Mississippi State gets cooking in second half, led by Roberts’ 14 points

Lawrence Roberts had 19 points and 13 rebounds Thursday night to lead No. 15 Mississippi State to a 66-52 victory over South Alabama at Starkville, Miss.

Shane Power added 16 points for the Bulldogs (6-1), who took control by opening the second half with a 16-4 run. Mississippi State shook off an eight-day layoff and won its third straight since losing to Syracuse two weeks ago.

Mario Jointer led South Alabama (2-3) with 15 points.

Roberts, a preseason All-American and last season’s Southeastern Conference player of the year, scored 14 of his points in the second half. The game was a good tuneup for the Bulldogs, who play No. 21 Arizona in the Wooden Classic in Anaheim, Calif., on Sunday.

South Alabama, which trailed by 16 with 6 minutes, 23 seconds remaining, got no closer than nine the rest of the way and had just two points in the final 3:58.

The Jaguars shot 27 percent from the floor in the second half.

Women

(10) Duke 59, (4) Tennessee 57: At Knoxville, Tenn., Monique Currie scored 20 points and the Blue Devils (6-1) upset the Lady Vols (4-2), becoming the seventh team in 17 years to beat Tennessee in its Thompson-Boling Arena. The Lady Vols have lost 14 times at home since the arena opened in 1987, the most recent coming last season to Connecticut. … (15) Michigan St. 82, (3) Notre Dame 73 (OT): At South Bend, Ind., Lindsay Bowen scored 23 points to help to Spartans (5-1) snap the 25-game home winning streak of the Irish (7-1). Teresa Borton tied the game at 73 with 2:11 left at overtime, but the Spartans finished on a 9-0 run. … (2) North Carolina 96, Tennessee-Martin 36: At Chapel Hill, N.C., La’Tangela Atkinson scored 13 points and went 6 for 6 from the floor, and LaToya Pringle had 16 points to lead the Tar Heels (7-0) past the Skyhawks (1-4) for their best start since opening with the same record in 1996-97. … (12) Texas Tech 69, Arkansas-Little Rock 29: At Lubbock, Texas, Cisti Greenwalt and Alesha Robertson scored 14 points apiece, leading the Lady Raiders (2-1) past the Trojans (1-5). … (18) Minnesota 86, Detroit Mercy 34: At Minneapolis, the Gophers (5-1) allowed the fewest points and posted the largest margin of victory since the school entered the NCAA in 1981-82. … (21) Louisiana Tech 73, W. Kentucky 60: At Ruston, La., Shan Moore had a career-high 20 points, hitting 7 of 10 from the floor, to lead the Lady Techsters (3-1) past the Hilltoppers (2-3). … (23) Texas Christian 85, Southern Methodist 65: At Fort Worth, Texas, Sandora Irvin scored 24 points and Natasha Lacy added 18 to lead the Horned Frogs (6-1) past the Mustangs (4-1). … (25) UCLA 74, Pepperdine 61: At Malibu, Calif., Lindsey Pluimer scored 22 points and Noelle Quinn added 20 to lead the Bruins (4-1) past the Waves (1-5).