January 2001 MSU Basketball Skuttle-Butt

Q& A with the media:

Talk about your defensive strategy.
Coach Stansbury: I think that Ole Miss is a much better offensive team than they have been in the past. You can look at their stats sheet and they shot 29%. It has been a while since I have looked at the stats sheet and seen that. That is a credit to our effort. We really contested shots until that last five minutes of the game. (Rahim) Lockhart is going to get some points but I thought that we kept him under control. He never took the game over.

Talk about what Guy Gardner gave to the team.
Coach Stansbury: Guy, number one, gives you 100% effort. I think there are times when our players feed off of Guy because he gives you everything that he has. He may not be the biggest, strongest or most athletic player but his toughness and heart are probably as big as anyone's. That is very important in the game of basketball.

Did you feel like Gardner and Harrison were playing a game within the game?
Coach Stansbury: I didn't feel that way but I knew that everytime Harrison put it down on the floor Guy had better be prepared to defend him because Harrison has the ability to put it down and go by you or go up and shoot that three-pointer. I thought that Guy did a heck of a job. He contested a couple of them; he blocked a shot and made him turn it over once. That's why I didn't make the switch late in the game.

What happened on the double technical foul?
Coach Stansbury: The explanation was that their player did not shove Zimmerman. (The official) was correct. It was our own player who did it. What he missed was them shoving our player into Zimmerman. He admitted that he didn't see it. That's part of the game.

The last few games your team has shot quite a few three's. You didn't do that tonight.
Coach Stansbury: Ole Miss does a very good job of getting into you which doesn't allow you to shoot them. That was probably to our advantage based on how we had been shooting them. Ole Miss is going to make you put the ball on the floor and dribble the basketball.

With your road schedule coming up (4 of next 5 games are on the road) was this win a season saver?
Coach Stansbury: All of them are very important. It is very obvious, after losing the game Wednesday, how important this basketball game was. Season saver, I don't know. We all know it was a very, very important basketball game for us at this point of our season.

Did you do anything differently in practice after the LSU game?
Coach Stansbury: Like I told our players Thursday, if we came out Wednesday and played like we practiced Thursday, it wouldn't have been a factor. I didn't have to tell the players much. They saw the (LSU game) film and it was amazing what our kids did Thursday in practice.

Talk about Guy Gardner's basket in the latter stages of the game.
Coach Stansbury: He drove it and scored. It was a big play. He had the ability to read the situation and make a basketball play at a critical time. There were about two and a half to three minutes to go in the basketball game. We still had to score to win the game. You have to know when to put it down and go get that basket. Guy saw the opening and somehow got it around Lockhart and made the big play.

MSU player Marckell Patterson:
It was very physical today wasn't it?
Marckell Patterson: Oh yeah, it is a big rivalry game. You know that you are going to have the hard fouls, a couple of technicals, but that goes along with it being a Mississippi State / Ole Miss basketball game.

Did the LSU game, after seeing the film, embarrass the team and make you want to come out and play hard today?
Marckell Patterson: No, I don't think that it had any effect on how we played in this game. We just didn't come out ready to play Wednesday night.

Why?
Marckell Patterson: I think that they wanted it more than we did. We kind of relaxed a little bit because LSU was 0 and 4 in the SEC, had some guys hurt and didn't have the dominant big man. We really thought that we would really just walk over them.

How did the crowd affect the team today?
Marckell Patterson: We wanted the crowd to get into the game. For a rivalry game, you have to have the crowd into it.

MSU player Tyrus Boswell:
Well, did you enjoy playing in the football game today (said with tonque in cheek)?
Tyrus Boswell: (Laughed) Anytime you play in a rivalry game you know that it is going to be hardnosed. When we match up you know that it is going to be a tough game.

Did the lack of effort that the team had against LSU affect the play of today's game?
Tyrus Boswell: I thought that we looked past LSU and looked toward Ole Miss knowing that it was going to be a bigger game. I think the LSU game will be a big lesson for us.

You learned after losing to LSU that you can't overlook a team. Did you learn something from this game?
Tyrus Boswell: Yes, you come out and play hard and tough, it makes up for a lot of mistakes like turnovers. Playing hard overcomes a lot.

Was Coach Stansbury harder in practice after the LSU game?
Tyrus Boswell: He told us we could either go up or down from here. I looked at the schedule and noticed that we were last. If that doesn't motivate you then you don't need to be playing in this league.

MSU player Derrick Zimmerman:
Was this game more physical than you expected?
Derrick Zimmerman: We expected a very physical game because we were playing our rival. A game like this you expect things like hard fouls.

After the LSU game which was a game where there was a lack of effort, did you do anything differently in practice?
Derrick Zimmerman: We picked up the intensity in practice. We had to get our effort level back.

MSU player Mario Austin:
Did having to guard a veteran SEC player like Rahim Lockhart help you learn things about your defensive play?
Mario Austin: Yes, a player like Rahim, a big and strong player who has been playing in the SEC for four years, is tough to guard. It was good for me because it showed me that I have a lot of things to work on.

MSU player Guy Gardner:
How important was the guard matchup today? You and Harrison went after it today.
Guy Gardner: Harrison, like I said, is a great player. You don't think much about him when you look at him but he is a great shooter and so quick. I thought if I forced him in the lane, he wouldn't see people but he would hit the shot and make the right pass.

Have you guarded anyone that short and quick?
Guy Gardner: Not since high school. I have never guarded anyone that quick.

Talk about being from Mississippi and playing in this game.
Guy Gardner: I am an hour from both schools. I was so nervous for this game. I couldn't eat this morning or last night. And believe me, I eat a lot. (everybody laughed). I just about made myself sick.

Did you grow up as a fan of either one of these two schools?
Guy Gardner: I was really a fan of Ole Miss as a child. I used to go to all the Ole Miss football game but during the Final Four year I switched to the Bulldogs. It has been that way ever since.

Don't you have family that are Ole Miss fans?
Guy Gardner: Yes, my brother graduated from Ole Miss. One of my best friends is the head manager at Ole Miss. Until February 14th, I can talk to him. (more laughter).

The Lady Bulldogs, who suffered its fourth consecutive SEC loss at Auburn on Thursday, are 10-8 overall and 1-6 in the league.

Sophomore LaToya Thomas did not start the game at Auburn due to a viral infection, but managed to move her double-digit scoring streak to 50 games. Her 12 points moved her up the Lady Bulldog career scoring chart to12th with 1,089 points. She is only one point away from Tutti Calhoun who has 1,090 points.

Eighth on the all-time list is Thomas' current Lady Bulldog teammate Jennifer Fambrough. The junior forward has tallied 1,161 points in 78 games for the Maroon and White.

Mississippi State and LSU have already clashed once this season, with LSU prevailing 70-63 in Starkville on January 7th. LSU has an overall series advantage of 29-4. The Lady Bulldogs have not won in Baton Rouge.

LSU's Marie Ferdinand is second in the SEC in scoring with 20.6 points per game. She trails only MSU's Thomas, who tops the league charts at 23.2 points per game. In the Lady Tigers' earlier victory over MSU, Ferdinand tallied 19 points. Also in that contest, Ke-Ke Tardy scored 17 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.

After playing LSU, Mississippi State heads back to Starkville to begin a four-game homestand starting with Mississippi on Feb 1st at 7 p.m.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/27/01
Men's Basketball - The Mississippi State Bulldogs will look to rebound from their first 1-4 SEC start since 1992-93 by playing host to the 19th-ranked Mississippi Rebels Saturday afternoon on the MSU campus. Tip-off time for the 221st series renewal of the State-Ole Miss hoops rivalry is set for noon at Humphrey Coliseum. The game will be televised live by Jefferson Pilot Sports.

