COLUMBIA, S.C. – Behind a standout performance from guard Shakeel Moore, Mississippi State won its second-straight game on Tuesday night as the Bulldogs recorded a 66-51 win over South Carolina at Colonial Life Arena.
Moore scored a career-best 22 points to help MSU to a victory that helped build upon the momentum established with last Saturday’s triumph over then-No. 11 TCU.
“This feels great,” Moore said. “Our team continues to stick together and fight together.”
Moore made nine of his 11 shots, including a 2-for-4 night from three-point range. He also chipped in with four rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Two other Bulldogs scored in double-figures as Tolu Smith totaled 15 points while Tyler Stevenson added 12 off the bench. Moore, Smith and Stevenson all shot over 60 percent or better individually as MSU collectively had its highest single-game field goal percentage of the year at 52.9 percent.
However, it was perhaps State’s defense that made the biggest difference. South Carolina shot only 34 percent as a team and just when it looked like the Gamecocks were ready to make a run at State, the Bulldogs had none of it.
MSU closed the first half on an 11-4 run and took a 32-26 lead into the intermission. After halftime, Moore, Dashawn Davis and Smith all had buckets in the first two-plus minutes to stretch the State advantage to 12 points.
That’s when South Carolina answered with a pair of 3-pointers that cut the Bulldogs’ lead in half. In response, MSU shifted to a 1-3-1 zone defense that helped turn the tide back in its favor.
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