Field Level Media
Mar 9, 2019
Lamar Peters scored 21 points to lead four Mississippi State players in double figures as the host Bulldogs defeated Texas A&M 92-81 in the Southeastern Conference regular-season finale for both teams Saturday afternoon.
Seniors Quinndary Weatherspoon and Aric Holman scored 20 and 16 points respectively in their final scheduled home game, and Tyson Carter added 18. Holman and Peters, a junior, both went over 1,000 points for their careers.
Weatherspoon, the SEC's leading scorer in conference play, bounced back from a season-low seven points in a 71-54 loss at No. 5 Tennessee on Tuesday.
It is the first time Mississippi State (22-9, 10-8) has won 10 SEC games in a season since the 2007-08 season when the Bulldogs were 12-4. They will have a first-round bye in the conference tournament and play in the second round Thursday at Nashville, Tenn., against an opponent to be determined.
Savion Flagg scored 23 points, while Jay Jay Chandler had 15, Wendell Mitchell scored 14 and Christian Mekowulu added 11 points and 14 rebounds. Mark French scored 10 to lead the Aggies (13-17, 6-12), who entered with five victories in their last eight games.
Texas A&M will play in the first round of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday night against an opponent to be determined.
Mississippi State led by 12 points at halftime, but Texas A&M twice got the margin down to nine. The Bulldogs increased the lead to 18 points twice before the Aggies got within 12 midway through the half.
Peters made two 3-pointers as Mississippi State expanded the lead to 82-62 with six minutes remaining. Weatherspoon's two free throws gave the Bulldogs the lead for good at 7-6, but the Aggies kept pressuring them in the first half.
After Peters and Carter made 3-pointers to push the lead to 13-6, Texas A&M pulled within 22-21 on a jumper by Chandler.
Weatherspoon answered with a 3-pointer, but the Aggies got back within one at 27-26 when Mitchell made two free throws.
Carter's 3-pointer started a 9-0 run for the Bulldogs.
Flagg's 3-pointer ended the run, but Carter made three 3-pointers during a finishing 9-2 run that gave Mississippi State a 46-34 halftime lead.
--Field Level Media