Coach Rick Stansbury's 10-6 Bulldogs have dropped four straight league decisions since opening conference play three weeks ago with an 87-73 home win over Arkansas. Prior to Wednesday's 82-73 home setback to the LSU Tigers, State's previous league losses had come against nationally ranked SEC foes Florida, Alabama and Tennessee.

Having averaged 18.0 points over his last eight outings, senior guard Antonio Jackson continues to lead the Bulldogs in scoring at 13.9 points per contest. In conference games only, the Huntsville native is currently ranked seventh among the league's scoring leaders (17.0 ppg), in addition to standing second in both assists (5.2 apg) and made three-point field goals per game (3.2/gm).

Presently tied for the runner-up spot among the team's scoring leaders, senior Tang Hamilton and junior Robert Jackson are both averaging 12.8 points per game. Having averaged 15.5 points and 8.5 rebounds over his last four contests, Hamilton stands in 18th place on MSU's all-time scoring chart with 1,135 points. The Jackson native needs 10 points to move past former Bulldog standouts Wiley Peck (1,136 career points) and Gary Hooker (1,144) and into 16th place all-time. The league's top offensive rebounder, Jackson ranks fifth in the SEC in overall rebounds (8.8 rpg) and seventh in field-goal percentage (54.0%) - just behind teammate Hamilton (55.2%).

Guided by third-year head coach and 1988 University of Mississippi alumnus Rod Barnes, the Rebels sport a 15-3 overall record and 3-2 SEC mark after claiming a 65-55 home win over the Kentucky Wildcats last Saturday in Oxford. Ranked 19th nationally in this week's Associated Press poll and 21st in the USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll, UM is paced by senior forward Rahim Lockhart, who leads the team in both scoring (13.1 ppg) and rebounding (8.8 rpg). Freshman forward Justin Reed is second on the club in both scoring (10.7 ppg) and rebounding (5.7 rpg).

In a long-standing roundball rivalry that dates back to the 1913-14 campaign, the Bulldogs own a 121-99 all-time series advantage over Mississippi, including a season sweep of the Rebels a season ago. Having won 15 of the last 17 State-Ole Miss battles in Starkville, Mississippi State holds an 80-23 all-time series lead over the Rebels in games played on the MSU campus through the years, including a 19-6 series advantage over UM in games contested at Humphrey Coliseum.

Beginning with next Wednesday's contest at Auburn (Jan. 31), the Bulldogs will play four of their next five games on the road. Mississippi State will play at Arkansas next Saturday (Feb. 3) before returning home to play host to the Alabama Crimson Tide on Wednesday, Feb. 7.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/26/01
Women's Basketball - Mississippi State suffered its sixth Southeastern Conference loss of the season on Thursday at Auburn, 78-48. The Tigers (14-7, 2-5) had not won a game since beating Kentucky to open the SEC season. The Lady Bulldogs (10-8, 1-6), who have lost their last four games, did not score in the final two minutes of the game.

Starting the second half with more enthusiasm, Mississippi State cut the lead to nine on a three-point basket by Cynthia Hall with 17:48 remaining in regulation, but would not get any closer. Auburn outrebounded MSU 50-26 and forced 18 turnovers.

"Defense, rebounding and shot-selection are the keys," head coach Sharon Fanning said. "We did not do a good job of that tonight. When you shoot 23 percent in the first half, you're not going to win many games."

For the first time in her career, LaToya Thomas did not start the game. Despite missing practice Wednesday due to a viral infection and sitting out the first five minutes of the game, Thomas managed to keep her double-digit scoring streak alive, now at 50 games. In 25 minutes, she scored 12 points and led the Lady Bulldogs with six rebounds.

Called for her fourth foul with nine minutes remaining in the game, Jennifer Fambrough led the Lady Bulldogs with 14 points, playing 24 minutes. The sophomore forward had three rebounds and three steals as well. Hall also made it into double digits with 10 points, while dishing out five assists.

"LaToya missed practice yesterday and the shoot-around this morning, so we knew she wouldn't play many minutes," Fanning said after the loss. "Toya and Jenn (Fambrough) are our experience. They need to be on the floor for us to be successful."

The Tigers, who shot 54 percent in the first half, jumped out to a 9-2 lead four minutes into the game and never looked back. Auburn dominated the first half, outrebounding MSU 25-12 and shooting 83 percent (5-of-6) from three-point range. Though the Tigers led by 20 (34-14) with four minutes remaining in the half, they headed into the locker room with a 15-point lead, 36-21.

Mississippi State travels to Baton Rouge, La., on Sunday, Jan. 28, to face LSU. The 2 p.m. tip-off can be heard on WFCA 107.9 FM with Steve Ellis calling the action. The game will be televised by CSSE.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Atheltic Department

01/25/01
Men's Basketball - STARKVILLE, Miss. - LSU (11-5, 1-4 SEC) used perimeter dominance to take a 14-point lead into halftime, then held back any and all second-half charges by Mississippi State (10-6, 1-4), to steal a road victory away from the homestanding Bulldogs with an 82-73 victory Jan. 24 in Humphrey Coliseum.

Antonio Jackson scored 23 points, 15 of which came from beyond the arc, to lead a trio of Bulldogs in double figures. Robert Jackson chipped in with 16 points on a perfect 5-5 night from the field and a 6-6 showing from the charity stripe. LSU's Collis Temple III led all scorers with 27. Brian Beshara chipped in with 24 points and six rebounds, hitting on all four of his three-point attempts and finishing the game 9-11 from the field.

Click here to read the full story....

Post-Game Press Conference:

MSU Coach Rick Stansbury:
The bottom line is we didn't play very well. Give LSU credit. They came in here and played very well. They shot the ball tremendously well. But there wasn't any part of our game that was acceptable. The first seven possessions we turned it over four times. We got down and Tang getting two early fouls broke our rhythm some. But we didn't have the fight. For the first time this year this team laid down when they got knocked down.

You have any idea why your team didn't play well?
Rick Stansbury: I really don't why we played the way we did. I am responsible and will take the responsibility. We did not play the way we are capable of playing. Michael Gholar had wide open shots early in the game because they weren't guarding him because his guy was doubling Robert Jackson everytime he touched the ball. He was O for five his five shots, four were three-pointers. He just didn't make shots. You have to step up and make shots in the game along the way.

You were outrebounded by eight tonight.
Rick Stansbury: That is an effort category. They outrebounded us and had us down 10 or 12 at halftime. That is when it really showed. We made a little run at them in the second half but never showed the energy that you need to win.

Talk about LSU.
Rich Stansbury: They are a difficult team to guard. Forget their record coming in here. They had just come from Georgia where they had a chance to beat Georgia. LSU has a three guy that you have to guard with a five. And Beshara is a four that can really shoot it. Beshara came out and made his first three threes that he shot and had 11 of their first 13 points. They are a difficult team to match up with small-wise. If you don't take advantage of them in the post, then they win the war at both ends. We didn't take advantage of them and make enough perimeter jump shots. We allowed them to continue to double-team Rob and our post guys.

Talk about LSU's Collis Temple.
Rick Stansbury: Temple killed us in the second half. They are a very difficult team to guard offensively.

Until late, Ronald Dupree did not have his usual game offensively. Did you do something to him by turning it up?
Rick Stansbury: No, it wasn't anything that we did, I promise you. They didn't need him because they had other guys stepping up and making plays. Beshara and Temple, for sure, were carrying the load for them.

Talk about Guy Gardner and how he played.
Rick Stansbury: Guy came in and gave us good energy. He came in and made some shots. He got us going in the second half.

Question asked about the style defense his team played.
Rick Stansbury: We were just a step slow everywhere we went. I didn't want to get in zone against them because they have five guys who can make shots. Everytime that we did go to zone against them they scored a basket. We took a chance playing man.

