Spokesman-Review
National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Mississippi State 88, Louisiana State 76
When: 6:00 PM ET, Saturday, March 4, 2017
Where: Humphrey Coliseum, Starkville, Mississippi
Officials: # Antinio Petty, # Glenn Tuitt, # Wil Howard
Attendance: 6739

Quinndary Weatherspoon scored 18 points as Mississippi State ended a seven-game losing streak by defeating LSU 88-76 on Saturday night at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, Miss.

The Bulldogs (15-15, 6-12 SEC) won the first time since a 64-59 home triumph against Tennessee on Feb. 4. The Tigers (10-20, 2-16) ended a school-record 15-game losing streak by beating Tennessee 92-82 in their last game Wednesday in Baton Rouge, La.

Mississippi State is the No. 12 seed and LSU is seeded 13th when the teams meet again in the first round of the SEC tournament Wednesday in Nashville, Tenn.

The Bulldogs swept the regular-season series, having beaten the Tigers 95-78 on Jan. 4 in Baton Rouge.

Xavien Stapleton and Aric Holman scored 14 points each for Mississippi State, which took the lead for good with 16:45 left in the first half.

Antonio Blakeney and Skylar Mays 15 led LSU with 15 points apiece, Brandon Sampson scored 14, Duop Reath had 12 and Aaron Epps 10.

Mississippi State had an 18-point halftime lead and maintained a comfortable margin throughout the second half.

LSU finally got within 10 when Mays converted a three-point play with 5:49 left.

Weatherspoon responded with back-to-back baskets and Holman converted a three-point play to push the lead to 82-65.

After LSU took a 5-4 lead, Weatherspoon and Eli Wright scored five points each during a 19-6 run that gave Mississippi State a 21-11 lead midway through the first half.

The Bulldogs extended the lead to 33-19 when Stapleton made a 3-pointer.

Blakeney's 3-pointer started a 6-0 run by the Tigers before Mississippi State finished the half with a flurry.

Lamar Peters and Holman scored five points apiece as the Bulldogs closed with a 15-5 run that gave them a 48-30 halftime lead.
Top Game Performances
 
Louisiana State   Mississippi State
Antonio Blakeney 15 Scoring Quinndary Weatherspoon 18
Jalyn Patterson 6 Assists I.J. Ready 13
Duop Reath 12 Rebounds Aric Holman 6
Brandon Sampson 6 Free Throws Made Schnider Herard 3
Skylar Mays 4 Steals Xavian Stapleton 2
Duop Reath 2 Blocks Aric Holman 1
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Louisiana State 76 44.1 5-19 19-23 11 30 3 6 11
Mississippi State 88 54.5 7-22 9-13 21 35 2 7 11