JOHNSON

“I knew if I started on defense, then my offense would come,” Johnson said. “I had my team behind me and they were looking for me. I just had to knock down my shot when the time came.”

MSU had eight 3-pointers in the first half. Along with Johnson, Blair Schaefer knocked down a pair from downtown and Victoria Vivians had the other.

Point guard Morgan William said it’s fun distributing the basketball when the Bulldogs are so successful. She had six of her eight assists in the first half.

“When someone gets hot, you’ve just got to try and give the ball back to them,” William said.

William even got into the act of long-range shooting in the second half as she sank one of her own.

The Wildcats were only able to make six out of 15 shots from 3-point territory and coach Matthew Mitchell said that makes a difference between winning and losing.

“There is no substitute for hitting shots,” Mitchell said. “(Johnson) looked great.”

Johnson wasn’t surprised with her hot streak from 3-point range in the first half. She said it’s something MSU prepares for every day.

“We practice like we play and that’s why we find the open player,” Johnson said. “We always have confidence.”