TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Mississippi State men’s basketball team had one opportunity Saturday night.
It faded quickly.
After Quinndary Weatherspoon hit a 3-pointer to give his team its first second-half lead with 6 minutes, 8 seconds remaining, Alabama scored the next 14 points to take a 71-62 Southeastern Conference victory before a crowd of 15,383 at Coleman Coliseum.
“Our execution wasn’t very good at the end,” Weatherspoon said. “We have to find a way to fix those things. We can’t turn the ball over and expect to win the game.”
MSU (13-7, 4-4) fought uphill most of the night but still had a chance to win. In the end, losing I.J. Ready to a calf injury in the first half and sending Alabama (13-7, 6-2) to the free throw line 36 times proved too much to overcome.
“I really thought we played with a lot of effort,” MSU coach Ben Howland said. “I thought we fought and did a great job of taking the lead late on the road in a hostile environment. Simply too many turnovers. Losing I.J. was also a big blow because he solidifies things on the defensive end.”
Alabama entered the game shooting 62 percent from the free-throe line. On Saturday, Crimson Tide hit 31 of 36 for 86.1 percent. Alabama was 11 of 11 in an opening half, which ended with a 34-29 lead.
“We have to learn how to play basketball without fouling,” MSU freshman Schnider Herard said. “We have to keep our emotions in check and not commit dumb fouls. We let them get to us and we need to a do a better job of playing defense without fouling.”
The Bulldogs have received strong play from the big men of late. However, Aric Holman was blocked four times in the first half. Xavian Stapleton played eight minutes before fouling out. E.J. Datcher saw eight minutes off the bench.
Herard had 12 points with six rebounds.
“Their post men are bigger, stronger, and older. That was the difference,” Howland said. “That was the difference the first time (a 68-58 loss in Starkville). That was the difference here. Schnider played some of his best minutes (30 total), but he was fatigued down the stretch and we didn’t have other options.
“Xavian has to play more than eight minutes to help us out.”
The Bulldogs also had atypical struggles from the 3-point line. Stapleton had MSU’s only trey in a 1-of-6 showing in the first half. Lamar Peters again had early foul calls but was forced to play with Ready going out less than five minutes into the game.
In the second half, the Bulldogs hit four of their first seven 3-pointers. Peters and Mario Kegler each hit critical treys in a 17-5 run. Weatherspoon capped the run with a 3-pointer off a screen from Eli Wright.
“We felt like we had a chance if we could ever get a lead,” Weatherspoon said. “Losing I.J. really hurt because it changed some of the things we were trying to do. Despite the fouls (and losing Ready), we were in a position. We got to take that next step and learn how to win these games.”
The Bulldogs entered the game averaging 75.5 points per game. In the two losses to Alabama, MSU was held to 58 and 62 points. In the opening half, Peters and Weatherspoon were held to a combined eight points.
“Alabama face-guarded Q,” Howland said. “They did the best job that has been done on him all year. I think he knew what was coming from the last game and was pressured. He tried to hurry things up instead of letting the game come to him. He settled down and played a much better game in the second half.”
Peters had 13 points, while Weatherspoon had 11.
Braxton Key led Alabama with 19 points. Dazon Ingram had 15 and Riley Norris had 13. Ingram was 12 of 12 at the free-throw line.
Key had the critical 3-pointer that started the game-ending run.
“Sometimes a team spends a lot of energy getting back into the game,” Alabama coach Avery Johnson said. “We really had to have an answer on that possession. I am really proud of our toughness. We didn’t shoot the ball well (32.7 percent), so that means you have to make other winning plays.”
MSU held a rebounding advantage despite the rotation of big men. The Bulldogs also shot 41.1 percent from the field.
“We did lot of really great things offensively,” Howland said. “The turnover number (18), though, was not one of them.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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