Talk about having to play Ole Miss this Saturday.
Rick Stansbury: It doesn't get any easier. They are a very good basketball team. We know how hard they are going to play. It will be a very difficult game for us Saturday.

01/22/01
Men's Basketball - Since it seems like just about everybody feels that the RPI rankings are now the deciding factor in which teams go to the Big Dance, I thought I would do an update on how the SEC teams are doing in the RPI rankings. Here's the latest info as of Sunday.

This info comes from the CollegeRPI.com site.

Here is their list of the top six teams in the SEC based on their RPI rankings. CollegeRPI.com uses the same formula that the NCAA uses.
1) Tennessee - Number 2
2) Georgia - Number 10
3) Mississippi - Number 16
4) Kentucky - Number 26
5) Vanderbilt - Number 27
6) Mississippi State - Number 28

Here are a couple other things that I found interesting.

"The bottom line is that, down the stretch, a couple of offensive boards they had were key," said MSU head coach Sharon Fanning. "We also gave up some on the free-throw line after they make a shot on a foul."

Alabama gained a six-point lead early in the second half, but MSU rebounded with a 17-5 run, pushing the score to 53-47 with 10 minutes left. The Crimson Tide eventually tied the game again at 58-58 with 5:34 to go.

Lady Bulldog LaToya Thomas' two free throws with 1:43 on the clock were the first points for either team in four minutes. Alabama tied it up on a lay-up by LaNisha Cartwell. Thomas hit a jumper, which was answered again by Cartwell tying the score, 62-62, for the final time with 36 seconds remaining.

Trying to run the clock down, Thomas eventually went up to fake a shot and dumped it to her left, but the pass went out-of-bounds and Alabama regained possession with 12 seconds on the clock. The Crimson Tidešs Beth Vice, who was 2-of-9 from long-range for the game, sunk a three-pointer with 2.5 seconds to play in regulation. Thomas tried a desperation shot but could not get it to fall.

"There really wasn't anything they did that we didnšt know they were going to do," said Fanning. "We expected them to penetrate. We knew who their shooters were. But the bottom line is that we didn't have enough assists, not enough rebounds, and we were giving them too many easy looks." Mississippi State jumped out to a 15-point lead, 27-12, with 12 minutes into the first half. The Crimson Tide used a 15-0 run midway through the first period to tie up the game at 27 with four minutes left. The Lady Bulldogs held a one-point advantage, 32-31, heading into the locker room at halftime.

Thomas led the Lady Bulldogs with 23 points, nine from the charity stripe. The sophomore forward dished out five assists, grabbed five rebounds and had one steal in 35 minutes. Sophomore Keisha Stringfellow hit double digits (10 points) for the first time since early December.

Freshman Dana Benemon, the only other Lady Bulldog in double digits, scored a career-high 10 points and led MSU with a career-high eight rebounds in 26 minutes. Senior Meadow Overstreet chipped in nine points, all off three-pointers.

Alabama's bench scored 42 of its 65 points. Cartwell and Shondra Johnson each tallied 16 points, while Vice scored 10 points. Cartwell led the Crimson Tide in rebounds with seven while Johnson grabbed six boards and led the team with five assists and four steals.

State travels to Auburn on Thursday, Jan. 25, for a 7 p.m. CST tip-off. Lady Bulldog action can be heard on WFCA 107.9 FM with Jim Ellis announcing. Additionally, the MSU-Auburn match-up will be televised by CSSE.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/21/01
Men's Basketball - MSU lost to number 4 ranked Tennessee 84 to 79 in Knoxville yesterday. Click here to read the full story......

State started the 1998-99 SEC season 2-6, en route to a 7-7 conference mark and its first bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Mississippi State and Alabama have met 32 times in the last 25 years with the Crimson Tide holding a 29-4 advantage. The Lady Bulldogs defeated Alabama last season in Tuscaloosa, 85-65, which marked the first MSU victory over Bama in 20 years. In that game, Jennifer Fambrough had 21 points, while LaToya Thomas had 20 points and seven rebounds for the Lady Bulldogs. Meadow Overstreet tallied 10 points in 16 minutes of action off the bench.

The Maroon and White boast the SECšs leading scorer in Thomas, who is averaging 23.9 points per outing. The 6-2 sophomore forward also leads MSU in rebounding, grabbing 9.1 boards per game.

Fambrough is averaging 14.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, while senior Cynthia Hall has averages of 7.9 points and 4.1 assists per contest. Meadow Overstreet leads the team in three-pointers with 26 and is averaging 6.3 points per outing.

Alabama is led by Shondra Johnson, who is scoring 14.1 points per game and 13.0 points in conference games. Johnson is averaging 5.8 assists and 2.0 steals per contest. Beth Vice is also averaging double digits for the Crimson Tide with 10.1 points per outing. Vice leads the team with 34 three-pointers. Sparkle Smith leads Alabama in rebounding, averaging 8.6 boards per game.

Sunday's game is sponsored by MSUšs College of Arts and Sciences.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/20/01
Men's Basketball - The Bulldogs of Mississippi State resume Southeastern Conference basketball action Saturday afternoon in Knoxville by taking on the fourth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers. Tip-off at UT's Thompson-Boling Arena is set for 3 p.m. ET, and the game will be regionally televised live by Jefferson Pilot Sports.

Coach Rick Stansbury's Bulldogs are 10-4 overall on the season and 1-2 in league play after concluding their regular-season, non-conference slate with an 83-66 home victory over the Tulane Green Wave this past Wednesday. MSU enters Saturday's contest having dropped successive decisions to nationally ranked conference foes, losing at Alabama (72-59) last Saturday and previously falling at home to Florida (81-80) on Jan. 10.

With four starters averaging in double figures on the year, junior Robert Jackson has reclaimed the team's season scoring lead at 13.2 points per game after Wednesday's 18-point effort against Tulane. Jackson also leads the Bulldogs and ranks third in the SEC in rebounding (9.4 rpg), along with standing sixth among league leaders in field-goal percentage (54.0%). Seniors Antonio Jackson and Tang Hamilton are averaging 12.8 and 12.1 points per contest, respectively, while junior Marckell Patterson is adding 11.2 points an outing.

Ranked fourth in both the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll and The Associated Press poll, Tennessee sports a 16-2 overall record and 3-1 conference mark after dropping an 84-74 road decision to SEC East rival Kentucky this past Tuesday in Lexington. Undefeated in nine home contests this season, the Volunteers currently own an SEC-best, 16-game homecourt winning streak dating back to last season. Two years ago in Knoxville (Feb. 6, 1999), Mississippi State snapped UT's then-league long, 16-game home win string with an 88-82 victory at Thompson-Boling Arena.

Though trailing by a 67-36 margin in the all-time series history versus Tennessee, the Bulldogs own a 7-4 series lead over the Volunteers since the SEC split into two divisions following the 1990-91 campaign. Along with the team's six-point win at UT two years ago, MSU also prevailed in Knoxville during the 1994-95 (60-52) and 1990-91 (70-65) seasons. Dating back to the 1994 SEC Tournament, seven of the last eight MSU-UT hardwood meetings have been decided by single digits.

Guided by fourth-year head coach Jerry Green, Tennessee features four players averaging between 14.0 and 12.8 points per game for the season, led by junior forward Vincent Yarbrough. Seniors Isiah Victor and Tony Harris follow close behind at 13.4 and 13.3 points an outing, while leading the Vols in rebounding (7.5 rpg) and assists (4.9 apg), respectively.

The Bulldogs will return home to entertain a pair of SEC Western Division rivals next week, as the LSU Tigers and Rebels of Mississippi visit Starkville for respective games on Wednesday and Saturday. Tip-off for Wednesday's MSU-LSU clash is set for 7 p.m. at Humphrey Coliseum.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/19/01
Women's Basketball - Mississippi State's women's basketball team lost to Arkansas in Fayetteville Thursday, 72-45. The No. 21 Lady Bulldogs fell to 10-6 overall and 1-4 in the Southeastern Conference while the Lady Razorbacks upped their record to 11-6 overall, 2-3 in the league.

