CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Jayden Gardner had 16 points, Reece Beekman added 14 and Virginia beat Mississippi State 60-57 in the first round of the NIT on Wednesday night.
Beekman made two free throws with 35 seconds left for a seven-point lead.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tolu Smith scored 20 points with 12 rebounds and 10th-seeded Mississippi State dominated the second half in beating seventh-seeded South Carolina 73-51 in a second-round SEC tournament game Thursday.
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — K.D. Johnson scored 12 of his 14 points in overtime, Jabari Smith had 27 points overall and No. 5 Auburn held off Mississippi State 81-68 in overtime Wednesday night.
With the win, the Tigers (26-4, 14-3 Southeastern Conference) clinched at least a share of the SEC regular-season championship.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Jahvon Quinerly had 21 points and eight assists to lead No. 25 Alabama to an 80-75 win over Mississippi State on Wednesday night.
“He’s playing aggressive, downhill. I thought he was playing like we’ve been wanting him to play,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said of Quinerly.
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Josiah-Jordan James and Kennedy Chandler each scored 18 points and No. 19 Tennessee outscored Mississippi State 11-2 in the final three minutes for a 72-63 victory on Wednesday night.
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Texas Tech dominated on both ends of the court, proving to be even better than what Mississippi State coach Ben Howland watched on film preparing for the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Tolu Smith scored 18 points and had a career-high five steals, Shakeel Moore added 15 points, five assists and four steals and Mississippi State pulled away in the second half Wednesday to beat short-handed Arkansas 81-68 in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.
Ben Howland believes Mississippi State could be one of his best squads since arriving in Starkville.
Even if it’s a while before the Bulldogs are at full strength.
The seventh-year coach has plenty to like about a squad eager to follow up last year’s NIT berth with a NCAA Tournament appearance.