MSU Men’s Basketball Upsets Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (MSU Athletics) – Mississippi State men’s basketball coach Ben Howland told senior Craig Sword now was the time for the Alabama native to win his first game on the campus of the University of Alabama.

Sword took the challenge to heart and delivered a masterful defensive performance as MSU knocked off Alabama 67-61 in a Southeastern Conference contest played Saturday afternoon at the Coleman Coliseum.

“Coach told me now was the time to get (a win at Alabama),” Sword said. “Since this is my senior year, this game meant a lot to me. We just tried to take to heart everything we have been doing on the practice floor. Right now, we are playing with a lot of confidence.”

Alabama entered the contest ranked in the Top 30 nationally in the Ratings Percentage Index. The Crimson Tide also came in with the conference’s best win streak at five in a row.

However, the offensive performance of Quinndary Weatherspoon, Sword, Gavin Ware and I.J. Ready took care of all of that. The Bulldogs played without the services of Malik Newman. Ware was also limited by heavy foul trouble.

MSU won a league game for the fifth time in nine tries. The Bulldogs are 12-14 overall and 5-9 in league play. Alabama is now 16-10 and 7-7. MSU snapped a six-game losing streak in the season series and a six-game losing streak in this arena.

MSU also made amends for a heart-breaking 82-80 overtime home loss earlier this season to Alabama.

“This is a great win against a very good team,” Howland said. “Alabama had road wins over Florida and LSU. For (Sword) and Travis (Daniels), they are from Alabama, this win was special. Chicken played great defense the entire first half without committing a foul.

“Our bench was really good. We overcame a lot of adversity. When you overcome adversity, you do that on the defensive end.”

The Bulldogs overcame a shaky start by piecing together a 16-4 run for a 20-15 lead. A jumper by Ready and 3-point basket by Weatherspoon capped that run.

MSU then pushed the lead to 27-18 on a jumper in the lane by Sword with 3:28 left in the half. Alabama closed within three twice and trailed 32-29 at the intermission.

In the second half, another trey by Weatherspoon ran the lead to 41-33 with 17:15 left.

Alabama followed with seven straight points to close within one.

Still, Ware and Weatherspoon continued to have the answers on the offensive end.

A dunk and layup by Ware ran the lead back to 52-45 with 8:37 left.

Alabama closed within one again at 58-57. However, MSU followed with six straight points, including a back-breaking fade-away shot by Ready.

Weatherspoon had 15 points, while Sword had 13 points, Ware had 12 points and Ready had 10 points. Travis Daniels had a team-high six rebounds.

For the contest, MSU hit 26 of 53 shots from the field (49.1 percent), 7 of 17 shots from 3-point range (41.2 percent) and 8 of 15 shots from the foul line (53.3 percent). Alabama hit 22 of 52 shots from the field (42.3 percent), 6 of 21 shots from 3-point range (28.6 percent) and 11 of 21 shots from the foul line (52.4 percent).

Alabama held a 36-33 rebounding advantage. The Bulldogs had eight assists and 11 turnovers, while the Crimson Tide had eight assists and 11 turnovers.

Alabama received 22 points apiece from Retin Obasohan and Shannon Hale.

MSU remains on the road for a Wednesday night matchup with Texas A&M. The Bulldogs and Aggies tip at 6 p.m. on ESPN2.