STARKVILLE, Miss. (November 3, 2026) – The University of North Alabama women's basketball team dropped its season opener against Mississippi State by a score of 68-27 on Tuesday night at Humphrey Coliseum.
The Lions (0-1) led Mississippi State for a brief moment in the first quarter. The team forced the Bulldogs into 15 first half turnovers while also holding the board advantage 17-15 in the first half.
Mississippi State (1-0) struggled early before jumping out to a 28-15 lead at halftime. State's forward combo of Favour Nwaedozi and Madison Francis combined for 27 points and 18 rebounds.
In head coach Anna Nimz's first career game as a Lion, she opened with a starting lineup of sophomore guard Greta Ramon, freshman guard Mária Štefancova, junior forward Amy Kurkowski, junior forward Venla Ulander and freshman center Emma D'este. Nimz played 13 of her 15 total players on the roster.
Ramon and Ulander were the two returners to get the nod in the starting lineup. Ulander hit the two three-pointers for the Lions to end with six points and four rebounds.
UNA finished with 16 percent shooting as a team with Ulander and Brynn Lusby leading the Lions in points. The team secured 22 offensive rebounds for the contest and fell in the rebound battle 45-44.
Defensively, North Alabama had seven steals and two blocks, both coming from D'Este.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER - MSU 15, UNA 6
The Lions opened with a tight opening quarter, where the team led after a Lusby up-and-under moved her around two Bulldog defenders. After going up 4-2, Mississippi State bounced back quickly with a 6-4 lead before a Phoebe Holmes jumper tied the game. The Bulldogs went on a 9-0 run to end the first quarter and end with a 15-6 lead.
SECOND QUARTER - MSU 28, UNA 15
Mississippi State kept with the pressure to open the second quarter extending to a 22-8 lead by the media timeout. North Alabama found a little life from its first three of the night, scored by the junior Ulander cut the lead 24-11. The Lions forced 15 first half turnovers from the Bulldogs and went on a 7-4 run to close the half.
THIRD QUARTER - MSU 46, UNA 20
North Alabama sputtered some to open the half. Ulander hit her second three of the game, shooting 50 percent from the floor in the period. However, Mississippi State added 18 points to extend the lead to 26. Zamyra Wallace earned her first minutes of the night; as the smallest player on the court she recorded three rebounds. State's Favor Nwaedozi had eight points on 4-7 shooting to drive the lead.
FOURTH QUARTER - MSU 68, UNA 27
Lions had a seven-point fourth period, between Geara, Lusby and Štefancova who each hit one shot. The seven-point total was the second-most for a quarter tonight.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- This was the first game of the Anna Nimz era with 12 new rostered players.
- The Lions started two freshmen (Emma D'Este, Mária Štefancova), two returners (Greta Ramon, Venla Ulander) and one transfer (Amy Kurkowski).
- Nine of the team's 15 first half points came from the bench unit.
- North Alabama forced 15 first half turnovers from the Bulldogs. UNA had the board advantage in the first half, 17-15, with seven on the offensive boards.
- Ulander and Lusby led the Lions with six points; the junior from Finland had both Lion three-pointers.
- The Lions nearly increased their rebound total each period with eight, nine, 14 and 13 to close the game, respectively.
- Lusby, D'este and Marckalia Celestine led the team with five rebounds.
COMING UP NEXT
The Lions stay in Mississippi to play in Oxford on Thursday, Nov. 5 against Ole Miss inside the Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss at 6 p.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
