Mississippi State
(24-12)
North Carolina
(18-16)
Bulldogs Fall To Tar Heels In Heartbreaker, 76-74, To End 2009-10 Campaign
March 20, 2010 | Men's Basketball
• Official Statistics
• Official Statistics (PDF)
• Postgame Notes & Quotes (PDF)
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Two late banked-in shots by North Carolina ended Mississippi State's season in heartbreaking fashion Saturday afternoon in the NIT's second round.
After two made free throws by senior Barry Stewart, the Bulldogs (24-12) were tied with the visiting Tar Heels (18-16) at 74 with just 8.9 seconds remaining. Sophomore Larry Drew II then raced the length of the court and threw up a left-handed prayer off the glass and it fell to give UNC a two point lead. A halfcourt shot from junior Phil Turner missed left to end State's season.
Named to the SEC's first team all-SEC squad for the past two seasons, as well as standing as the three-time conference defensive player of the year, senior Jarvis Varnado shone in his last collegiate game. He scored 14 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and blocked 4 shots to finish off a legacy that will leave an enormous imprint on the Mississippi State history books. Varnado finishes as the nation's all-time blocks leader, second all-time MSU rebounder and 13th all-time scorer with 1,403 points.
Also rounding out his impressive Maroon and White career was Stewart, who finishes as State's seventh all-time scorer with 1,602 points. He has walked Mississippi State's floor more than any other player, with 4,431 minutes and 141 games under his belt. The MSU all-time record for three-pointers made is his as well, as he has drained 280 in his career. Stewart led the game with 18 points to go along with his 5 rebounds.
Also scoring in double digits were junior Ravern Johnson and sophomore Dee Bost, who each contributed 14 points. Graves led the Tar Heels with 17 points and 3 rebounds.
Mississippi State brought tremendous energy into the game, storming out to a 16-4 lead by the 15:13 mark on three treys and three steals. That chemistry was broken after substitutions, though, and the Tar Heels responded with a 24-6 stretch of their own. UNC finished the half shooting 48.6 percent from the floor and outrebounding the Bulldogs 24-17 for a 36-33 lead at the break.
The tide would turn in the second half, however, as the Bulldogs regained their focus and composure. A rogue alley-oop turned into a thunderous Varnado dunk as State streaked out to a 15-2 run, holding its opponent to without a field goal for 4:43. After a Varnado jumper, MSU led 51-43 with 13:53 remaining.
North Carolina slowly chipped away at the lead and eventually took a 64-63 advantage with a Graves three-pointer with 4:52 left. A halfcourt pass from Varnado to Johnson resulted in a three for Mississippi State, as the Bulldogs then took a 69-66 lead at the 2:42 mark. Trailing by three, UNC's Graves was fouled on a made basket and made the free throw to tie the game at 71 all with 1:16 left.
After a Stewart free throw, a towering, tear-drop trey from Graves pushed North Carolina ahead 74-72 with 33 seconds left in the game. Stewart was then blocked on a layup, and MSU immediately fouled UNC's Strickland with 15 seconds on the clock. Strickland missed the front end of the one-and-one attempt, and Stewart was fouled on the rebound. Stewart made both free throws to tie the game only to see Drew's rainbow layup off the glass over Varnado end State's season and his career.
"They made plays down the stretch that you have to make to win games," MSU coach Rick Stansbury said. "I'm proud of our kids and what they have accomplished. We stayed together through all the adversity and there will only be two teams that won't have this feeling at the end of the year."
Mississippi State now stands at 7-7 all-time in NIT action, and has lost all five matchups against the Tar Heels. Stansbury holds a 10-10 record in postseason play and completes his 10th postseason at the MSU helm. The 2010 NIT was State's 17th postseason birth.
