MSU wants another shot at Kentucky

By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
March 9, 2004
STARKVILLE It may not seem like Mississippi State University has much to play for in this weekend's Southeastern Conference basketball tournament, but the Bulldogs have one overriding factor to keep them focused in Atlanta revenge.
The No. 4-ranked Bulldogs (25-2, 14-2 SEC) would love to get one more crack at Kentucky before heading to the NCAA tournament.
MSU has already sewn up a berth in the NCAAs, with many in the national media predicting the team to earn a No. 1 seed in one of the four divisions, but the Bulldogs want to get back at the one team they were unable to defeat.
The Wildcats (23-4, 13-3 SEC) handed the Bulldogs their first loss of the season on Jan. 13 at Humphrey Coliseum.
Kentucky's Erik Daniels scored the game-winning basket in a 67-66 victory off a tipped pass as time ran off the clock over then-No. 20 MSU. The Wildcats were ranked fifth in the nation at the time.
The Bulldogs lost just one more game after the defeat on Jan. 13, but MSU got its revenge on that team last Saturday.
MSU defeated Alabama 82-81 in overtime this past weekend to avenge the Bulldogs' 77-73 loss on Feb. 21 to the Crimson tide.
MSU will have to win a pair of games, and Kentucky will have to do the same in the SEC tournament for the Bulldogs to get their chance for revenge at the Georgia Dome.
The Bulldogs and the Wildcats are on opposite sides of the SEC bracket, allowing their only possible meeting to take place in the championship game.
The Bulldogs and the Wildcats each earned the top seed out of their divisions, and both squads have a bye in Thursday's opening round.
MSU will take on the winner of Ole Miss-Vanderbilt, and Kentucky will play the winner of Georgia-Auburn on Friday.
As far as a No. 1 seed in the NCAAs, Stansbury said his team can only focus on the weekend of basketball that they know they have ahead of them at this time.