This year’s Mississippi State basketball team just can’t seem to get everything going in the same game. Some games they lack defense. Other games they lack toughness. And still other times the Bulldogs lack intensity.
But all of that was there Saturday against Alabama (23-6, 12-4). The missing link in Saturday’s 68-63 loss was shooting. State (21-9, 9-7) shot just 30.3 percent from the floor for the game and could not buy a basket.
“I thought we played with as much toughness and energy that you can play with,” MSU head coach Rick Stansbury said. “That doesn’t always translate into shooting the basketball well, and that is where the game was decided.”
And it didn’t seem to matter who was shooting the ball or how many times the Bulldogs shot. The shots just weren’t falling. MSU’s two pure jump shooters, Shane Power, who shot 58 percent in the month of February, and Winsome Frazier, were a combined nine for 35 from the floor.
“Today our shots were just not falling like we wanted them to,” Frazier said. “As a shooter you just have to keep shooting and get into a rhythm.”
Frazier was inserted into the starting lineup for the first time since returning from a broken foot. He replaced center Marcus Campbell, who suffered a calf injury in a shooting drill during practice.
Despite poor shooting, State was able to stay close because of defense and intensity. The Bulldogs forced 19 Tide turnovers while only having nine of their own. State also had 13 steals and four blocked shots.
Alabama led by 10 with just more than three minutes remaining in the first half.
A Kennedy Winston turnover with 1:45 left led to a fast-break jump shot by Frazier that cut the lead to six. Two Lawrence Roberts free throws with 39 seconds remaining cut the halftime lead to four at 22-26.
In the second half, the Bulldog’s shooting slump seemed to be lifting. With the Tide up seven at 30-23, Frazier hit his first three of the game. His second three-point basket came one minute later and cut the Bama lead to three.
With 16:21 remaining in the game, Power made his first three-point basket of the game and tied the score at 32.
“We were hoping that (three three-point baskets in a row) would turn things around,” Power said. “We got some momentum going then, but it was just a dog fight all day.”
State tied the game six more times. The last tie came with 2:40 remaining when a Dietric Slater fast break lay up capped off a 5-0 mini run for the Bulldogs and tied the game at 55.
But, like they had done all day, Alabama answered. A Ronald Steele three put the Tide back on top and started a 9-0 Bama run.
The Bulldog’s tried to forge a comeback when Jamall Edmondson hit a three and Roberts powered in a bucket to cut the lead to four, but Steele made four consecutive free throws in the closing seconds to push the lead back to eight and keep the Dawgs at bay.
“We just have to put this game behind us,” Frazier said. “We learned a lot from this game and we just have to carry that to the next game. This is the start of a new season.”
Four Bulldogs scored in double figures. Roberts led the way with 15 points and 11 rebounds. It was his 56th double-double of his career. Ontario Harper added 14 points and Power chipped in 13.
Frazier rounded out the double-digit scoring with 10 points.
However, it wasn’t enough to overcome the Tide offense, which also had four players in double figure scoring.
Alabama was led by Winston with 21. Steele and Jean Felix added 13 each and Earnest Shelton, who had 34 in the two team’s earlier match up, finished with 11.