Starkville, MS (Sports Network) - Colin Borchert registered his first-career
double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds as the Mississippi State Bulldogs
outlasted the Auburn Tigers in overtime, 74-71, in the SEC regular-season
finale at Humphrey Coliseum.
Craig Sword tallied 19 points and six assists for Mississippi State (9-21,
4-14 SEC), which has won two of three. Fred Thomas and Roquez Johnson each
poured in 10 points for the home team.
Chris Denson came off the bench to lead all scorers with 24 points for Auburn
(9-22, 3-15), which extended its losing streak to nine games and ends the
regular season alone in last place. Rob Chubb scored 18 points, while Frankie
Sullivan put up 12 points but on just 4-of-14 from the field.
Auburn shot just 36.7 percent from the field in the first half, and
Mississippi State wasn't much better at 37 percent. The teams went into
intermission tied at 24-24.
The teams spent the majority of the second half within one possession of each
other. Auburn held a three-point lead with under 30 seconds to play following
a Sullivan layup, but Borchert came up big with the game-tying 3-pointer for
the Bulldogs. Denson missed a jumper in the waning seconds of regulation and
the game went to overtime.
In the extra session, Sword drilled the pair of game-winning free-throws with
34 seconds remaining. After another made free throw gave Mississippi State a
three-point lead, Sullivan's game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds did not
fall.
The game consisted of 14 ties and 17 lead changes.
GAME NOTES:
The Sports Network