State scraps way to West's lead
By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
Feb. 27, 2003
STARKVILLE The Mississippi State University men's basketball team delivered a wonderful birthday present to its standout forward Mario Austin Wednesday night, even if the squad didn't do such a great job of wrapping the gift.
The Bulldogs (18-6, 8-5 Southeastern Conference) snatched a 59-55 victory against the University of Alabama Crimson Tide (15-9, 5-8 SEC) at Humphrey Coliseum.
But the candles on Austin's cake appeared to be trick candles, as MSU almost had a flashback to its first encountered with Alabama this season.
The Bulldogs nearly blew another 17-point lead the Tide, but the birthday boy wouldn't let his team falter against Alabama again.
Austin tallied a team-high 14 points, including MSU's only field goal in the final 7:35 of the game, to help lead the Bulldogs to victory.
We learned so much from that game in Tuscaloosa,'' said Austin, who turned 21 Wednesday. We knew coming down the stretch we'd have guys step up.''
The Bulldogs held a 17-point lead in the first half against the Tide on Jan. 15 before losing 68-62 in overtime in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
The change of scenery may have done MSU good, as the squad took sole possession of first place in the SEC West after LSU defeated Auburn 94-63.
This time around we were playing in Starkville,'' said Bulldogs point guard Derrick Zimmerman, who had eight points and six assists. That probably was the difference.''
MSU assembled a 51-35 lead midway through the second half, capped by forward Ontario Harper's break-away dunk off a Winsome Frazier steal.
But the Tide stormed back into the contest, after head coach Mark Gottfried called a timeout.
Alabama went on a 16-3 run after the timeout, including back-to-back three-pointers by guards Antoine Pettway and Earnest Shelton, to chop MSU's lead to 54-51, with 1:42 remaining.
Alabama received a strong performance from senior center Erwin Dudley.
The preseason All-American scored the Crimson Tide's first 13 points in the second half, and he finished with a game-high 17 points.
MSU clamped down on the Alabama center not allowing Dudley to score again in the game after the opening seven minutes of the second half.
The defense may have been strong, but the Bulldogs struggled on the free-throw line in the contest.
MSU shot 53.8 percent from the charity stripe for the game, and the Bulldogs only made 37.5 percent of their free throws in the second half, including missing 4-of-7 in the game's final minute.
MSU's impotence at the foul line was counter acted by Harper's long-range shooting midway through the second half.
The 6-foot-5 sophomore nailed back-to-back three-pointers from the left wing with 13 minutes left in the game for a 40-33 advantage.
Harper's consecutive treys started an 17-2 run that built MSU's 17-point lead.
Harper finished the game 12 points, and MSU guard Timmy Bowers tallied 11 in the win.
Alabama forward Kennedy Winston scored 11 points, and Tide guard Maurice Williams added 10.
Williams entered the game averaging 15.6 points to lead Alabama's offense, but the Jackson native couldn't shake off his struggles in his home state.
The sophomore has averaged only eight points in four games in Mississippi two at Mississippi State and two at Mississippi and Alabama has lost all four.
I don't know. Maybe he's pressing a little bit. Nobody really knows that,'' Gottfried said.
MSU returns to action against Arkansas at 3 p.m. Saturday in Fayetteville.
