Lamar Peters scored a game-high 27 points and led a 19-0 second-half run that put No. 22 Mississippi State in command on its way to a 90-77 victory over visiting McNeese State on Tuesday night in Starkville, Miss.
Reggie Perry added 15 points, Nick Weatherspoon scored 11 and Tyson Carter had 10 as the Bulldogs (7-1) won their 19th consecutive nonconference home game. They are 5-0 in such games this season, winning by an average margin of 22 points, but this one was a struggle for more than a half.
Malik Hines scored 24, Jarren Greenwood added 14, Will Robinson had 12 and Shamarkus Kennedy 11 to lead the Cowboys (2-6).
McNeese shot extremely well -- 58 percent (29 of 50) from the floor and 53.8 percent (7 of 13) on 3-point attempts, but had just 23 rebounds compared to 40 for the Bulldogs.
The Cowboys led by four points on three occasions early in the second half before going cold and watching Mississippi State take over.
A free throw by Weatherspoon and a 3-pointer by Peters pulled the Bulldogs even at 50 and started the decisive run. Peters led the way with eight points during the surge, but five of his teammates also scored.
Greenwood's jumper ended the run, but the Bulldogs had a 65-52 cushion.
The lead grew to 18 twice before Greenwood scored five points to help McNeese get within 75-64.
Perry's three-point play and Peters' 3-pointer put Mississippi State back in command with a 17-point lead with 4:49 left.
Mississippi State raced to an early 7-2 lead, but then the score was tied once and the lead changed hands six times in the early going.
Five straight points by Carter gave the Bulldogs a 20-16 lead midway through the first half.
Robinson's jumper sent the Cowboys into halftime with a 42-39 lead.
McNeese shot 65.5 percent (19 of 29) from the floor and made all three of its 3-point tries during the first half.
--Field Level Media
McNeese St. | Mississippi State | |
Malik Hines 24 | Scoring | Lamar Peters 27 |
Sha'markus Kennedy 3 | Assists | Lamar Peters 5 |
Malik Hines 6 | Rebounds | Aric Holman 11 |
Malik Hines 5 | Free Throws Made | Nick Weatherspoon 4 |
Roydell Brown 2 | Steals | Nick Weatherspoon 2 |
Sha'markus Kennedy 2 | Blocks | Aric Holman 3 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
McNeese St. | 77 | 58.0 | 7-13 | 12-18 | 11 | 22 | 3 | 5 | 14 |
Mississippi State | 90 | 44.6 | 14-31 | 18-25 | 14 | 36 | 6 | 6 | 10 |