Philadelphia, PA - The La Salle women's basketball team came up short in a 85-37 loss to Mississippi State on Saturday afternoon at John E. Glaser Arena. Junior guards Ashleigh Connor and Aryss Macktoon led the Explorers offensively, while sophomore Sania Jenkins tallied two blocks in the loss.

The Bulldogs controlled much of the first half, limiting the Explorers to just eight points in the second quarter and taking a 42-20 lead into halftime. Freshman Jana Mbambo Njoya scored her first career points midway through the third quarter. For only the second time this season, La Salle lost the turnover battle, despite Macktoon's three steals.

With the loss, the Explorers wrapped up non-conference play with a 7-4 record, their best since 2017-18 when the team finished 8-4. That year, the Explorers finished with 17 wins, including a first round victory over St. Bonaventure in the Atlantic 10 Championship. The team will next be in action on December 31, as the Explorers will travel to the Bronx for their first of two matchups with Fordham. The game is set to tip off at 1:00 PM and will be streamed on ESPN+.