STARKVILLE, Miss. – Playing in front of a national audience, the Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball team fell 88-53 to the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Sunday night at Humphrey Coliseum.
 
The Lions fall to 2-7 on the season, while the Bulldogs, who were the NCAA Division I national finalists in 2017 and 2018, improve to 8-2 on the season. Mississippi State ended the game on a 20-2 run to lead by as much 37 in the game.
 
Mississippi State came into the game fourth in the country in blocks per game with an average of 6.6 blocks per game and scoring defense average of 50.3 points per game, which was seventh in the country. Mississippi State allowed 53 points and blocked seven shots on Sunday night.
 
Dyani Robinson (Langham Creek) scored the first points of the game for the Lions, who remained within one through the first five minutes of the game, trailing 14-13. A quick sequence of three-straight turnovers by A&M-Commerce resulted in six points for the Bulldogs.
 
Robinson scored 20 points in the game, she is just the second player this season to score 20 or more points against Mississippi State. Robinson also tallied two assists and a rebound.
 
DesiRay Kernal (Newton, Kan.) finished the game with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and one steal for her third double-double of the season.
 
Mississippi State forced 16 turnovers in the first half and capitalized with 22 points off those turnovers in the first half. Thirty six of 47 points for the Bulldogs in the first half were in the paint. Mississippi State finished the game with 37 points off turnovers and 64 points in the paint.
 
The Lions used 12 players in the game and shot 31.1 percent from the field against Mississippi State, who is top 10 in the country in opponent field goal percentage.
 
Mia Deck (Frisco – Lone Star) made her presence felt on the court with eight rebounds, four points, one assist, one steal, and one block. Symmone James (McKinney – Boyd) scored four points and five rebounds.
 
Jessika Carter and Debreashe Powe scored 18 points each for the Bulldogs.
 
Sunday's game was broadcasted around the country on the SEC Network, marking the first nationally televised game for any team at A&M-Commerce since the 2017 Football National Championship.


POST GAME INTERVIEW
 
UP NEXT
The Lions are off for the next week for finals, they return to action on December 19 at the South Padre Island Classic against Bowling Green at 3 p.m.