State slips past tough Blazers
By By Will Bardwell/staff writer
December 7, 2003
STARKVILLE A spinning hook shot by Lawrence Roberts with three seconds remaining gave Mississippi State an 86-84 win over previously unbeaten UAB on Saturday.
The win kept the Bulldogs undefeated, improving their record to 6-0. The Blazers, who led by as many as nine in the second half, are now 3-1 despite getting 38 points from senior guard Mo Finley in just 29 minutes.
Finley was virtually unstoppable for most of the game. He shot 15-of-21 from the field, including 5-of-7 on three-point shots. His biggest miss came as the final horn sounded when a desperation heave from mid-court came up just short.
The Blazers led 73-64 with eight and a half minutes to go, but the Bulldogs switched to a 2-3 zone defense that slowed UAB's offense.
Finley tied the game at 84 on a free throw with 1:02 left. Mississippi State lost the ball out of bounds with just over 30 seconds remaining, but referees ruled UAB touched it last. That set MSU up to take the last shot, which Roberts sank after fighting foul trouble in the first half.
Mississippi State's second half struggles were not an abnormality. The Blazers quickly jumped out to a 9-2 lead just two minutes into the game. The Bulldogs fought back and briefly stole the lead twice, but with nine minutes left in the first half, UAB built a 27-22 lead when Carldell Johnson hit a breakaway lay-up after a steal near mid-court.
It was one of 10 Mississippi State turnovers in the first half, but UAB also gave the ball away 10 times.
And while turnovers hurt, the real thorn in Mississippi State's side was Finley who had 21 first-half points on 8-of-10 shooting, including 3-of-4 from behind the arc — and all in just 13 minutes.
The Bulldogs held a 49-47 lead in the first half's final minute, but after a controversial jump ball decision on Mississippi State's end, Bulldogs head coach Rick Stansbury was given a technical foul for arguing with just 20 seconds to go. Finley hit both free throws, and the two teams were tied 49-49 at halftime.
Mississippi State's saving grace was its presence down low. The Bulldogs had 43 rebounds, 20 of which came on the offensive end. UAB had just eight offensive rebounds.
More than their lack of rebounding, fouls came back to haunt the Blazers. Mississippi State was in the double bonus for nearly the last nine minutes of the second half. The Bulldogs sank just 14 of their first 31 free throws, but drained their last 12.
