State grabs win minus star center
By By Danny P. Smith / special to The Star
Dec. 1, 2002
STARKVILLE Some basketball players from Florida had a little bit of fun at Humphrey Coliseum Saturday afternoon, but it was not the group from Jacksonville.
Three Florida products established career-highs in scoring for the 23rd-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs as they defeated the University of Jacksonville Dolphins 100-65.
Mississippi State's Winsome Frazier from Miami, Fla., collected 16 points, while Marcus Campbell from Winter Haven, Fla., added 14 and Stephen Cowherd from Coral Springs, Fla., had nine points.
All came off the bench to establish those career numbers for the Bulldogs.
A crowd of 2,942 looked on as the Bulldogs improved to 2-1 and the Dolphins fell to 3-2.
Jacksonville coach Hugh Durham, formerly of Georgia, was impressed with the talent Mississippi State was able to put on the court, especially without having the services of Mario Austin for the third straight game.
The Bulldogs jumped out to a 6-1 lead after a basket by Lincoln Smith at the 15:30 mark of the first half, then stretched the margin to 11-3 with 14:11 remaining on a pair of free throws by Frazier.
Frazier just wants to be avaiable to do whatever to contribute.
Mississippi State led Jacksonville 45-26 at halftime and a basket by Derrick Zimmerman to open the second half put the Bulldogs up 47-26. A 15-6 run by the Dolphins closed the gap to 53-41 with 15:15 left in the game.
After a timeout by Mississippi State, it came out firing as Ontario Harper hit a 3-point field goal, then Frazier hit one from long range and so did Timmy Bowers to extend the lead back to 21 points at 64-43 with 12:04 remaining.
The Bulldogs were never challenged again from that point.
Bowers led the Bulldogs in scoring for the third straight game with 21 points. Following Frazier and Campbell in double figures were Harper and Michal Ignerski with 10 points each.
Kevin Sheppard poured in 30 points for Jacksonville.
Mississippi State will get right back on the home court Monday when it hosts Alabama A&M at 7 p.m.
