The Mississippi State men’s basketball team spent the better part of its Southeastern Conference season waiting for something good to happen.
It finally happened March 2 when MSU stunned Ole Miss 73-67 before the largest crowd of the season at Humphrey Coliseum.
The victory snapped a 13-game SEC losing streak in conference and allowed the Bulldogs to split their season series with the Rebels.
“I am really proud of the guys for hanging in there and playing through all of the adversity,” MSU first-year coach Rick Ray said. “You feel like this can be a turning point because it shows what the players on this team are capable of doing.”
MSU’s 14th win in its last 15 home meetings with Ole Miss is The Dispatch’s top local game for 2013. Entering this season’s matchup, the Bulldogs have won four straight home meetings from the Rebels.
However, last season’s upset seemed improbable. Ole Miss was on its way to a Southeastern Conference tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA tournament. MSU won its first two conference games before dropping the next 13.
In its last home game before playing Ole Miss, MSU made seven field goals and scored 31 points against Vanderbilt.
A week later in the same building, the Bulldogs delivered arguably their best effort of the season.
“The game was so slow at the end,” said MSU freshman Gavin Ware, who had 12 points six rebounds. “It felt like it would never end. The atmosphere was perfect. The students came down to greet the players when it was over. The student section was really going and it motivated us to go out there and get the win. We are glad that our loyal fans have stayed with us through hard times and good times, too.”
Ole Miss built a 5-0 lead before the lead changed hands several times in the first half. A Colin Borchert 3-pointer gave MSU a 31-29 lead late in the first half. The Bulldogs didn’t trail again.
Borchert scored a career high 21 points in the victory. Murphy Holloway had 22 points and 19 rebounds to lead Ole Miss.
Follow Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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