Mississippi State
17-4, 4-2
LSU
12-8, 2-4
No. 16 Bulldogs Survive Solid Test From LSU, 76-71
January 25, 2012 | Men's Basketball
Moultrie matched his career high with 28 points while posting a league-best 12th double-double, as the 16th-ranked Bulldogs knocked off LSU 76-71 in a Southeastern Conference men's basketball game Wednesday night.
"I felt like I was in a rhythm tonight," Moultrie said. "It was going to be whatever it took to help this team get this win."
MSU improved to 17-4 overall and 4-2 in league play. LSU fell to 12-8 and 2-4. The Bulldogs end the night in sole possession of fourth place in the overall conference standings. The Maroon and White have now won five of the last six in the series, while also making amends for last season's 84-82 defeat in this arena.
The Bulldogs led by as many as 12 points in the second half before a late 3-point shooting barrage allowed the guests to make it a one-possession contest in the closing minute. Nursing a 74-71 lead, Dee Bost had a critical steal with four seconds left. Bost fed Moultrie, who was fouled with two seconds left.
An additional technical on the LSU bench meant four total free throws for Moultrie, who split that pair to seal the victory. The Bulldogs have now grabbed their four league victories by a combined total of 14 points. At home, MSU is a perfect 3-0 in league play, winning by a total of 13 points.
The recent closeness also mirrored a trend in this series. While the Tigers won by two points in Starkville, the Bulldogs have won back-to-back times in Baton Rouge by a single point.
"It's like this every time we play them," Bost said. "Home or away it is always like this."
The Bulldogs were looking for an offensive spark Wednesday night. Quickly falling down 18-11, MSU again got a lift from Jalen Steele. Steele, who drained five 3-pointers in Saturday's 78-77 overtime win at Vanderbilt, hit back-to-back treys as the Bulldogs finally pulled even at 28.
The lead then went back and forth before Moultrie got a midcourt steal and fast break layup as the first half expired. That swipe and score gave MSU a 32-31 lead at the intermission.
"LSU is the most improved team in the league," MSU head coach Rick Stansbury said. "We did not have our edge tonight, but you are not going to have your edge every night. You have to survive when you do not have the edge."
The Bulldogs turned the table on the defensive end early in the second half. After LSU scored the initial basket of the second half, the Bulldogs scored the game's next 11 points to take the lead for good.
LSU went more than three minutes without scoring. The run included an electrifying dunk by Moultrie and a 3-point swish from Renardo Sidney. Rodney Hood scored four of his team' next six points as the lead moved out to 43-33.
Two minutes later, a jumper by Moultrie gave his squad a game-best lead of 12 points at 47-35. After LSU closed within three minutes later, Steele hit another critical trey.
"Jalen has been feeling it," Stansbury said. "In these past couple of practices, we saw a different Jalen. He has been playing with a lot of confidence coming off the Vanderbilt game, and he made a big shot coming off of the bench in the second half."
Thanks to eight second-half 3-point baskets, the Tigers would not go away. Still, steady ball movement, inside dominance by Moultrie and the ability to hit free throws allowed MSU to close out the victory.
For the contest, the Bulldogs hit 24 of 55 shots from the field (43.6 percent), 5 of 14 shots from 3-point range (35.7 percent) and 23 of 31 shots from the foul line (74.2 percent). The Tigers hit 26 of 60 shots from the field (43.3 percent), 11 of 21 shots from 3-point range (52.4 percent) and 8 of 13 shots from the foul line (61.5 percent).
MSU held a 46-26 rebounding advantage. The Bulldogs had 14 assists and 17 turnovers, while the Tigers had 13 assists and nine turnovers.
Moultrie led MSU with 28 points and 12 rebounds. Steele had 15 points, while Hood had 13 points. Bost had 10 assists and three steals but missed a double-double with nine points.
LSU received 17 points from Jackson native Andre Stringer, 16 points from Anthony Hickey and 11 points from Justin Hamilton.
MSU travels next to Gainesville, Fla., for a 12:30 p.m. central time tip against Florida. Like Wednesday's game, that contest will be televised regionally by the SEC Network.
