Video: Mississippi State Wins First True Road Game in Over a Year at South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBI/MSU Athletics) – Mississippi State got to enjoy the happy plane ride after a thrilling 81-76 SEC win against South Carolina at Colonial Life Arena Wednesday night.

MSU snapped a 12-game road losing streak by picking up its first road win of the season. The Bulldogs had last won on the road Jan. 10, 2017, at Arkansas, 84-78.

MSU also made it back-to-back conference wins while improving to 16-6 overall and 4-5 in league play. The Bulldogs have matched last season’s 16-win total. South Carolina, winners over Florida and Kentucky already in league play, fell to 13-9 and 4-5.

Quinndary Weatherspoon led the Bulldogs with 18 points, while brother Nick Weatherspoon added 17 points. In what coach Ben Howland called his “most complete game of the season” Abdul Ado added 16 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots before fouling out with a couple of minutes to play.

“So happy for the players to be able to experience the first road win of the season,” MSU coach Ben Howland said. “We did a great job of keeping our composure and answering their runs. Abdul Ado was dominant on both ends of the floor. We made shots early and that meant confidence.

“It is difficult to get into your offense against their pressure defense. To shoot the percentage we shot and to only turn the ball over 14 times is really a credit to our kids and how well they played.”

The lead switched hands several times during a highly-entertaining first half. The Gamecocks briefly opened a four-point lead with 1:19 left in the half. MSU scored the final five of the half to take a 37-36 lead at the break.

In the second half, the Bulldogs took control of the game with a 9-0 run. The Bulldogs forced a couple of turnovers on defense and got some big shots from Xavian Stapleton and Aric Holman to open a 48-40 lead.

A jumper by Eli Wright ran the lead to nine at 57-48 with 13:13 left.

The Gamecocks reeled off five in a row to pull within 65-64.

The Bulldogs still kept some type of lead. A critical 3-pointer from Quinndary Weatherspoon ran the lead to 73-69 with 4:24 left.

Lamar Peters scored a possession later to run the lead back to 75-69.

The Bulldogs would then overcome a one-minute stretch of four turnovers with a game-clinching dunk by Holman with 19 seconds left.

For the contest, MSU hit 30 of 58 shots from the field (51.7 percent), 7 of 19 shots from 3-point range (36.8 percent) and 14 of 15 shots from the foul line (93.3 percent). South Carolina hit 24 of 60 shots from the field (40.0 percent), 7 of 24 shots from 3-point range (29.2 percent) and 21 of 27 shots from the foul line (77.8 percent).

South Carolina held a 33-32 rebounding advantage. The Bulldogs had 12 assists and 14 turnovers, while the Gamecocks had 13 assists and 13 turnovers.

South Carolina received 25 points from Frank Booker and 18 points from Chris Silva. Silva and David Beatty each had a team-high six rebounds for the Gamecocks.

MSU will host Georgia in a 5 p.m. start Saturday at Humphrey Coliseum. The SEC’s Battle of the Bulldogs will be shown nationally on ESPNU.