Mississippi State
(14-5, 5-0SEC)
#17 Ole Miss
(15-3, 2-3SEC)
Dogs Dominate No.15 Rebels, 88-68, To Stay Perfect In SEC
January 26, 2008 | Men's Basketball
? Official Statistics
? Official Statistics (PDF)
? Postgame Notes & Quotes (PDF)
Overall, the Bulldogs have now won 10 of the last 12 games over the Rebels.
Leading five Bulldogs scoring in double digits was all-SEC selection Charles Rhodes, who hit a career high 12 shots from the floor on just 14 attempts to record 26 points along with six rebounds. Freshmen Riley Benock and Elgin Bailey pitched in 12 and eight points, respectively, to each set a new season standard in that category. Jamont Gordon scored 13 points and dished out six assists. MSU sophomores Jarvis Varnado and Barry Stewart each recorded 12 points on a combined 9-of-16 effort from the floor, and Varnado also grabbed eight rebounds and swatted four shots.
Dwayne Curtis led the Rebels with 18 points on an 7-of-11 effort from the floor along with 11 rebounds to record the game's only double-double. Freshman phenom Chris Warren managed 15 points on just 5-of-20 shooting, including a 2-of-10 mark from long range.
Ranking second nationally in both blocks per game and field goal percentage defense, State blocked eight Rebel shots on the afternoon along with holding the league's second-best scoring team to just 36.8 percent from the field and 68 points ? the squad's lowest point total of the season. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs shot a total of 56.7 percent from the field in the game, their second-best outing of the campaign.
MSU remains the only undefeated team in SEC play at a perfect 5-0 mark, matching State's best league start since 1993-94. In addition, head coach Rick Stansbury remains undefeated versus the Rebels at home with a 10-0 mark and has posted more wins over the in-state rivals than any other team.
The Bulldogs will now hit the road to
