Mississippi State
19-9, 6-7
#1 Kentucky
27-1, 13-0
#1 Kentucky Defends Ranking With 73-64 Comeback Win Over State
February 21, 2012 | Men's Basketball
Playing as part of ESPN's "Super Tuesday" package, the Bulldogs led by 13 points at halftime and still held some type of lead until the Wildcats closed the contest with a 20-4 run over the final 6:28 of regulation time
With the win, Kentucky improved to 27-1 overall and 13-0 in league play. MSU dropped its fourth straight, while falling to 19-9 and 6-7. The Bulldogs have now lost back-to-back home games after previously winning 13 straight.
"Anyone that watched that game knows we left it out all on the floor," MSU head coach Rick Stansbury said. "I could not be more proud of the heart and effort that we played with. There was not an ounce of energy that was left in that locker room. We poured everything into that game.
"It comes down to making shots and we didn't make enough of them in the second half."
The Bulldogs took advantage of an atypical slow start by the Wildcats. A 3-pointer by Renardo Sidney and dunk by Arnett Moultrie placed the hosts on top, 5-0. A 3-pointer by Rodney Hood and four straight points by Bost ran the advantage to 12-2.
Kentucky closed within six but quickly fell back down 11 as Moutrie sparked the crowd with an old-fashioned 3-point play. The lead stretched to 12 on a Bost 3-pointer on the game's next possession.
The Bulldogs carved the nation's best defensive team for 41 first-half points on 48.3 percent shooting from the field. MSU led by 13 on two different occasions, including a 41-28 push at halftime.
"They are Kentucky so you know they are going to make runs," Stansbury said. "The first half was as well we could play on both ends of the floor. I think this is the best defensive team Kentucky has ever had and I have seen several Kentucky teams. To be able to score 41 points in the first half was an amazing half for us offensively."
Unfortunately for MSU, the Bulldogs lost the services of Hood, with a late first-half ankle injury. Sidney saw his time limited by foul trouble. UK also made defensive personnel changes, which helped limit Bost to only five second-half points, after he scored 16 points in the opening half.
"We really didn't do anything different on offense in the second half," Bost said. "We still got the shots we wanted. We just didn't knock enough of them down."
A couple of unforced turnovers allowed UK to start the game's final half on an 11-2 run. Two free throws by Anthony Davis brought the Wildcats within four at 43-39.
Still, the Bulldogs maintained their composure and kept battling. The lead ran back out to 50-43 on a 3-point basket by Jalen Steele. UK scored four straight and later came within two at 55-53 on a Terrence Jones layup with 7:18 left.
A Bost 3-pointer extended the Maroon and White lead to 60-53 with 6:28 left. After that, the Bulldogs would manage only two field goals the remainder of the way.
Kentucky took its first lead of the game at 63-62 on a Michael Kidd-Gilchrist jumper with 4:06 left. The Wildcats would eventually score 10 straight to grab a six-point advantage before Steele rammed home a jumper with 1:55 left.
The Maroon and White would get no closer as the Wildcats closed out their fourth straight win in the series.
For the contest, the Bulldogs hit 22 of 54 shots from the field (40.7 percent), 9 of 20 shots from 3-point range (45.0 percent) and 11 of 15 shots from the foul line (73.3 percent). The Wildcats hit 25 of 57 shots from the field (43.9 percent), 6 of 16 shots from 3-point range (37.5 percent) and 17 of 21 shots from the foul line (81.0 percent).
UK held a 36-32 rebounding advantage. The Bulldogs had 13 assists and 12 turnovers, while the Wildcats had 10 assists and nine turnovers.
Moultrie posted his 16th double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Steele also hit three 3-pointers and added 13 points, as well.
UK received double-doubles from Kidd-Gilchrist (18 points, 10 rebounds) and Davis (13 points, 11 rebounds). Darius Miller added 12 points, all in the second half. Jones and Doron Lamb each added 11 points.
MSU returns to the road Saturday for a 5 p.m. start at Alabama. The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide will again play in front of the ESPN cameras inside the Coleman Coliseum.
