Field Level Media
Jan 2, 2018
Brothers buoy Mississippi State past No. 22 Arkansas
Brothers Quinndary Weatherspoon and Nick Weatherspoon scored 22 points each, and Mississippi State won its Southeastern Conference opener by beating No. 22 Arkansas 78-75 on Tuesday night at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, Miss.
The Bulldogs won their fifth consecutive game to improve to 13-1 overall. The Razorbacks, playing their first game since entering the Top 25 for the first time in three years after upsetting then-No. 19 in overtime Tennessee on Saturday, fell to 11-3 overall, 1-1 in SEC action.
Daryl Macon led Arkansas with 24 points, Daniel Gafford scored 17, Jaylen Barford had 11 and Adrio Bailey 10.
The score was tied for the final time before Abdul Ado made a jumper to give the Bulldogs a 77-75 lead with 39 seconds left.
After a Razorbacks miss, Quinndary Weatherspoon made one of two free throws, leaving Mississippi State with a three-point lead.
Macon tried to get open for a potential tying 3-pointer, but he traveled with eight seconds left.
Nick Weatherspoon missed two free throws, leaving Arkansas with another chance to tie, but Anton Beard missed a 3-point attempt with two seconds left.
Arkansas, which scored the first five points of the game but trailed by four at halftime, scored the first eight points of the second half to take a 36-32 lead.
Mississippi State tied the score at 36 before Gafford made three baskets and a free throw as the Razorbacks took a 50-42 lead.
The Bulldogs chipped away until Nick Weatherspoon's layup pulled them even at 56.
Barford assisted on a Gafford basket and made a jumper to give Arkansas a four-point lead.
Nick Weatherspoon made two free throws and a jumper to tie the score at 64 with 5:26 left.
The score was tied one more time before Mississippi State took a 69-67 lead on two free throws by Xavian Stapleton with four minutes left.
Barford made two free throws and Bayley added a basket to put the Razorbacks back on top with three minutes to go.
The Bulldogs pulled even at 75 when Quinndary Weatherspoon made a 3-pointer with 1:20 left.
--Field Level Media