The Lady Bulldogs' 45 points was the lowest output this season, and the 27-point margin marked State's worst loss since a 41-point thrashing at Tennessee during the 1998-99 season.

"Hopefully we can grow from this," head coach Sharon Fanning said. "You have to give them credit, they were more intense than us. We need to put this one behind us and get back home and get to work."

The Lady Razorbacks outrebounded MSU 47-29 and outshot the Lady Bulldogs 45-32 percent.

Arkansas opened the second half with a 12-7 run to push its lead to 42-23 before State went on 13-6 run making the score 48-36 with 9:11 remaining. The Lady Razorbacks completed a three-point play, hit a three-pointer and sunk two free throws to push the Arkansas lead to 20 with 7:46 remaining. Arkansas ended the game on an 11-4 run covering the final six minutes of the contest.

LaToya Thomas managed to keep her double-digit scoring alive, now at 48 games, while leading State with 20 points, her 11th 20+ point game this season. Thomas and Jennifer Fambrough led the team with seven rebounds each.

Jennifer Fambrough had a 12 game double-digit scoring streak come to an end as she tallied only seven points for the Lady Bulldogs.

Although both teams had 11 turnovers in the first half, Arkansas outrebounded State 24-8. The Lady Razorbacks finished the half with a 12-0 run pushing their lead to 30-16 just before heading into the locker room.

In double digits for Arkansas were Shameka Christon (27), Wendi Willits (17) and Dana Cherry (17). Amy Wright managed the only double-double of the night with 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

Mississippi State returns home to host Alabama on Sunday at 4 p.m. in Humphrey Coliseum. Game time was changed due to CSS broadcasting the contest with Jim Ellis doing the play-by-play.

Women's Basketball - Sunday's contest between the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs and the Alabama Crimson Tide has been moved to 4 p.m. The change was brought about because CSS is scheduled to broadcast the game. Jim Ellis will provide the play-by-play for CSS.

Sunday's game, along with most Lady Bulldog games, can be heard on WFCA 107.9 FM. Steve Ellis will provide the play-by-play. Fans can also listen to the game and watch live stats via the internet by logging onto MSU's home page at www.mstateathletics.com.

Alabama and Mississippi State have met 32 times in the last 25 years with the Crimson Tide holding a 29-4 advantage. The Lady Bulldogs defeated Alabama last season in Tuscaloosa, 85-65. That was the first MSU victory in 20 years.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/18/01
Men's Basketball - Mississippi State (10-4) used a 56.7 percent first-half shooting effort to take an 18-point lead into halftime, then held back several second- half charges by Tulane (7-9), as the Bulldogs completed their non-conference slate with an 83-66 win over the Green Wave Wednesday night in Humphrey Coliseum.

Robert Jackson led a trio of Bulldogs in double figures, scoring 18 points on a 6-9 shooting effort, while teammate Tang Hamilton netted his first double-double of the campaign, scoring 14 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. Tulane's Ledaryl Billingsley led all scorers with 21 points. It was Hamilton's first double-double since his freshman campaign.

"I was concerned about where this game fell on our schedule," said Mississippi State head coach Rick Stansbury. "Tulane is a basketball team with a lot of talent, but not a lot of depth. They have good players. I really don't like playing non-conference games in the middle of the conference schedule, but this is the only way that we could work this out."

Mississippi State used a stingy defense to take its largest lead of the game, 49-27, just two minutes into the second half, but Tulane used sluggish play by the homestanding Bulldogs to cut its deficit to single digits, 63-54, with 6:44 remaining. Robert Jackson scored six of State's next 12 points to give the Bulldogs a 17-point lead just less than four minutes later, but the Green Wave cut the deficit back to 10 on the strength of a 7-0 run over the next 53 seconds. Mississippi State scored the final seven points of the game, all from the free throw line, to provide the final.

Tulane came out of the first-half gates sluggish, turning the ball over five times in the first 5:05 of play, and allowed Mississippi State to take an 11-0 lead with 14:52 remaining in the opening stanza. The Bulldogs used a myriad of free throws to take a 17-point lead, 36-19, with just more than four minutes remaining, then used a three-pointer by Timmy Bowers with 1:06 remaining to push its lead to 18 points (43-25) heading into the intermission.

"You have to give Mississippi State credit, they came out and really jumped on us in the first two or three minutes of the game, got us down, and put us in a position where we had to keep fighting back," said Tulane head coach Shawn Finney. "We need to come out better in the beginning of our games because, in the last two games, we have come out tentative."

Mississippi State will resume Southeastern Conference action on Saturday when the Bulldogs travel to Knoxville, Tenn., to take on No. 4 Tennessee in Thompson-Boling Arena. Game time is set for 3 p.m. EDT with a regional telecast on Jefferson Pilot Sports. Tulane will again be in action on Saturday, returning home to host conference rival UAB in Fogelman Arena. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

TULANE (66)
B. Brown 3-8 3-4 9, Johnson 3-6 0-0 6, G. Brown 0-1 0-0 0, Spann 5-17 4-4 16, Tinsley 7-14 0-3 14, Billingsley 9-16 2-2 21, Amick 0-1 0-0 0, Pjevcevic 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-63 9-13 66.
MISSISSIPPI STATE (83)
Hamilton 5-12 2-2 14, Gholar 3-7 0-0 7, R. Jackson 6-9 6-12 18, A. Jackson 3-7 2-2 9, Patterson 3-8 0-0 6, Billups 0-1 3-4 3, Gardner 0-0 4-7 4, Bowers 1-4 0-0 3, Zimmerman 3-3 0-0 7, Boswell 0-1 0-0 0, Austin 4-7 4-6 12. Totals 28-59 21-33 83.
Halftime - Mississippi State 43, Tulane 25. Total Fouls - TU 23, MSU 19. Technical Fouls - None. Fouled Out - Johnson, Billingsley. Rebounds - MSU 39 (Hamilton 11), TU 38 (B. Brown 12). Assists - MSU 15 (Hamilton 5), TU 8 (Johnson 3). Turnovers - TU 19, MSU 12. Three-Point Goals - MSU 6-20 (Hamilton 2-5, Gholar 1-3, A. Jackson 1-5, Patterson 0-3, Billups 0-1, Bowers 1-2, Zimmerman 1-1), TU 3-14 (Johnson 0-1, Spann 2-7, Tinsley 0-1, Billingsley 1-4, Amick 0-1).

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/17/01 - Stepping out of conference play for the final time this regular season, the Mississippi State Bulldogs play host to the Tulane Green Wave of Conference USA Wednesday evening on the MSU campus. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Humphrey Coliseum.

The Bulldogs, 9-4 overall and 1-2 in SEC play, are looking to snap a two-game losing skid, having dropped a 72-59 decision at then-No. 14 Alabama this past Saturday and falling at home to seventh-ranked Florida, 81-80, last Wednesday. MSU opened conference competition with an 87-73 home triumph over the Arkansas Razorbacks two weeks ago.

With their top six leading scorers on the year being separated by only 5.5 points, coach Rick Stansbury's Bulldogs continue to be led in the scoring department by senior guard Antonio Jackson (13.1 ppg) and junior center Robert Jackson (12.8 ppg), who also rate among the SEC's statistical leaders in assists (4.1 apg; 8th) and rebounding (9.6 rpg; 2nd), respectively. Steady senior forward Tang Hamilton is contributing 12.0 points and 6.3 boards an outing, while junior guard Marckell Patterson averages 11.6 points and tops the league in three-point field goal percentage (47.9%).

