Only three years removed from the Bulldog team that went 8-0 on the road in the Southeastern Conference, this year’s team is that squad’s antithesis. The Bulldogs dropped an 80-79 decision Wednesday to No. 18 Alabama at Coleman Coliseum, moving the Dawgs’ record to 0-4 on the road so far in the SEC.
Dating back to last season, State has lost its last 12 SEC road games.
“We have got to work on finishing the game,” said senior Dietric Slater, who was a member of the Bulldogs’ “Road Warriors” squad in 2004. “We choke a lot. It’s been a struggle at the end. We’ve got to learn how to finish.”
The Bulldogs (12-10, 3-6) led the Tide most of the second half and were up by 5 with just over a minute left in the game.
Alabama knotted the score at 78 with 17.2 seconds left on Mykal Riley’s 3-pointer.
The Tide (18-5, 5-4) immediately fouled, sending Ben Hansbrough to the line for two foul shots.
Hansbrough hit 1 of 2, giving State a slim lead with 6.9 seconds left.
However, on the ensuing inbound pass, point guard Ronald Steele took the ball, driving the length of the court for a game-winning layup.
“It just opened it up, and I was able to get by my man to get the layup,” Steele said. “I knew I was just going to try to get a shot up at the rim, and if we didn’t make it, try to tip it back in.”
Steele finished with 10 points and 7 assists.
The Bulldogs had two chances to win the game as time expired, but freshman guard Barry Stewart’s 3-pointer fell short, and Charles Rhodes’ put-back attempt missed its mark.
The loss drops the Bulldogs to fifth place in the SEC Western Division, a tough reality considering a win would have tied them with the Tide atop the division.
“That’s the fourth game in SEC play where we’ve had an opportunity to either win it or tie it,” MSU coach Rick Stansbury said. “That’s my responsibility, not the players’, but mine.”
Jamont Gordon had a career-high 27 points to lead the Bulldogs and pulled down nine rebounds, one shy of his fourth double-double this season.
“It’s got to go our way one time,” Gordon said. “But it’s always the other team that comes out on top. This is real frustrating. I thought we had that first road win.”
Slater added 13 points and eight rebounds for the Bulldogs in the losing effort, while Hansbrough chipped in 10 points a team-high five assists.
Richard Hendrix led Alabama with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
The loss is MSU’s 13th straight against ranked opponents.
“I’ve been in this league 17 years, two through 12 it’s the best it’s ever been,” said Stansbury. “I don’t know how much difference there is between those teams.
“We let one get away from us that you have to be able to find a way to win. We didn’t do that.”
Though emotionally drained after such a deflating loss, Stansbury said he has to find a way to keep his team motivated.
The journey will not get any easier.
The Bulldogs will continue their Alabama road trip Saturday as they take on Auburn at Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum.
The Tigers (14-11, 4-6) lost a 65-57 decision to Arkansas Wednesday night and have now lost three of their last four games altogether.
The Tigers are in fourth place in the SEC West, ahead of only MSU and last-place LSU.
Auburn head coach Jeff Lebo, now in his third year with the program, says that though his team is not among the higher-level teams in the league just yet, he feels they are on track to becoming a strong competititve program.
“We’ve made improvement,” Lebo said. “We’re a better basketball team.
“Are we where we need to be? I don’t think so, but we are making strides.”
MSU defeated Auburn 87-76 in the two teams’ first meeting on Jan. 20 in Starkville.
Stewart led the Bulldogs with 22 in that game, tying a career-high.
MSU has won 10 of the last 12 meetings.