Thomas scored her 2,500th career point in the game and made two free throws with 12 seconds left to seal the win for Mississippi State.

Mississippi State (12-3, 1-1 SEC) and Vanderbilt (10-4, 0-1) exchanged the lead 13 times and tied the score 17 times throughout the game.

Jenni Benningfield scored 20 points and had 15 rebounds for Vanderbilt.

Tan White scored 19 points and had 10 rebounds and Doceide Warren added 13 points for Mississippi State.

Ashley McElhiney had 17 points and Chantelle Anderson had 12 points for Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt shot 50 percent from the field, including nearly 43 percent from 3-point range.

Mississippi State shot 44 percent from the field but went just 5-of-19 from 3-point range. The Bulldogs also recorded 13 steals.

Vanderbilt and Mississippi State were tied at 40 at halftime. After exchanging the lead seven times in the second half, Mississippi State went up 74-72 on a layup by Warren with 1:39 to play. The Bulldogs would not give up the lead after that, although Vanderbilt's Hillary Hager made a 3-point shot with 41 seconds left to pull within one.

The two teams were tied at No. 14 in the latest AP poll with 445 points.