Junior guard Lamar Peters scored 15 points on five 3-pointers to help Mississippi State roll to an easy 80-54 victory over Texas A&M on Thursday in the second round of the SEC tournament at Nashville, Tenn.
Junior guard Tyson Carter added 14 points as the sixth-seeded Bulldogs (23-9) never trailed. Senior guard Quinndary Weatherspoon recorded 12 points, nine assists and three steals.
Sophomore forward Savion Flagg recorded 21 points and 10 rebounds for the 11th-seeded Aggies (14-18). But Flagg also committed seven of Texas A&M's 12 turnovers.
Sophomore guard Brandon Mahan added 10 points for the Aggies.
The Bulldogs will face third-seeded Tennessee in Friday's quarterfinals.
The contest was likely the final one at Texas A&M for coach Billy Kennedy. Multiple reports say the eighth-year coach will be relieved of his duties.
Texas A&M shot just 36.7 percent from the field and made 5 of 18 3-point attempts.
Mississippi State made 53.4 percent from of its shots, including 11 of 25 from behind the arc, and committed 14 turnovers. The Bulldogs held a 38-24 rebounding advantage and posted a 36-18 edge in points in the paint.
The Bulldogs led by 15 at halftime and the lead reached 20 for the first time when freshman guard Robert Woodard II converted a three-point play with 14:21 remaining.
Senior power forward Aric Holman delivered a dunk to boost the margin to 61-35 with 10:13 left.
The advantage reached 30 when Peters buried a 3-pointer to make it 73-43 with 4:06 left.
Mississippi State led by 15 points prior to the midway point of the first half while taking a 38-23 lead into the break.
Texas A&M made just 3 of its first 16 field-goal attempts as the Bulldogs built the big lead. Weatherspoon's layup gave Mississippi State a 22-7 lead with 10:16 remaining.
Carter buried a 3-pointer with 4:57 left to give the Bulldogs a 32-16 advantage.
--Field Level Media
Texas A&M | Mississippi State | |
Savion Flagg 21 | Scoring | Lamar Peters 15 |
Savion Flagg 2 | Assists | Quinndary Weatherspoon 9 |
Savion Flagg 10 | Rebounds | Robert Woodard 8 |
Savion Flagg 6 | Free Throws Made | Reggie Perry 3 |
Brandon Mahan 3 | Steals | Quinndary Weatherspoon 3 |
Brandon Mahan 1 | Blocks | Reggie Perry 1 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Texas A&M | 54 | 36.7 | 5-18 | 13-22 | 9 | 24 | 2 | 7 | 12 |
Mississippi State | 80 | 53.4 | 11-25 | 7-9 | 17 | 33 | 2 | 8 | 14 |