NCAAB Game Recap - South Carolina at Mississippi State
Sat Feb 23, 2019 6:00 PM EST

Duke
75
Syr
65
F
BYU
68
Gonz
102
F
UVA
64
Lou
52
F
Aub
53
KY
80
F
Tenn
80
LSU
82
F(OT)
Fres
68
Nev
74
F
FSU
59
UNC
77
F
SoFL
59
Hou
71
F
Marq
76
Prov
58
F
Kansas
62
TxTch
91
F
Purd
75
Nebras
72
F
IaSt
72
TCU
75
F
VaTec
67
ND
59
F
Wisc
69
NW
64
F
OkSt
46
KSU
85
F
OhSt
62
MD
72
F
Tuls
73
Temp
84
F
Tex
67
Okla
69
F
PSU
83
Ill
76
F
BC
66
Clem
76
F
Tows
58
NE
73
F
W Ky
63
ODU
67
F
LIU
69
StFPA
66
F
Samf
83
Citad
87
F(OT)
GASt
82
CoCar
95
F
ChaSo
78
Winth
80
F(2OT)
StJos
79
UMass
80
F
Vermt
69
Bingha
63
F
IndSt
61
MOSt
67
F
GaTec
65
Mia-FL
80
F
W MI
76
E MI
77
F(OT)
Wyo
48
ColSt
83
F
Navy
71
Colg
93
F
WVU
75
Baylor
82
F
Evans
61
Brad
63
F
GrgWas
57
VCU
85
F
Rich
84
LaSal
75
F
CenMI
64
Ball
57
F
GaSo
92
App
69
F
Mia-O
58
Akr
70
F
GTown
69
Crei
82
F
UAB
76
USM
72
F(OT)
ULM
86
TexAr
91
F(2OT)
Detr
75
Oakl
95
F
Campbl
74
Longw
72
F
YSU
54
WriSt
82
F
SacHr
80
CenCT
66
F
LoyMa
63
Pacif
56
F
UGA
71
Miss
72
F
FIU
79
FAU
76
F
Denv
63
UND
81
F
UNCW
63
W&M
71
F
JMU
104
Hof
99
F(OT)
ChiSt
57
Seatt
77
F
N AL
60
Stetsn
63
F
Chat
69
Mercer
74
F
Woff
72
Furm
64
F
Ida
76
S UT
85
F
E WA
86
NoAZ
73
F
UtSt
78
Bois
71
F(OT)
SJSU
68
AF
82
F
MtStM
58
Bry
81
F
Duques
79
GMas
78
F
Mizzu
60
Fla
64
F
StLou
62
Dayt
70
F
NOrl
60
McNee
51
F
Savan
69
NCC
78
F
Norf
75
Morg
74
F
BethC
67
FlaAM
54
F
Lamar
63
TXAMC
58
F
Presb
71
UNCA
55
F
StBon
74
Ford
53
F
Merrim
66
FaDi
74
F
LoyMD
65
Boston
72
F
SCSt
62
NCAT
63
F
How
74
Copp
73
F
MD-ES
62
DelSt
56
F
SeLA
75
AbCh
66
F
ArkLR
65
ArkSt
72
F
SDak
89
SDSt
94
F
NebOm
58
NDSU
50
F
UL
62
TxSt
64
F
Del
60
Drex
68
F
TN-M
78
APSU
92
F
StFNY
62
RobM
67
F
Hamp
74
Radf
71
F
Lib
70
NFla
75
F
InWor
54
SFA
81
F
Hartfo
75
UMassL
73
F
CenAR
57
Nich
100
F
USA
68
Troy
52
F
E KY
101
JSU
104
F(2OT)
UNCC
67
MTSU
86
F
OrSt
67
USC
62
F
MsVl
63
PVAM
69
F
UTRGV
79
NMSt
88
F
NJIT
77
JU
73
F
Dart
65
Brown
68
F
SouthCar
61
MissSt
76
F
Vand
61
Bama
68
F
NIU
54
Toled
57
F
SIU-E
75
Belm
97
F
Gram
60
JackSt
71
F
ASU
69
Alc
74
F(OT)
KennSt
56
FlGlf
78
F
Charl
84
Elon
74
F
Harv
88
Yale
86
F
Clev
83
NoKY
77
F
UMBC
75
Albany
84
F
GWebb
79
HiPt
87
F
Maine
53
Stony
81
F
Corn
50
Penn
68
F
VMI
83
WCU
78
F
N TX
53
LaTec
66
F
ORU
66
W IL
75
F
Utah
92
WaSt
79
F
LongB
71
UCRiv
67
F(OT)
Valpa
53
NrthIA
64
F
Mem
88
WichSt
85
F
ECU
85
Tul
81
F
HCU
113
SHSU
119
F(2OT)
Seton
70
StJon
78
F
Portl
80
Pepp
86
F
Colum
61
Princ
79
F
AlaAM
49
South
59
F
TAMU
87
Ark
80
F
SEMO
67
Murr
103
F
Rice
85
UTEP
81
F(2OT)
UMKC
67
UtVal
79
F
MTSt
83
Mont
89
F
StMar
66
USD
46
F
E IL
60
TNSt
75
F
MorSt
66
TNTec
63
F
ArkPB
74
TXSo
94
F
Oreg
83
UCLA
90
F
CBU
72
CSBak
58
F
CS-Ful
67
UCSB
82
F
UCDav
76
CSNor
81
F(OT)
SDSU
60
UNLV
59
F
HI
80
CAPoly
88
F
Sac
57
PorSt
65
F
Colora
55
Wash
64
F
USF
65
SCla
68
F

