TAMPA — Hope springs eternal in the Mississippi State camp after Friday’s 82-68 quarter-final win over South Carolina at the Southeastern Conference Tournament at the St. Pete Times Forum. The Bulldogs (21-12) still have work to do to have a chance to get into the NCAA Tournament but they’re still alive and kicking. South Carolina (21-9) barely has a pulse and will have to pray for a sympathetic selection committee come Sunday.
Mississippi State came to Tampa needing a minimum of three wins and possibly four to get into the Big Dance, but the Bulldogs are at least halfway home after disposing of Georgia on Thursday and now South Carolina. The difference-maker Friday was junior guard Barry Stewart, who went into shooter’s coma in the second half. He had no conscience whatsoever and everything he threw up after the break went in. He had only three points at halftime but he delivered 15 in the second half including three fallaway three-pointers from NBA range.
This was an uphill battle for the Bulldogs who, who got off to a horrible start, falling behind 6-0 right out of the gate. The margin bulged to 10-2 and then 20-11 before Mississippi State settled into any kind of an offensive rhythm, The Bulldogs closed to within four (22-18) but South Carolina scored six in a row, taking a 28-18 lead on a pair of Zam Fredrick free throws with 5:44 left in the half. A pair of Kodi Augustus threes sandwiched a three by Ravern Johnson to help Mississippi State close the gap to 36-31 at the half.
A Phil Turner dunk off a nice over the shoulder pass from Jarvis Varnado with 14:57 left in the game gave Mississippi State its first lead of the game at 43-42. South Carolina battled back to a three-point lead at 55-52 on a mini-run of five straight points, a three by Fredrick and a driving layup by Brandis Raley-Ross with 8:56 remaining in the game. That was the last time the Gamecocks led.
Consecutive threes by Stewart put Mississippi State in the lead for good, 58-55, with 7:04 to go. From that point on, Mississippi State dominated to pull away.
Stewart led the Bulldogs with 21 points while freshman Dee Bost added 14 points and 10 rebounds. Varnado had 12 points, nine rebounds and six blocked shots. Ravern Johnson had 11 points.
South Carolina was led by Fredrick with 20 points. Dominic Archie had 16 points but All-SEC guard Devan Downey managed only 11. Downey was only 5-20 from the field and 1-7 from the three-point line.
Mississippi State was 27-58 from the field and an efficient 8-15 on three-pointers. South Carolina launched 76 shots, hitting only 27 (35.5 percent). The Gamecocks were 5-22 on threes.