Big run keeps streak going

NASHVILLE — Mississippi State trailed Kentucky 23-22 after one quarter Friday at the Southeastern Conference women’s basketball tournament, and coach Vic Schaefer let his players know how he felt.

A 19-2 run to start the second quarter showed they listened well.

Roshunda Johnson finished with 20 points as the second-ranked Bulldogs remained undefeated by routing the Wildcats 81-58 in the quarterfinals.

Mississippi State (31-0), which owns the nation’s longest winning streak, is trying to add its first tournament title to the regular-season championship. Today the Bulldogs will play Texas A&M as they try to earn a third consecutive appearance in the league final.

“He said we weren’t playing hard enough and that’s not how we wanted to come out,” Johnson said of Schaefer’s message after the first quarter. “And I just felt like we had to come harder.”

Teaira McCowan had 12 points and 11 rebounds for Mississippi State, while Victoria Vivians added 17 points and Blair Schaefer had 15, tying her career high with five 3-pointers.

Kentucky (15-17) ended the league’s longest active streak of trips to the tournament semifinals at eight straight. Taylor Murray led the Wildcats with 15 points, while Maci Morris and Amanda Paschal each added 13. › No. 15 Texas A&M 75, No. 24 LSU 69

Texas A&M’s Chennedy Carter scored 27 points — a program record for an SEC tournament game — and Khaalia Hillsman had 17 points and 10 rebounds as the fifth-seeded Aggies (24-8) earned their fourth straight win.

Carter was 6-for-6 from the foul line in the last minute, while the fourth-seeded Tigers (19-9) missed three shots before a late basket.

LSU’s Ayana Mitchell had 17 points and 11 rebounds, Raigyne Williams scored 17 and Jackson added 16.

There were 12 ties and 25 lead changes, with the Tigers’ last advantage taken with 3:55 to play. The Aggies took the lead for good on a three-point play by Hillsman at 3:14.