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Tyson Carter led the team with 19 points, and Xavian Stapleton added 15 to lead the Bulldogs to a 78-77 road win over the #1 seeded Baylor Bears. Mississippi State led by as much as 20 points in the 1st half, but ultimately blew that lead in the final minute of the 3rd quarter after getting outscored 25-10. But State was able to use the final 3 minutes of the game to take down the Bears.
Four Bulldogs scored in double digits, including Quinndary Weatherspoon and Aric Holman. Nick Weatherspoon played for the first time since his injury just 9 days ago vs Tennessee. Lamar Peters was 1 point short of having a double double by the way of 10 assists.
The Final 3 Minutes
Now lets go through the last 3 minutes. Mississippi State trailed 71-62. Baylor looked to have all of the momentum, and the once fiery Mississippi State bench looked depleted. But that was when Aric Holman hit a huge basket with the foul to cut the lead to 6 following the TV timeout. Then Mississippi State was able to get the ball right back and cur the lead to 4 with 2:44 remaining. After a missed bucket, State goes right back down the court to find a wide open Q. He hits a huge 3 to cut the score to 71-70. Baylor and State would end up trading baskets their next 3 possessions to keep the Baylor lead at 75-72. That is when Carter hit another clutch 3 to tie up the game. The first time Baylor had lost the lead since gaining it in the 3rd quarter. After the 3, Q fouls Baylor quickly which sets up the next two plays. Baylor in bounds the ball with around 31 seconds left. They milk the clock to under 10 seconds before Manu Lecomte hits a go ahead basket to go ahead 77-75 with 5.1 seconds. State then quickly in bounded the ball to Lamar Peters. Peters found a wide open Quinndary Weatherspoon. Weatherspoon shoots the 3. The ball hits the front of the rim, but bounces in for the dramatic buzzer beating 3 pointer. And this is the most exciting win Mississippi State has had arguably in this decade.
Here is what twitter had to say about the final seconds.
Meanwhile in the NIT, Mississippi State wins it at the buzzer! pic.twitter.com/Fo4x8wN6qz
— SB Nation (@SBNation) March 18, 2018
Baylor was down by 20 in the first half, came back and took a nine point lead in the 4th, lost it, then went up by by 2 on a shot by Lecomte with 5 seconds left, but then lost the game by one point on a 3 at the buzzer by Weatherspoon of Mississippi State. Crazy game.
— Jason King (@JasonKingBR) March 18, 2018
SAVAGE! #HailState #EmbraceTheGrind pic.twitter.com/MMHmEJPOAU
— MSU Men's Basketball (@HailStateMBK) March 18, 2018
The bounce ... AT THE BUZZER! pic.twitter.com/timKQCavJH
— ESPN (@espn) March 18, 2018
And yes, this deserved Titanic Music as well.
@HailStateMBK and Q Weatherspoon’s Buzzer Beater over Baylor ft. Titanic music.. ENJOY!! #HailState pic.twitter.com/PZgOy4iSMu
— Ian M. Reed (@Coach_Reed14) March 18, 2018
And of course a big win calls for a big celebration!
No one is safe ... SPLASH! #HailState pic.twitter.com/TVDrDUZLnJ
— MSU Men's Basketball (@HailStateMBK) March 18, 2018
Mississippi State will take on the winner of tonight’s Middle Tennessee and Louisville game on the road Tuesday Night. There is no way for State to host with MTSU and Louisville being seeded higher. If MTSU does end up winning, a lot of story lines will revolve around MTSU’s head basketball coach who will be leaving to become the head coach of Ole Miss. The former Mississippi State Basketball Player will be coaching the rest of the season for the Blue Raiders. But MTSU does play at Louisville, so State could certainly be playing at the KFC Yum Center. Either way, we will be here to cover this exciting postseason run for Mississippi State!