The Mississippi State men’s basketball team wrapped up exhibition action Thursday night with a 21-point victory over the Harlem Globetrotters. The Globetrotters led the game 43-40 at the half before MSU exploded for a 18-4 run early in the second half, and cruised to a 93-72 victory. The Bulldogs played for the second time during exhibition action without the services of preseason All-SEC selection and Naismith Player of the Year candidate Mario Austin. Despite missing their leading scorer, the Bulldogs showed the overall talent and team chemistry that helped to win last season’s SEC tournament.
The Globetrotters, whose roster is filled with former NBA talent, were playing in their sixth exhibition game of the preseason. Earlier in the week, the Globetrotters suffered defeats to defending national champion Maryland 97-79 and Vanderbilt 70-68.
“It is really hard to compare teams this early in the season because every team has its own identity,” Globetrotter head coach Milton Barnes said at a post-game press conference. “MSU was missing their leading scorer but is still a very good team. Their (MSU) backcourt is as good as any in the nation.”
With the absence of Austin, Bulldog guard Timmy Bowers poured in a game-high 23 points hitting 5-foot-9-inch on three-point opportunities. Sophomore center Marcus Campbell posted the games only double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Ontario Harper added 13 points and Derrick Zimmerman chipped in 12 points to go with his five assists to round out the scorers in double figures for the Bulldogs.
Former NBA slam-dunk competition champion Cedric Ceballos led the Globetrotters with 17 points. Keiron Shine poured in 12 points on four of six from behind the three-point arc and Alex Sanders added 10 points.
“Everybody probably looks at who they played and how they did more than I do. I can look at that team and say they are pretty good players,” said MSU head coach Rick Stansbury. “To see us step up and handle them the way we did in the second half shows me that our team is making progress. I like it when I see us outrebounding people every game. I like it when I see Iggy (Michael Ignerski) and Harper getting good on the backboards.”
MSU will next be in action Saturday as they take on the University of Louisianna-Lafayette in a 6 p.m. contest at The Hump. The game will follow the Bulldog football team’s 1:30 p.m. game with Arkansas.