We’re live from the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, where MSU will put its first-place status in the SEC Western Division on the line. It’s the Bulldogs’ second road game in league play, having beaten Arkansas in Fayetteville. So here’s the factbox:
TV: None.
XM: Channel 201.
Series: LSU leads 101-92.
Last year: MSU, 61-39 in Baton Rouge; MSU, 84-75 in Starkville.
Coaches: MSU – Rick Stansbury (221-120, 11th year); LSU – Trent Johnson (173-124, 10th year; 14-3, first year at LSU).
Notes: MSU won both games last season. … State is 4-0 this year when four players score in double digits. … MSU has been out-rebounded in seven of its last nine games and is 5-2 in those seven. … LSU is tied for second in the SEC in scoring defense (61.4 ppg).
Probable starters
MSU (13-5, 3-0 SEC)
C – Jarvis Varnado 6-9 Jr. 12.6 ppg
G – Phil Turner 6-3 So. 7.6 ppg
G – Dee Bost 6-2 Fr. 10.3 ppg
G – Barry Stewart 6-3 Jr. 10.9 ppg
G – Ravern Johnson 6-7 So. 12.1 ppg
Top reserves: F Romero Osby, G Twany Beckham, G Riley Benock.
LSU (14-3, 2-1 SEC)
G – Marcus Thornton 6-4 Sr. 17.6 ppg
G – Bo Spencer 6-1 So. 12.2 ppg
G – Garrett Temple 6-6 Sr. 7.5 ppg
C – Chris Johnson 6-11 Sr. 8.2 ppg
F – Tasmin Mitchell 6-7 Jr. 15.2 ppg
Top reserves: G Terry Martin, F Quentin Thornton, G Chris Bass.
Inside Mississippi State Sports with Brad Locke 
January 21, 2009 at 7:16 pm |
Early score, anyone?
January 21, 2009 at 7:23 pm |
lsu up 14-11, 11:44 to go 1st half td4
January 21, 2009 at 7:40 pm |
With 3:57 until halftime, LSU up 29-21. Tigers are killin’ it on the offensive glass, and MSU is cold from deep.
January 21, 2009 at 7:49 pm |
Maybe we can stay close until halftime and heat up in the second half.
January 21, 2009 at 7:51 pm |
Halftime; LSU 36, MSU 30. LSU led by as many as 13 points, but State closed the half with a 9-2 run, with Barry Stewart scoring 5 of those points.
January 21, 2009 at 7:52 pm |
Judging from the halftime stats, the Dawgs are lucky to be as close as they are. Where’s the rebounding? Being doubled in rebounds is a great way to lose a game.
Well, we’ve been a strong second-half team the last couple of weeks. Let’s hope they can keep that alive. At least it’s not a 15-point game.
January 21, 2009 at 7:53 pm |
Lets go boys! Gotta rebound. I’m just hoping for us to come out HOT as always after the half…We’ll See. If we keep it close, down to the last 5 minutes-we’ll win. Just can’t let them go on a run
January 21, 2009 at 8:03 pm |
MSU scorers: Varnado 10, Johnson 8, Stewart 5. MSU is 10-25 on FGs, 4-10 from 3-pt.
LSU scorers: Tasmin Mitchell 16, Marcus Thornton 11. LSU is 14-31 FGs, 2-6 from 3-pt.
January 21, 2009 at 8:04 pm |
Big stat: LSU 20 rebounds, MSU 11.
January 21, 2009 at 8:17 pm |
Sounds like we may need to switch to a zone defense a little to slow Mitchell down and have a better chance of getting some rebounds.
January 21, 2009 at 8:19 pm |
The rebounding problem isn’t really on the defensive side. It’s on offense. We have TWO offensive rebounds so far.
January 21, 2009 at 8:19 pm |
At 13:17, LSU leads 60-42. Tigers are 5-for-5 from 3-point range, including Marcus Thornton’s 4-for-4. He’s scored LSU’s last 11 points and has 17 this half.