Feb 23, 2019, 6:00 PM EST

Final

1

2

T

South Carolina

36

25

61

Mississippi State

29

47

76

Perry's 21 points lead Mississippi St over S Carolina 76-61
Sat Feb 23, 2019 9:21 PM

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) Reggie Perry fought through two defenders in the final minute to finish a layup and draw the foul, flexing his right bicep as he strolled toward the free throw line for his extra shot.

After weeks of up-and-down play, Mississippi State is finally playing consistent basketball. This time it was Perry's 21 points - including 17 in the second half - that helped spark Mississippi State to a 76-61 comeback victory over South Carolina on Saturday night.

The Bulldogs (20-7, 8-6 Southeastern Conference) have won four straight games and are now in prime position to break an NCAA Tournament drought that's lasted a decade. It's a team that's well aware of its postseason situation.

"We're talking about it every day," Mississippi State coach Ben Howland said. "There's no hiding from it. This was an important step toward that goal."

Perry's 21 points tied a career high to help the Bulldogs rally from a 12-point deficit early in the second half. Quinndary Weatherspoon added 17 points and Lamar Peters had 11 points and nine assists. Weatherspoon has scored at least 10 points in 25 of 27 games this season.

Abdul Ado scored seven points and blocked six shots.

Peters said the Bulldogs stayed calm even when they fell behind.

"Don't get too frustrated because it only gets worse when you play mad," Peters said. "When you're frustrated, you think of negativity. I just told the guys let's get out there and have fun."

The Bulldogs split the season series against South Carolina after losing the first game 87-82 in overtime on Jan. 8.

South Carolina (14-13, 9-5) opened a 41-29 lead early in the second half, but Mississippi State quickly stormed back and went up 46-45 when Aric Holman threw down a dunk with 15:11 remaining. The Bulldogs never trailed during the final 13 minutes.

Perry, a 6-foot-10 freshman, shot 7 of 12 from the field and 7 of 7 on free throws. He added six rebounds. The McDonald's All-American has quickly turned into an indispensable part of the Bulldogs' offense, scoring in double figures in eight of his last nine games.

Mississippi State shot 65 percent from the field in the second half, slowly pulling away in the final minutes. South Carolina made just eight field goals in the second half.

A.J. Lawson led the Gamecocks with 18 points.

South Carolina dominated most of the first half, pushing to a 19-6 lead after Mississippi State made just one field goal during the first 11 minutes. The Gamecocks led 30-14 with four minutes remaining before halftime, but the Bulldogs closed the gap to 36-29 by the break.

South Carolina coach Frank Martin said Mississippi State's comeback was more about how well the Bulldogs played than anything the Gamecocks did poorly.

"They're real good," Martin said. "They're as hard of team to play against as I've coached against this year because of what they do off the dribble."

BIG PICTURE

South Carolina: The Gamecocks' under-the-radar rally to get into NCAA Tournament consideration took a huge hit in Starkville. South Carolina looked great in the opening minutes, but couldn't match the offensive pace when Mississippi State went on its run.

Mississippi State: The Bulldogs reached 20 wins for a second straight season. Mississippi State is down to a seven-man rotation because guard Nick Weatherspoon has been suspended the past three games for an undisclosed violation of team rules. The Bulldogs are making it work because all seven are providing big plays.

"Everyone is doing their job and what they have to do to help this team win," Howland said. "It takes everybody."

UP NEXT

South Carolina: Hosts Alabama on Tuesday.

Mississippi State: Hosts Missouri on Tuesday.

---

More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/Collegebasketball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

Leaders

South Carolina PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
A. Lawson 18 0 2 2 0 0
M. Kotsar 13 0 0 5 0 0
Mississippi State PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
R. Perry 21 0 1 6 1 1
Q. Weatherspoon 17 0 0 2 1 0

Team Comparison

SouthCar MissSt
Points For 61 76
Field Goals 22/57-39% 25/50-50%
Three Pointers 9/21-43% 8/18-44%
Free Throws 8/16-50% 18/20-90%
Offensive Rebounds 13 7
Defensive Rebounds 19 26
Rebounds 40 40
Blocks 6 10
Steals 2 9
Turnovers 15 14
Personal Fouls 19 17
Technical Fouls 0 0
Ejections 0 0

2018-19 Reg Season - Series Tied 1-1

Date Result Away Pts Ldr Home Pts Ldr
Tue Jan 8 MissSt 82 @ SouthCar 87 A. Holman 20 M. Kotsar 25
Sat Feb 23 SouthCar 61 @ MissSt 76 A. Lawson 18 R. Perry 21

Game Information

Stadium: Humphrey Coliseum, Starkville, Mississippi
Attendance: 8,655
Game Time: