STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Blair Schaefer scored a career-high 21 points, Ameshya Williams added 15 and Mississippi State beat Troy 110-69 on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Mississippi State (30-4) used a 29-6 run in the second quarter to erase any doubt about the outcome. Schaefer was the Bulldogs' unlikely star, making 6 of 9 shots, including 4 of 7 from 3-point range.
The second-seeded Bulldogs used an unorthodox starting lineup, bringing star guard Victoria Vivians off the bench for the first time in her three-year career. Vivians scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds in 16 minutes of action.