January 21, 2009 at 8:25 pm |
BL, what’s the deal with all the 3’s from LSU? Are we guarding them? Shan Foster playing for them?
January 21, 2009 at 8:29 pm |
We’re getting beat like OM!
January 21, 2009 at 8:39 pm |
They’re getting some good looks, and it’s just one of those nights.
January 21, 2009 at 8:42 pm |
Florida loses to South Carolina and Wake Forest goes down to Va tech
January 21, 2009 at 8:46 pm |
Well. I hope we were paying attention- Because LSU just sent us a BIG message!
I was worried about this one, but still don’t understand how a Def team like us- let’s a player put up 30+ on us.
I’m pretty sure this will be our worst game of the year-and all we can do is hope to RETURN the favor when they come to the Hump.
Like I predicted, us and LSU-tooth and toe nail-to the end
January 21, 2009 at 8:46 pm |
This is one of those teams that will look great at times, but will suffer a few bad losses too. It’s that kind of night.
January 21, 2009 at 8:50 pm |
Very suprised by what’s happened tonight. Another big stat – Beckham, Bost, and Benock combined 0-12. Hopefully we got all the bad shooting out of our system tonight.
January 21, 2009 at 8:52 pm |
Final: LSU 81, MSU 57.
January 21, 2009 at 9:07 pm |
WOW!! The Rebs did that good against them and they was three starters short.
January 21, 2009 at 9:08 pm |
I think we all knew this would happen sooner or later. Now, if we lay an egg in UGA then I’ll be worried.
January 21, 2009 at 9:10 pm |
Sure glad now that it wasn’t on TV
January 21, 2009 at 9:14 pm |
Bad loss, but it was on the road. If we defend our home court and pick up a couple more on the road, we will be just fine.
LSU beat us like AK beats cabbies.
January 21, 2009 at 9:15 pm |
I know a bulldog that went to that game. Poor sob.
January 21, 2009 at 9:15 pm |
Not quite as good JB and this one was on their floor. You can bet that we won’t lose to this team by 32 on our floor. Oh wait, it was 24 not 32.
January 21, 2009 at 9:15 pm |
That loss to san diego hurt though. I mean as far as ncaa tourney chances.
January 21, 2009 at 9:16 pm |
LOL
January 21, 2009 at 9:17 pm |
Live by the three, die by the three. We can’t hit it, we can’t win. The small lineup makes it near impossible to win on the boards, and this team doesn’t have the defensive ability last year’s team did. Didn’t LSU shoot over 50% for the game? Tough to beat a team doing that! Hopefully we can bounce back Saturday.
January 21, 2009 at 9:20 pm |
J B, That was a home game for those rebs. Not supposed to loose a home game, much less get smoked!
January 21, 2009 at 9:27 pm |
Thats pretty much it. In this one we died because the 3 wasn’t there. That pretty much is how it’s going to go at times on the road. Hopefully a minor setback. One thing that can be said is that I think we all are a little bit suprised that we have been this successful to date. As young as we are I just didn’t think that we would have the success that we have had to this point. Chalk up tonight to “it just is what it is”, a loss and don’t put to much stock into it.
January 21, 2009 at 9:40 pm |
I didn’t get to listen to any of the 2nd half. What adjustments did Stans make, if any? Like going to a bigger lineup or changing to a zone defense.
January 21, 2009 at 11:44 pm |
Buzzard, I missed the first half, but we cut the lead to three, and from that point, it sounded like some sloppy play, and Thornton scored 17 in about 5 mins. We did play some zone, and there were times that Johnson and Osby were both in, but the way LSU was shooting, I don’t know how big a difference any adjustments would have made. Hard to tell , especially without the benefit of a picture. Just one of those nights like Arkansas had against us….. they were hitting everything, we couldn’t hit anything.( Except JV)
January 22, 2009 at 6:53 am |
Thats true, we loss bad, but it wasn’t at home