Mississippi State
(4-0)
Fairleigh Dickinson
(0-3)
State Moves To 4-0 With Win Over FDU; Varnado Sets Career Swats Mark
November 22, 2008 | Men's Basketball
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STARKVILLE, Miss. - Junior Jarvis Varnado surpassed Erick Dampier's mark of 249 just 5:46 into the game to become Mississippi State's all-time career blocked-shots leader and recorded his second-straight double-double to power the Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-0) past Fairleigh Dickinson (0-3) Saturday evening at Humphrey Coliseum in the Legends Classic's second round by a score of 84-58.
Varnado fell just two swats shy of his second-career triple-double with 14 points, 16 rebounds, and eight blocks while the Bulldogs batted away 15 as a team.
"I have never been around a guy like Jarvis," MSU coach Rick Stansbury said. "He has a chance to be one of the best ever to play basketball at blocking shots. His timing is one of the best in the game."
Sophomore Phil Turner tied a season high with eight points on 3-of-4 shooting while freshman Twany Beckham notched two steals and four points in his Maroon and White debut. Barry Stewart added 12 points to the MSU cause, followed by 11 from Ravern Johnson.
Junior guard Cameron Tyler hit just 3 of his 15 attempts from the floor but managed 16 points to lead the Knights in scoring.
While Varnado currently leads the nation in blocks, outstanding freshman point guard Dee Bost handed out six assists in the game and ranks atop the SEC and fifth in the nation in assists per outing.
Sophomore Elgin Bailey, who currently ranks 12th in the nation amongst shot-blockers, swatted away three.
MSU has not trailed at all throughout its first four games and now moves to 116-34 in non-conference play under Stansbury and is 40-12 in the month of November under his direction.
Mississippi State will now go on the road for the first time this season to face St. Bonaventure on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. before advancing to the Legends Classic championship round semifinals in Newark, N.J., to play Washington State (3-0) beginning at 4:30 p.m.
