LOS ANGELES (AP) — Madina Okot had 14 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out late and ninth-seeded Mississippi State beat California 59-46 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.
Eniya Russell added 14 points for the Bulldogs (22-11), who are back in March Madness for the first time in two years. They lost in the national title game in 2017 and 2018.
Michelle Onyiah led the eighth-seeded Golden Bears with 17 points and 15 rebounds despite four fouls. Lulu Twidale added 13 points before fouling out in the final seconds.
Cal’s only lead was by one point in the first quarter, when the Bears managed just five points. They recovered to play the Bulldogs evenly in the second but trailed 26-19 at halftime.
The Bears (25-9) capped their first season in the Atlantic Coast Conference by making the NCAAs for the first time since 2019, when current USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb was in charge.
Key moment
The Bears got within six in the third quarter only to see the Bulldogs close on a 9-3 run to lead 41-29 going into the fourth. Four players scored in the spurt.
Key stat
The Bears committed 24 turnovers and got outscored 32-18 in the paint and 15-0 in bench points.
Up next
Mississippi State will play JuJu Watkins and top-seeded USC in the second round on Monday at Galen Center. The Bulldogs last made the Sweet 16 in 2019.
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