As a team, the Bulldogs remain atop the conference in rebounding (45.3 rpg) and rebounding margin (+11.0 rpg) after having been out-rebounded by only two opponents (Florida and Louisiana Tech) on the campaign. State enters the Tulane contest sporting an impressive 55-5 (.917) home record against non-SEC opposition dating back to the start of the decade of the 1990s. Earlier this season, MSU's 23-game homecourt winning streak against non-conference foes was snapped by the Richmond Spiders, 83-72, back on Dec. 2.

Guided by first-year head coach Shawn Finney, formerly an assistant at Kentucky (1997-2000) and Georgia (1995-97), the Tulane Green Wave is 7-8 overall on the year and winless in three Conference USA contests. Most recently, Tulane dropped an 85-70 league decision at South Florida this past Saturday. With only nine rostered players, the Green Wave features four double-figure season scorers. Sophomore point guard Brandon Spann is ranked among the C-USA statistical leaders in five different categories, including team-leading averages of 17.9 points and 5.4 assists per contest. Needing 17 points to become the 24th player in school history to score 1,000 career points, senior forward Ledaryl Billingsley is averaging 17.3 points and a team-high 9.9 rebounds a game.

Mississippi State next resumes Southeastern Conference competition this Saturday afternoon by traveling to Knoxville to take on the fourth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers. Tip-off at UT's Thompson-Boling Arena is set for 3 p.m. ET, and the game is slated to be televised live by Jefferson Pilot Sports.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/16/01
Women's Basketball - Mississippi State's 21st-ranked women's basketball team lost a hard-fought contest Monday afternoon at second-ranked Tennessee, 66-59, on ESPN2. MSU fell to 10-5 on the season, 1-3 in the SEC while Tennessee moved to 16-1, 4-0 in the conference.

After MSU tied the game up at 42-42 on a Courtney Graham three-point play with 11:24 left in the contest, Tennessee used an 11-1 run to take a 10-point lead that the Lady Vols would not relinquish.

MSU led most of the first half, taking a 12-4 lead early in the contest, its largest of the game. Tennessee rallied back, but senior Meadow Overstreet's second three of the game gave MSU a 15-8 lead with 12:32 remaining in the opening period. Tennessee used an 8-3 spurt over the final two minutes of the fist half to tie the game at 27 going into the lockerroom.

Sophomore LaToya Thomas, the Southeastern Conference's leading scorer, was held to only one point in the first half, but poured in 15 in the second period to extend her double-digit scoring streak to 47 consecutive games.

The Lady Vols scored the first seven points of the final period before Thomas responded with her first field goal of the day with 16:10 remaining in the contest. That basket led to a 15-8 MSU run, capped by Graham's three-point play.

"We played with more composure than we have played with in any other game this year," head coach Sharon Fanning said. "This is our best basketball game of the season, and we need to grow from it."

Graham, making her first collegiate start, had not played more than 17 minutes in her career prior to this game. She played 18 minutes in the first half and finished the game having seen 37 minutes of action. The sophomore forward led the Lady Bulldogs with a career-high 10 boards.

Junior forward Jennifer Fambrough scored 15 points for the Lady Bulldogs, despite playing only 25 minutes due to foul trouble. She moved into ninth on MSU's all-time scoring list with 1,134 career points, surpassing former Lady Bulldog standout Nitra Perry (1,124, 1997-00). Senior point guard Cynthia Hall added 13 points and was second on the squad with eight rebounds.

MSU, despite Tennessee's height advantage of nearly three inches per starter, grabbed 18 offensive rebounds, and was only outrebounded by three, 43-40. Both teams struggled from the field, with MSU shooting 36.7 percent and Tennessee shooting 38.1 percent.

Tamika Catchings led the Lady Vols with 17 points and 13 rebounds before she was injured with 5:34 remaining in the game. Gwen Jackson scored 12, and Michelle Snow and Ashley Robinson each added 10 points apiece.

The past three contests between these two teams have been decided by a total of 14 points. Tennessee came into this game with an average winning margin of 20.8 points-per-game.

"We are gong to have a challenge every time we step onto the court," Fanning said. "Just because of this game, we cannot relax, and we need to get better. We can get this effort every time we play, but we have to do three things: play hard, play smart, and play together."

Mississippi State's next contest will be Thursday, January 18, at Arkansas. Game time is set for 7 p.m. and the action can be heard on WFCA 107.9.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/14/01
Men's Basketball - Mississippi State lost to Alabama 72 to 59 in Tuscaloosa yesterday.

Click here to read an article about the game.

01/13/01
Men's Basketball - "Mississippi State Basketball with Rick Stansbury" makes its 2000-2001 season debut this weekend on television stations, cable affiliates and regional networks throughout the state of Mississippi and into other areas of the Southeast region.

The 30-minute television show, hosted by veteran Mississippi State sportscaster Jack Cristil, stars third-year MSU head basketball coach Rick Stansbury. Featuring game highlights, player features and scouting reports on upcoming Bulldog opponents, "Mississippi State Basketball with Rick Stansbury" is a production of the Bulldog Sports Network, a division of Host Communications, a subsidiary of Bull Run Corporation, in conjunction with the Mississippi State University Television Center.

COACH RICK STANSBURY 2000-2001 TV SHOW AFFILIATES:
Biloxi... WLOX-TV... Saturday, Noon
Columbus... WCBI-TV... Sunday, 11:00 p.m.
Germantown, TN... GHS-TV... Friday, 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, 10:30 a.m./8:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11:00 a.m./8:00 p.m.
Greenville... WXVT-TV... Saturday, 11:30 a.m. or 6:00 p.m.
Grenada... W13CS-TV... Friday, 10:30 p.m.
Jackson... WBMS-TV... Sunday, 9:00 p.m.
Meridian... WMDN-TV/WGBC-TV... Saturday, 11:30 a.m.
MSU... Channel 7... Thursday, Sunday, Monday & Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
Starkville... TV5... Sunday, 6:00 p.m.

REGIONAL COVERAGE:
College Sports Southeast (CSSE)... Monday, 8:30 p.m.
Comcast Sports Southeast (CSS)... Friday, 9:00 p.m. & Wednesday, 4:00 p.m.
FOX Sports Net South... Monday, 12:30 p.m.

Note: All Times Central; Viewers are advised to consult their local listings for possible time changes during the course of the 2000-2001 basketball season.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

Looking to snap a six-game losing skid in SEC road competition that dates back to last January, coach Rick Stansbury's 9-3 Bulldogs most recently had their overall six-game winning streak snapped by dropping an 81-80 decision to the seventh-ranked Florida Gators this past Wednesday in Starkville. MSU opened conference play last Saturday with an 87-73 home triumph over the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Mississippi State's tandem of Antonio Jackson and Robert Jackson continue to lead the Bulldogs' quartet of double-figure season scorers at 13.2 and 13.0 points per game, respectively. Both players presently rank among the SEC's Top-10 statistical leaders in three different categories. Fresh off his career-best, 28-point performance earlier in the week against the Gators, which included a school record-tying eight three-pointers, Marckell Patterson is now MSU's third-leading scorer on the year (12.4 ppg) and has moved to the top of the SEC leaderboard in three-point field goal percentage (52.3%).

Featuring the league's top two rebounding teams, Saturday's State-Bama clash will mark the 163rd renewal of this intense border-war hoops rivalry. A season ago, the two SEC Western Division foes split the regular-season series for the fifth time in the last six seasons with both teams winning on their respective home floors. Six of the last seven MSU-Alabama meetings in Tuscaloosa have been decided by single digits, including each of the last three meetings at Coleman Coliseum.

