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By: Sean Cartell
Twitter: @SEC_Sean
SEC Digital Network
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DULUTH, Ga. - Senior Meghan Perkins scored a game-high 17 points and 13th-seeded Alabama won its first Southeastern Conference Tournament game since 2005, defeating 12th-seeded Mississippi State 63-36 on Wednesday in the Arena at Gwinnett Center.
Alabama (13-17) advances to face No. 5 seed South Carolina (23-6) at 2:30 p.m. ET. The game will be televised by SportSouth.
The Crimson Tide, who led 23-17 at intermission, snapped their 10-game losing streak with the victory and placed a pair of players in double-figure scoring.
Perkins’ 17 points came on 7-of-9 shooting from the field and a three-for-four clip from the free-throw line, while sophomore Daisha Simmons added 13 points and 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. Junior guard Jasmine Robinson also added 10 rebounds.
Alabama out-rebounded Mississippi State 48-42 in the game and the Crimson Tide connected on 72.7 percent (16-of-22) of their free-throws.
The Bulldogs were led by senior guard Darriel Gaynor’s team-high eight points, while sophomore guard Kendra Grant turned in a game-high 11 rebounds.
TOURNAMENT NOTES
• Session 1 attendance: 1,989
ALABAMA NOTES
• Alabama is now 13-17 overall, 25-33 all-time in the SEC Tournament.
• This marks the first win for the Crimson Tide in the SEC Tournament since a 62-58 victory over Florida in 2005.
• Tonight’s win broke a 10-game losing streak for Alabama.
• The 27-point margin was the largest for Alabama over an SEC opponent this season and the largest win over an SEC foe since an 82-58 (24 points) win over Florida on Jan. 21, 2010.
• 27 points was the third-largest margin of victory for UA this season, trailing a 37-point win over Jacksonville State and a 35-point triumph over Southeastern Louisiana.
• 36 points was the fewest surrendered by the Alabama defense this season. The previous low of 43 came by Jacksonville State and Hawai’i.
• Alabama also held Mississippi State to .226 (14-62) from the field, the lowest FG percentage by an opponent this season.
• Senior guard Meghan Perkins led Alabama with 17 points, the fourth time this season she has paced the Tide in points.
• Sophomore guard Daisha Simmons led UA with 10 rebounds and scored 13 points for the second double-double of her career.
• Alabama dominated the battle of points in the paint, 30-12.
MISSISSIPPI STATE NOTES
• Mississippi State finishes the first season of the Vic Schaefer era with a 13-17 overall record.
• The Bulldogs are now 14-34 all-time in the SEC Tournament.
• Tonight’s loss snaps a three-game Bulldog winning streak over Alabama.
• Mississippi State has never beaten Alabama in the SEC Tournament (0-3). The Bulldogs also fell to Alabama in 1987 and 1989.
• MSU had an 0-for-12 shooting stretch over the last 6:14 of the first half and the first 1:20 of the second half.
• Sophomore guard Kendra Grant had a game-high 11 rebounds to lead the Bulldogs, her second double-digit rebounding game of the season.
• Senior guard Darriel Gaynor was MSU’s leading scorer with 8 points on 3-for-12 shooting.