Dogs Back At The Hump To Face Alabama In SEC Showdown
February 01, 2016 | Men's Basketball
Tip is slated for 8 p.m. with Tom Hart and John Pelphrey calling the SEC Network broadcast. Jim Ellis and Richard Williams will provide the play-by-play commentary on the MSU Radio Network.
Despite being short-handed at Missouri with Gavin Ware out due to a concussion, freshmen Malik Newman and Quinndary Weatherspoon lead the way for the Bulldogs (9-11, 2-6) to secure their first conference road win. Newman led all-scorers with 19 points. Weatherspoon added 18 points to go along with a career-high 14 rebounds for his first career double-double.
Seniors Craig Sword and Travis Daniels also provided double-digit efforts with 15 and 13 points, respectively.
Alabama (11-9, 2-6) is in search for its first conference road win after suffering a 78-64 setback to South Carolina Saturday. The Tide could not find their rhythm as they quickly found themselves in foul trouble. Despite entering the contest with the fewest fouls against in the SEC, the Crimson Tide were whistled for a season-high 30 fouls. Retin Obasohan tallied a game-high 23 points and added six rebounds.
Obasohan leads the Tide offensively with 15.6 points per game, including 20-plus point efforts in seven of the last nine games. Shannon Hale adds 11.3 points per game, while Dazon Ingram hauls in a team-best 5.9 rebounds per game.
Although the Crimson Tide lead the all-time series 119-73, the Bulldogs hold a 56-37 advantage over Alabama in Starkville.
“We've been right there in every game, even though our record doesn't indicate that we're a little better than our record, at least in my mind,” MSU coach Ben Howland said. “But it was good to get over the hump in our last game and we have to try to do it again.”
After Tuesday's contest, the Bulldogs travel to Baton Rouge for a matchup against LSU before returning to Humphrey Coliseum for a three-game homestand beginning Feb. 9 against Arkansas.