Currently ranked 14th in the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll and 16th in the AP poll, Alabama owns a 12-2 overall record and 1-1 league mark after falling on the road, 86-69, to the fourth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers this past Tuesday in Knoxville. The Crimson Tide began SEC action with an 82-73 road win over the LSU Tigers last Saturday in Baton Rouge. Guided by third-year head coach Mark Gottfried, Alabama is paced by sophomore guard Rod Grizzard (18.6 ppg; 2nd in the SEC) and fellow sophomore Erwin Dudley, who averages 15.1 points and a team-high 9.4 rebounds per contest.

Following Saturday's divisional road encounter with Alabama, the Bulldogs will conclude the non-conference portion of their regular-season slate by playing host to the Tulane Green Wave of Conference USA next Wednesday (Jan. 17) in Starkville. Tip-off time at MSU's Humphrey Coliseum is set for 7 p.m. Mississippi State will resume SEC action next Saturday (Jan. 20) by travelling to Knoxville to take on the highly rated Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/12/01
Women's Basketball - Mississippi State's Lady Bulldog basketball team defeated Mississippi 60-55, Thursday night, for the fifth consecutive time. MSU moved to 10-4 on the season, 1-2 in the SEC. Mississippi fell to 11-3, 0-2. The Lady Bulldogs have now won six of the last eight meetings, winning two straight at Tad Smith Coliseum.

"We knew how important this game was tonight," head coach Sharon Fanning said after the game. "We played hard, found loose balls when we needed to, and played better defensively."

In her 46th game as a Lady Bulldog, LaToya Thomas scored her 1,000th career point with four minutes remaining in the first half. She is the second-fastest player in Southeastern Conference history to do so. Maree Jackson, who played for LSU from 1977-79, scored her 1,000th point in the 37th game of her career.

Thomas, who had 15 points in the first half, finished the night with 31 points and seven rebounds. She has now scored in double-digits in 46 consecutive games, and has tallied 20+ points in seven of the last eight games.

The sophomore from Greenville moved into sixth on MSU's all-time blocks list with 50 career blocks. She also made her way onto State's all-time free throw list, and is ninth with 221 made from the charity stripe, surpassing former Lady Bulldogs Polly Branch (220, 1983-87) and Nitra Perry (213, 1997-00).

"I'm pleased with the way LaToya has stepped up for this team," Fanning said. "Her leadership is making this team better. And as this team gets better around her, she will achieve even more accomplishments during her career."

Doing what they do best, Jennifer Fambrough and Thomas combined for 46 of MSU's 60 points. The duo also grabbed 14 of State's 31 rebounds and seven of the squad's 13 steals.

Fambrough totaled 15 points moving her double-digit scoring streak to 11 games. The junior forward grabbed seven rebounds and had four steals. Cynthia Hall chipped in nine points and dished out four assists.

After MSU took a 28-22 lead into the lockerroom, Mississippi came out ready in the second-half, using an 8-2 run, tying the game at 30 with 14:44 remaining. MSU responded with its own 7-0 run for a 37-30 score with 12:52 to go in regulation.

Mississippi came back fiercely with an 11-6 run of their own, tying the game once again at 46 with 5:50 left in the contest. After two free throws by Thomas and an layup by Lady Rebel Tywanna Inmon, Hall put the Lady Bulldogs up for good with her third three-pointer of the evening.

MSU took its first lead of the game, 17-16, with 6:52 remaining in the first half on a Seneca Anderson 30-second buzzer-beating layup. The Lady Bulldogs took their next lead, 23-21, off two free throws by Fambrough with 2:39 to go in the first half.

Mississippi was led by Inmon's 10 points, as she was the only Mississippi player in double figures. Four other players added seven points apiece for the Lady Rebels.

Mississippi State continues a three-game road swing at No. 2 Tennessee on Monday, Jan. 15, at Noon on ESPN2. State fans can listen to the action on WFCA 107.9 with Jim Ellis calling the play-by-play.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/11/01 - MSU was defeated by the 7th ranked Florida Gators 81 to 80 at the Hump last night.

Quotes from the post-game press conference:

MSU Coach Rick Stansbury:
Florida has an excellent basketball team. You see why they are national runners-up and 7th or 8th ranked team in the country. The officiating did not beat us. Florida won the basketball game. We had our opportunities in the second half but we turned the ball over too much. They had two young men Haslem and Nelson. I think that Nelson had 19 second half points. He was the difference in the ballgame.

What happened to your team against the press?
Coach Stansbury: You have to make decisions. There is no certain place you can tell a young man that the trap is coming from. You have to make basketball decisions. We didn't make enough good decisions in the second half to win the game. When you are pressured, you are going to turn the ball over some. We turned it over entirely too many times to beat a quality team like Florida.

What was the explanation for the call at the end of the game?
Coach Stansbury: (The official) said the shot had left the guy's hand before the young man ran out on the court. That was the explanation that we were given and we will leave it at that.

There is something that I want to make sure everybody is clear on. We are not going to blame officiating on this loss. We are going to give credit where credit is due. Florida is an excellent basketball team. They made plays and shots when they had to to win this basketball game.

Talk about the play of Marckell Patterson?
Coach Stansbury: He, basically, kept us involved in the game. He shot the ball unbelievably. We had great play from him. Antonio Jackson did Ok. We didn't get enough in the post. For the first time all season long we got beat on the backboard. It was 28 to 27 in rebounds. I think that we were averaging 51 rebounds coming into this game. We get 27. They get 28. Give them some credit for that.

When you were up by 10 did you try to do some different things?
Coach Stansbury: No, we didn't try anything different. Florida did some things different. Florida turned up the press and we turned it over in that stretch. It went from 10 to 5 just like that (snapped his fingers). When they went on that run we just didn't handle the press well enough to win against a quality team like Florida.

Will you talk a little about the way Florida played? They had lost two of their most experienced players prior to this game.
Coach Stansbury: Dupay did not make any difference. He has been in and out of their lineup. All that did was give another All-American, such as a Hamilton or a Greene, a chance to play more minutes. Those guys stepped up for them. All they did was insert another great player. They had played another game without Wright. They missed Wright. He is a quality player. But when you have other quality players on the bench that is their opportunity to step up.

On their last field goal where was the breakdown on defense?
Coach Stansbury: I don't know if there was a breakdown. (Zimmerman) was in his face. (Nelson) jumped up and made the shot. Give him credit. He jumped up and made a 20-foot shot.

MSU player Tyrus Boswell:
That was an unusual way to end the game.
Tyrus Boswell: Even though that was a tough call I don't think that had anything to do with why we lost the game. We got kind of sluggish in the second half. If we had continued playing the way that we had played in the first half we could have beat them. We should have continued to put it on them and extend the lead but we didn't do that in the second half.

Were they doing anything differently in the second half?
Tyrus Boswell: The full court trap gave us problems. We got a few turnovers out of that. That was what they were trying to do and they did a good job.

Their big men played well tonight.
Tyrus Boswell: Haslem stepped up big in the second half. When he got it in there one on one, he converted just about everytime. He and Nelson stepped up in the second half and that was the key to their win.

Was that a fun game to play in?
Tyrus Boswell: Oh, it is always fun to play in a game like that, especially if you win. If you lose it is tough. You always have to bounce back in the SEC. We've got Alabama Saturday. We've got to be prepared for them.

Even though you guys lost the games tonight you still have to be proud of how much better you played against Florida as compared to how you played against them last season.
Tyrus Boswell: Oh yea. We have more talented players this season.

Explanation for the one-point technical call:
Per the official: By rule when you have excessive players on the floor and they prevent the ball from coming alive it's an indirect technical foul, which is a one shot (foul). The team shoots one shot and the ball is put in play at the point of interruption. And that was back at the baseline.

The rule changed this year. They've gone with indirect and direct technical fouls. In this case, it was a one-shot foul.

The ruling was that the player was not on the floor until after the shot.

