Bulldogs top Gators with 72-69 win in Starkville
It was an absolute must-win for Mississippi State.
The Bulldogs, sitting at 3-2 in SEC play, needed a morsel of confidence following Wednesday’s demoralizing loss to Texas A&M.
State was able to gobble up that morsel, overcoming a ferocious defensive effort from Florida for a 72-69 win.
The beginning of the game was sluggish for both teams. The Gators were relentless on defense from the start, running a full-court press throughout the 1st half.
Despite that, MSU was able to make a presence in the post with 26 PIP. The Bulldogs also dominated the glass, out rebounding Florida by 11 and heading to halftime with a 32-29 advantage.
Coming off a brutal 2nd half against A&M, it was of the utmost importance for State to get off and running in the 2nd period. They did just that, blazing ahead of the Gators with an 8-0 run in under two minutes to take an 11-point lead.
“That push to start the 2nd half was really huge for us,” Ben Howland said postgame. “It got us off to a great start to the 2nd half, just the opposite of what we had in our last game.”
MSU was able to hold on to a solid advantage for a good part of the stanza, holding a 10-point cushion with just under 11 minutes to go. But, the Bulldogs went into a drought, not getting a bucket for over five minutes. Nevertheless, the defense stepped up and allowed themselves to hold on to the lead with Florida scoring only seven points in that five-plus minute stretch.
State struck panic in the hearts and minds of Bulldog fans by nearly giving away a 10-point lead with 58 seconds left, but they were able to hold on for a big conference win.
52 of State’s 72 points came in the paint, and MSU was able to out-rebound the Gators by 21. Mississippi State was led by Tolu Smith’s career outing, scoring 27 points with 14 rebounds.
“I just played with confidence,” Smith said. “We emphasized playing as hard as we can to get this win. It was a must-win. I thank my teammates and my coaches for just giving me the ball. I appreciate them.”
Iverson Molinar added 13 points for State, along with a pair of 11-point performances from Abdul Ado and D.J. Stewart.
The Bulldogs improve to 9-5, 4-2 on the year and will face Ole Miss Tuesday in Humphrey Coliseum.