Bulldogs remain perfect
By By Tony Krausz/assistant sports editor
December 14, 2003
STARKVILLE Mississippi State University forward Lawrence Roberts received a brief ovation after sinking two free throws with 6:25 left in the Bulldogs' contest against the Xavier Musketeers on Saturday night.
The crowd's appreciation for the forward's points had little to do with the pair of free throws impact on the game in MSU's 82-70 win over Xavier in Humphrey Coliseum.
Roberts' first free throw in the two-shot set was the junior's 1,000th career point. He finished the game with a team-high 21 points and 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the year.
The Bulldogs (7-0) followed Roberts' milestone point going on a 20-13 run to end the game against the Musketeers (4-3).
Xavier pulled to within three points of MSU's lead 20 seconds before Roberts' free throws on a break-away lay up by Lionel Chalmers, which cut the Bulldogs' lead to 60-57.
MSU increased its lead to 75-61 with two minutes to play in the game on a pair of free throws by Gary Ervin to put the game out of Xavier's reach.
Bulldogs guard Timmy Bowers, who opened the second half with a three-pointer, tallied 19 points in the win, and center Marcus Campbell, who went 8-for-8 at the free-throw line, added 16.
Xavier, which only held a lead for 12 seconds in the first half, was led offensively by Chalmers' 24 points, and guard Dedrick Finn added 20 in the loss.
MSU kept Xavier's ballhandlers flustered in the opening half, as the Bulldogs turned 11 Musketeers turnovers into 12 points. Xavier finished the game with 20 turnovers.
The Bulldogs snatched seven steals in the first half en route to taking a 40-34 lead into the break.
Campbell notched the first and last four points for the Bulldogs in the first half.
The 7-foot center scored MSU's first points after stealing a pass on his end of the floor and throwing down a two-handed dunk on a fast break, and he dropped another dunk for the team's second basket of the game.
He closed the first half hitting four free throws and lead all MSU scorers in the opening 20 minutes with 10 points.
Xavier took a short lead following Campbell's second score of the game, with guard Romain Sato hitting a mid-range jump shot and center Will Caudle scoring off a rebound for a 6-4 advantage, with 17:26 to play.
The Musketeers two-point advantage was the visiting team's only lead of the game, as the Bulldogs responded with a 9-1 run for a 13-7 lead, with 15:08 to play in the opening half.
MSU continues its season against New Orleans in the BancorpSouth Center in Tupelo on Tuesday. The Bulldogs' contest will follow the Lady Bulldogs' game against Tennessee-Martin.