Game Notes:

01/10/01
Men's Basketball - The Mississippi State Bulldogs continue their SEC season-opening, two-game homestand by playing host to the seventh-ranked Florida Gators Wednesday evening on the MSU campus. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Humphrey Coliseum, and the game will be televised on a taped delay basis by the Sunshine Network with a playback air time slated for 10 p.m. CT.

Winners of the their last six contests, including Saturday's league-opening 87-73 home win over Arkansas, coach Rick Stansbury's 9-2 Bulldogs are beginning Southeastern Conference play with two straight homes games for the first time since the 1983-84 campaign. In Wednesday's contest against Florida, the Bulldogs will be bidding for the team's first 2-0 start in league competition since their 1996 Final Four season, in addition to becoming the first MSU squad to record consecutive victories over ranked opponents since that same Final Four club of five years ago. Two weeks ago in Tucson, Ariz., Mississippi State claimed a 75-74 triumph over then-10th ranked Arizona in the championship game of the Bank One Fiesta Bowl Classic.

With only 4.2 points separating their top six leading scorers on the season, the Bulldogs are currently being led in scoring by senior guard Antonio Jackson (12.8 ppg), who also tops the team and ranks ninth in the SEC in assists (3.9 apg). Rounding out MSU's double-figure season scorers are team rebounding leader Robert Jackson (12.7 ppg & 9.5 rpg), Tang Hamilton (12.2 ppg) and Marckell Patterson (11.0 ppg).

As a team, the Bulldogs continue to pace the SEC in rebounding (46.8 rpg) and rebounding margin (+13.1 rpg; 4th in the NCAA), while having out-rebounded nine of their 11 opponents by nine boards or more. MSU is also currently ranked 22nd nationally in field-goal percentage defense (38.7%).

Guided by fifth-year head coach Billy Donovan, the reigning national runner-up Florida Gators are 10-2 on the season after dropping a last-second 69-68 decision to the South Carolina Gamecocks in their SEC season opener this past Sunday in Columbia. Leading the nation in scoring margin (+26.5 ppg) and ranked fifth nationally in scoring offense (91.3 ppg), UF features five double-digit scorers on the year, though senior forward Brent Wright (15.9 ppg & 7.1 rpg) is expected to miss 3-6 weeks after having surgery to correct a stress fracture in his right foot last Thursday.

Currently pacing the potent Gator scoring attack is junior center Udonis Haslem with team-leading averages of 16.4 points and 7.6 rebounds an outing, followed by junior guard Teddy Dupay (14.1 ppg) and sophomores Matt Bonner (13.2 ppg) and Brett Nelson (11.6 ppg).

The Bulldogs will begin SEC road competition this Saturday in Tuscaloosa by taking on the 14th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, marking their third outing against nationally ranked opposition in the last four games. Tip-off at Bama's Coleman Coliseum is set for 5 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised live by FOX Sports Net South.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/08/01
Women's Basketball - No. 11 Louisiana State defeated No. 17 Mississippi State 70-63 and improved its record to 10-4 overall and 1-1 in the Southeastern Conference. MSU fell to 9-4 overall and 0-2 in the SEC.

Though the Lady Tigers outshot MSU 48-43 percent, the Lady Bulldogs won the rebounding war 40-30. Mississippi State shot 57 percent in the second half, but it just wasn't enough.

MSU tied the game at 58-58 with 3:32 remaining using a 15-6 run over seven minutes. Slowly, LSU edged back up by four with under two minutes to play. The Lady Bulldogs started fouling but as LSU made 8-of-12 from the line, the Lady Tigers' sealed their victory, 70-63.

With 12 first-half points, LaToya Thomas extended her double-digit scoring streak to 45 games. The 6-2 sophomore forward finished the game with 28 points and 13 rebounds marking her seventh double-double of the season and the 15th of her career.

Jennifer Fambrough moved to 10th place on the Lady Bulldog all-time scoring list. The 6-0 junior forward tallied 15 points against LSU giving her 1,104 points in 73 games as a Lady Bulldog.

Proving that Mississippi State has the 1-2 punch inside, Thomas and Fambrough have combined to score 92 of Statešs 133 points over the last two games. The duo also grabbed 42 of MSU's 79 rebounds over the last two contests.

MSU and LSU went neck and neck for the first 10 minutes of the game. The Lady Tigers used a 9-2 run to go up 22-14 with seven minutes remaining. That left the Lady Bulldogs playing catch up for the remainder of the first half and the Lady Tigers headed into the locker room with a six-point lead, 31-25, at halftime.

LSU was led by Marie Ferdinand with 19 points followed closely by Ke-Ke Tardy with 17 points. DeTrina White led the Lady Tigers in rebounding with eight while chipping in 12 points.

The Lady Bulldogs hit the road for three games starting with Mississippi on Thursday, Jan. 11, at 7 p.m. State then heads to No. 2 Tennessee on Monday, Jan. 15, at Noon on ESPN2. Both games can be heard on WFCA 107.9 FM.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/07/01
Men's Basketball
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State (9-2, 1-0 SEC) attained a 20-point lead late in the second half, then used a stingy defense to hold back a late Arkansas (9-4, 0-1) rally, as the Bulldogs won their 11th consecutive SEC opener with an 87-73 victory over the Razorbacks Saturday afternoon in Humphrey Coliseum.

Tyrus Boswell scored a career-high 21 points to pace a quintet of Mississippi State players in double figures, while teammate Robert Jackson made good on his seventh double-double of the campaign, scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Arkansas guard Jannero Pargo led all scorers with 23 points.

Click here to read the full story....

Mississippi State and LSU have tipped off 32 times in 14 years with the Lady Tigers leading the series 28-4. MSU's four wins have come in Starkville. From 1993-95, MSU won two of three games played against LSU. State defeated the Lady Tigers 76-71 on Feb. 27, 1993, and then claimed its last victory over LSU on Jan. 10, 1995, 87-77.

Leading the Lady Bulldogs in scoring is sophomore LaToya Thomas, who registered her sixth double-double this season against Florida by compiling 22 points and 11 rebounds. For the year, Thomas continues to lead the SEC in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 23.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per outing.

Junior forward Jennifer Fambrough has a nine-game double-digit scoring streak. Her team-leading 27 points against Florida was the most points she had scored since her freshman season. With 13 rebounds against the Lady Gators, she recorded her third double-double of the season. Fambrough is averaging 14.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per contest.

LSU is also looking to rebound from an SEC opening loss on Thursday when the Lady Tigers fell to Tennessee, 89-70. LSU is 9-4 this season with its other losses coming at the hands of No. 5 Duke (56-45), No. 15 Southwest Missouri State (85-75), and No. 10 Penn State (86-52). The Lady Tigers defeated No. 6 Purdue, 62-55.

Leading the way for LSU is Marie Ferdinand who is averaging 20. 8 points per game. She leads the team in assists with 41 and steals with 27. Reneeka Hodges and April Brown are the only other Lady Tigers in double-digits with 11.4 and 11.1, respectively. DeTrina White leads the squad in rebounding with 6.6 per outing while adding 9.1 points per contest. Hodges averages 6.0 boards per game while Ferdinand and Brown follow closely at 5.3 and 5.1 per game, respectively. LSU is shooting 45 percent from the field and 27 percent from long-range.

After Sunday's game, the Lady Bulldogs hit the road for three straight SEC contests at Mississippi on Jan. 11, No. 2 Tennessee on Jan. 15, and Arkansas on Jan. 18. MSU returns home on Jan. 21, to host Alabama.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/05/01
Women's Basketball - Mississippi State could not overcome early mistakes and a thirteen-point deficit late in the first half, as the No. 14 Florida Lady Gators won their Southeastern Conference opener, 82-70, improving to 12-1 overall and 1-0 in the SEC. State fell to 9-3 overall and 0-1 in the league.

