial media timeout and took that advantage to the end of the first quarter at 16-13.
Trailing 19-13 early in the second quarter, Mississippi State traded baskets with South Florida throughout the middle portion of the second quarter that kept the margin at arms length. Junior guard Denim DeShields knocked down a pair of free throws out of a timeout to help Mississippi State reclaim the lead for the first time since the initial basket with the score at 25-23 with 3:28 minutes left before half.
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South Florida matched its largest lead of the game at 37-31 at the 7:25 minute mark of the third quarter before senior forward/center Kayla Thomas and Jordan converted on back-to-back and-ones that sparked an 8-0 run and took back the momentum for Mississippi State.
Mississippi State outscored South Florida 14-8 in the third quarter to head into the final 10 minutes with a 43-39 lead.
Montague turned in all six of her points in the fourth quarter to push Mississippi State past South Florida’s late runs.
Mississippi State travels to Atlanta to battle Georgia Tech inside McCamish Pavilion in the 2024 SEC/ACC Challenge on Wednesday, Dec. 4.
