Jamont Gordon scored 26 points and hit a 3-pointer at the end of regulation to send Mississippi State into overtime against the Kentucky Wildcats and eventually secure an 84-82 victory in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference basketball tournament.The win moves the Bulldogs (18-12) into Saturday’s semifinal round, where they will face the winner of this afternoon’s Arkansas/Vanderbilt matchup.
Gordon recovered well from a sloppy start, scoring 21 of his 26 points in the second half.
His 3-pointer was set up by a Wildcat lane violation at the other end of the court.
The Wildcats (21-11) had stormed back in the second half to take a 76-73 lead and still had freshman Jodie Meeks on the line for another free throw shot when teammate Sheray Thomas stepped away from the lane before Meeks could shoot. Moving away from the free throw area ater a shooter has the ball in his possession is considered a lane violation, and forced UK to forfeit their free throw attempts.
That kept the Bulldogs down by three, with the ball and with five seconds remaining. Gordon drove the length of the floor, shook his defender and connected his game-tying shot just as time expired.
In the overtime session, Kentucky had a chance to win the game, down 84-82 with just under four seconds left, but an arrant Wildcat pass landed in Gordon’s hands and he held the ball for the victory.
The game was a physical one, with three Bulldogs – freshman Jarvis Varnado, junior Charles Rhodes (15 points) and senior Dietric Slater (13 points) – fouling out before the end of the game. Four Wildcats finished the game with four personal fouls.
MSU committed 26 team fouls to Kentucky’s 24.
UK center Randolph Morris had game highs in both scoring (29 points) and rebounding (15).
Freshman Ben Hansbrough (12 points) rounded out the list of Bulldogs with double-digit point totals.