"It comes down to fundamentals," said head coach Sharon Fanning. "We have to rebound, we have to play defense and take good shots. I thought in the second half we did a better job, but it was not a consistent effort. We will not win in this league without a consistent effort."

Florida controlled the first half, in large part due to an 8-0 run in the middle of the half, and led, 41-32, at halftime. Florida outrebounded Mississippi State, 25-15, which led to many second-chance points for the Lady Gators.

MSU mounted a comeback in the second half, pulling within four points with under five minutes remaining. However, the Lady Gators held their lead and made key shots down the stretch to extinguish every MSU run. Florida shot 46 percent from the field, compared to State's 35 percent.

MSU's junior forward Jennifer Fambrough led the game in scoring with a season-high 27 points. Her 13 rebounds made her third double-double of the season. Fambrough had not scored more than 23 points since her freshman season.

Sophomore forward Latoya Thomas also registered a double-double, her sixth of the season, with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Senior guard Cynthia Hall was in double-figures for State as well, with 10 points. Senior Meadow Overstreet chipped in nine points.

"There were some bright spots tonight," said Fanning. "But there were some times when two or three players had a look on their face that said, 'oh no'. We have to get to the point that even when we're down, we still feel like we will win the game."

It was a team-effort on the offensive end for Florida, as five Lady Gators scored in double figures. Tombi Bell, Brandi McCain and Naomi Mobley each scored 16 points. Monique Cardenas scored 14, with Vanessa Hayden pitching in 10. Mobley led the team in rebounding with 12 and Hayden grabbed 10 boards.

The Lady Bulldogs host No. 11 LSU on Sunday, Jan. 7, at 2 p.m.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/04/01
Men's Basketball - MSU has moved from 57th to 38th in the latest RPI ranking as determined by CollegeRPI.com.

MSU brings a five-game win streak into the contest along with a 9-2 record. Florida is 11-1 and brings a two-game win streak to Starkville. The Lady Gators have defeated top-10 opponents Penn State, 92-79, and Rutgers, 66-58, over the last month. UF's only loss was at Colorado, 98-62.

The two teams have met 23 times in 22 years with MSU leading the series 12-11. State leads the Starkville portion of the series 8-3. The Lady Bulldogs have defeated the Lady Gators two of the last three contests.

Sophomore LaToya Thomas continues to lead the SEC in both scoring and rebounding with averages of 24.1 points and 9.5 rebounds per outing. Florida's Brandi McCain is second in the league in scoring, averaging 21.0 points per game.

Thomas also leads the Lady Bulldogs in steals (18) and blocks (14). Junior Jennifer Fambrough is second on the squad in scoring (13.8 points per game) and rebounding (6.4 rebounds per game).

Freshman Jessica Carter is third on the team in scoring with 7.9 points per game. She leads the team in three-pointers (21) and three-point percentage (.500). Senior Cynthia Hall, the only player averaging over 30 minutes per outing, is fourth in scoring, averaging 7.4 points per game. She leads the team in assists, dishing 4.7 per contest.

Senior Meadow Overstreet, who is second on the squad in assists (2.9 apg), is averaging 7.2 points per outing. She is second in three-pointers with 19 and three-point shooting with 45 percent.

The Lady Bulldogs defeated the Lady Gators in Starkville last season, 66-57. Former MSU standout Nitra Perry led the team with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Jennifer Fambrough was close behind with 18 points and nine rebounds. LaToya Thomas chipped in 10 points and six rebounds.

MSU opened its SEC season last year against Florida as well. The Lady Gators defeated MSU 90-80 in Gainesville. State had five players in double digits. Thomas led the way with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Cynthia Hall also chipped in 20 points, while Fambrough added 18 points and nine rebounds.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

The hour-long radio call-in show, featuring the Bulldogs' third-year head coach, will air each Thursday night at 7 p.m. CT on 24 radio stations throughout Mississippi and into Memphis.

In-state listeners can participate in "Dawgs Talk with Rick Stansbury," hosted by MSU broadcasting legend Jack Cristil, by calling toll-free 1-888-808-8637. Listeners in Jackson may participate in the call-in show by calling (601) 952-0986, while cellular phone owners (BellSouth Mobility and Cellular South customers only) may access the show by calling *222.

2000-2001 RICK STANSBURY CALL-IN RADIO SHOW AFFILIATES
Aberdeen... WWZQ-AM... 1240
Amory... WAMY-AM... 1580
Biloxi... WVMI-AM... 570
Booneville... WBIP-AM... 1400
Carthage... WSSI-FM... 98.3
Cleveland... WMJW-FM... 107.5
French Camp... WFCA-FM... 107.9
Greenville... WDMS-FM... 100.7
Hattiesburg... WKNZ-FM... 101.7
Houston... WCPC-AM... 940
Jackson... WFMN-FM... 97.3
Louisville... WLSM-FM... 107.1
McComb... WAKH-FM... 105.7
Memphis... WTCK-AM... 1030
Meridian... WMOX-AM... 1010
Natchez... WNAT-AM... 1450
Philadelphia... WWSL-FM... 102.3
Picayune... WRJW-AM... 1320
Tupelo... WNRX-AM... 1060
Vicksburg... WQBC-AM... 1420
West Point... WKBB-FM... 100.9
Wiggins... WIGG-AM... 1420
Winona... WONA-FM... 95.1
Yazoo City... WMGO-FM... 93.1

ADDITIONAL BULLDOG BASKETBALL NOTE: Bulldog senior guard Antonio Jackson has been named the FOXSports.com National Player of the Week for his tournament MVP performance in the Bank One Fiesta Bowl Classic in Tucson, Ariz.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

01/03/01 - For his performances in Mississippi State's recent pair of tournament victories in Tucson, Ariz., Bulldog senior guard Antonio Jackson has been named SEC Player of the Week for the period spanning Dec. 18-Jan. 1.

In helping lead coach Rick Stansbury's Bulldogs to their first in-season tournament team championship since 1995, Jackson averaged 25.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in the two games of the University of Arizona-hosted Bank One Fiesta Bowl Classic. The Huntsville, Ala., native also shot 53 percent (17-of-32) from the field and 93 percent (13-of-14) from the line to earn tournament MVP honors. Backcourt teammate Marckell Patterson joined Jackson on the Fiesta Bowl all-tournament team.

Averaging a team-leading 12.9 points an outing on the season, plus 3.9 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game, Jackson opened Fiesta Bowl Classic play last Thursday by scoring a season-high 28 points and matching his career best with seven rebounds in MSU's 90-80 first-round win over Louisiana-Lafayette. Two days later in the championship contest against preseason top-ranked Arizona, he tallied a game-high 22 points, including the game-winning basket with 10 seconds remaining, to lift the Bulldogs to a 75-74 triumph and hand the then-10th ranked Wildcats their first Fiesta Bowl Classic tournament loss in 16 years. Saturday's one-point win over Arizona also marked Mississippi State's first victory over a Top 10-ranked foe on the opposition's home floor since MSU claimed a 76-71 triumph over then-fourth ranked Kentucky at Rupp Arena during the 1994-95 season.

Jackson's Player of the Week award marks the Bulldogs' first such individual honor since Detrick White was named SEC Player of the Week two seasons ago.

Collecting 21 votes for a No. 29 national ranking in this week's Associated Press Top 25 poll, the 8-2 Bulldogs look to extend their 10-game winning streak in SEC season-opening contests by playing host to the defending SEC Tournament Champion Arkansas Razorbacks Saturday afternoon in Starkville. Tip-off at MSU's Humphrey Coliseum is set for 2 p.m., and the game will mark the Bulldogs' debut on a brand new PRO-KING northern hard maple portable basketball floor courtesy of Horner Flooring Company of Dollar Bay, Mich.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Athletic Department

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