State Overcomes 15-Point Halftime Deficit To Complete Season Sweep Of Hogs, 86-77

Saturday, February 7

Starkville

2:00 PM

Mississippi State

(16-7, 6-2SEC)

Arkansas

(13-8, 1-7SEC)

Arkansas

Mississippi State

State Overcomes 15-Point Halftime Deficit To Complete Season Sweep Of Hogs, 86-77

February 07, 2009 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: hailstate.com

? Official Statistics
? Official Statistics (PDF)
? Postgame Notes & Quotes (PDF)

STARKVILLE, Miss. ? Despite trailing at halftime to a red-hot Arkansas Razorback (13-8, 1-7 Southeastern Conference) squad by a 51-36 margin, the home-standing Mississippi State Bulldogs (16-7, 6-2) brought down a school-record 16 treys to charge back for the 86-77 victory.

The fifteen-point deficit was the largest overcome by MSU this season, as the win also handed State a season sweep of the Razorbacks, its first since 2005.

All-SEC Freshman of the Year candidate Dee Bost set a new season standard with 25 points on 6-of-8 shooting from behind the arc while also dishing out seven assists without any turnovers. Sophomore Phil Turner pulled down the game's only double-double with 16 points on a 4-of-6 performance from behind the arc and claimed a game-high 11 rebounds. Both players set new personal marks for most 3s drained in a game.

Experienced All-SEC junior Barry Stewart scored a season-high 22 points and was 9 of 10 from the charity stripe. Fellow junior Jarvis Varnado, who leads the nation in blocks, swatted seven, scored 10 points and grabbed eight boards.

Fellow All-SEC Freshman candidate Courtney Fortson led the Razorbacks with 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting and recorded seven assists. Three other Arkansas players scored in double digits, including junior big-man Michael Washington, who had 14 to go along with his seven rebounds.

The Bulldogs couldn't stop the Razorbacks in the first half, as coach John Pelphrey's squad hit 62.8% of its shots to lead by 15 at the break.

Halftime brought a special treat to the 8,891 fans on hand, as hall of famer and former MSU great Bailey Howell saw his No. 52 jersey retired and a commemorative banner hung from the ceiling of Humphrey Coliseum. Howell was named All-American twice during his three-year stint at Mississippi State, and stands atop MSU all-time records with 1,277 rebounds and second with 2,030 points.

A series of huge runs inched State closer in the second half, however, as MSU opened the frame on a 12-2 run. A trey from sophomore Riley Benock sparked an even bigger push for State later in the half, as Benock brought down another three with 8:11 remaining to give the Bulldogs their first lead of the game on their way to a 17-2 run. Arkansas could not regain the lead for the remainder of the game.

“It was a tale of two halves for sure,” MSU coach Rick Stansbury said. “I do not believe Arkansas could have played better in the first half and the same for us in the second. I did not think we got off that peak against Kentucky at first, which is why we were down 15 at halftime.”

State has now won nine-straight games against the Razorbacks at home, as Arkansas hasn't won at Humphrey Coliseum since 2000.

Mississippi State returns to the friendly confines of Humphrey Coliseum on Wednesday to host the LSU Tigers (18-4, 6-1) in a key SEC Western-Division matchup. The Bulldogs will be seeking revenge after dropping an 81-57 decision to the Tigers earlier in the season. The game will not be televised and is set for a 7 p.m. tipoff.