Mississippi State opened Monday’s non-conference game with a successful jumper by Piotr Stelmach and never lost the lead in a 61-37 victory over visiting Loyola.
The Bulldog defense kept LMU off their game, holding the Lions to 12-for-58 shooting.
It was the lowest point total for the Lions since scoring 29 points against Southern California in 1949.
“We are real proud of our defense,” junior Charles Rhodes said. “Everyone contributes. This team is out there playing for something, and this team is for real. I think we proved that tonight.”
Freshman Barry Stewart paced the Bulldogs with 13 points, while sophomore Jamont Gordon led the team in assists with five, while also adding 12 points and eight rebounds. Rhodes chipped in 10 points and nine rebounds.
“Barry Stewart has played the same way every night-he is consistent,” head coach Rick Stansbury said. “I have said from the get-go, he reminds me of a young Timmy Bowers, just not as athletic.”
The Bulldogs led 30-17 at the half behind seven points and two blocks from Rhodes.
The Lions pulled to within seven with 14 minutes left in the second half, but three quick fouls sent sophomore Jamont Gordon to the line for three points and Stewart to the line for three more, putting MSU up by 13.
“We knew at halftime that they were not going to quit,” Stansbury said. “They have been in a lot of wars before; they have been in tough environments because they are an experienced team. They made a run at us to start the second half, but I was very proud of the way our kids responded. We haven’t been in a game like that against that type of experience yet.”
MSU earned 24 of its 61 points at the free throw line, as LMU sent the Bulldogs to the line 33 times while only drawing 14 free shots on the Bulldog defense.
The Bulldogs cut down on turnovers in the contest, giving up the ball only 15 times compared to the 29 they had in last Saturday’s season opener.
Senior guard Brandon Worthy led Loyola Marymount with 11 points on 2-of-6 shooting from the field and 6-of-6 from the line.
LMU’s Australian-born senior, Matthew Knight, added another 10, while Senior Derick Grubb had five points for the Lions before fouling out of the game with just over six minutes left to play.
The Bulldogs will return to action Saturday night against Winthrop, a 2005 NCAA tournament team.
The Eagles lost to No. 2 North Carolina 66-73 Wednesday night and are 2-1 for the season.