Mississippi State
12-4,3-1SEC
#24 Alabama
11-6,2-3SEC
Bulldogs Too Tough For No. 24 Crimson Tide
January 15, 2022 | Men's Basketball, Joel Coleman
Mississippi State didn’t let up against Alabama and gave itself a huge momentum boost.
STARKVILLE – When you ask what Mississippi State head coach Ben Howland desires the most from his team, at or near the top of the list is effort. It's non-negotiable. Even when the shots don't fall, or even when the bounces aren't going the Bulldogs' way, it's no excuse to let up.
On Saturday night at the Humphrey Coliseum against No. 24 Alabama, MSU's shots didn't always fall. Sometimes, the breaks went the way of the Crimson Tide. But on an evening where things were nip-and-tuck all night long, the Dawgs' toughness won out.
Mississippi State defeated Alabama 78-76. It was a huge victory on multiple levels. Not only was it a triumph over a nationally-ranked foe, but it also bolstered the Bulldogs' NCAA Tournament resume and added to the belief this season has the potential to be special.
"It was a great feeling," Howland said. "Our team was really fired up after the game. We put a lot of time and preparation in for this game and a lot of hard work. Our guys are really bought in. I'm just so proud of them and so happy for them because we knew [how big it was] beating Alabama, who has the No. 1-ranked schedule in the country in college basketball with wins over Gonzaga and Houston…They've played an unbelievably difficult schedule. So, this was a huge win for us to put together the resume we're trying to build to get in the [NCAA Tournament]."
In a few months when the season is complete, this was the type of game that could be viewed as a turning point. It exemplified MSU's potential on so many levels.
There was veteran guard Iverson Molinar, being the leader and star that he is. Molinar scored a team-high 24 points. He's now scored a whopping 52 total over the last two games – both MSU wins. That kind of production alone is enough to make anyone in Maroon and White excited.
Then add in everything else. How about forward Garrison Brooks' double-double? He scored 16 and grabbed 10 boards.
"He had his best game as a Bulldog and was really dominant," Howland said.
There was Shakeel Moore, who scored 15 points, despite shooting only 3-for-10 from the field. His secret? A 9-for-9 night from the free-throw line with eight of those makes coming over the final 6:10.
"He got fouled multiple times," Howland said. "Every time he stepped up, he knocked them down."
Don't forget Andersson Garcia and Cameron Matthews. They continued to be unsung heroes off the MSU bench. Garcia scored eight points and had seven rebounds. Matthews scored four points with five boards.
"Those guys came in and gave us energy again," Brooks said of Garcia and Matthews. "They always do their job and that's something we expect of them."
It might get lost if you simply glance at the stat sheet, but it can't be overlooked that Saturday also marked the return of Tolu Smith to action. He'd missed the previous two games. He scored just six points and totaled only four rebounds, but his mere presence on the floor was a foreshadowing of how finally, all the pieces seem to be falling into place for Mississippi State.
"Slowly, it's happening, and I feel like we have a really good chance to be a really good team," Matthews said.
Those inside the Humphrey Coliseum felt the same energy Matthews referenced. As the Bulldogs fought, scratched and clawed down the stretch, it was as though The Hump had become a shaken-up bottle of soda just waiting to pop. For a team that's already talented, its Bulldog family in the stands became its secret weapon.
"We felt the energy from the crowd," Molinar admitted.
Added Brooks on the fan support: "It was awesome. I remember coming to games here as a kid and [Saturday night] it was exactly the same way. Hopefully we can keep that same energy and intensity that our home crowd gives us. It helps us a whole lot."
It was as though those inside the building made an already-tough group of Bulldogs tougher.
Make no mistake, the boost was needed, too. This was a game that was tied 15 times. There were 19 different lead changes. MSU shot 41 percent as a team, only two percentage points better than Alabama. It all came down to the final shot – a missed 3-pointer out of the hands of Alabama's Keon Ellis. It truly was a contest that could've went either way.
It ended up going Mississippi State's way. The Bulldogs simply wouldn't be denied. It's a trait they seem to have developed.
MSU refused to let earlier missed opportunities this season hinder them. Instead of crumbling, the Bulldogs seem to have grown from their past disappointments and defeats. Lessons have been learned.
These Bulldogs, the ones that took the court and beat Alabama, are perhaps better than they've been all year long. They're stronger. They're more resilient. They're tougher.
Their head coach is convinced that'll make all the difference in the weeks to come.
"The most important thing is to keep that toughness and that fight that we showed," Howland said. "That's why we won the game and that's why so many of the best teams in the country are the best."
