Full Game Recap: Mississippi State Men's Basketball vs. Arkansas
Mississippi State has seven regular season games left and is looking to finish strong for better seeding in the SEC Tournament and possibly for March.
After impressive performances over his past two games, Cameron Matthews has been the ultimate glue guy for the Bulldogs. His defensive presence has helped others get going around him with multiple key players like Josh Hubbard and Shakeel Moore getting into double digits.
Look for Matthews, Tolu Smith, Hubbard, and Moore to have impactful games against the Razorbacks who in their last outing, defeated Georgia.
How to Watch: Arkansas at Mississippi State
What: Arkansas Razorbacks (12-11, 3-7 SEC) at Mississippi State Bulldogs (16-8, 5-6 SEC)
Where: Humphrey Coliseum, Starkville, Miss.
When: Saturday, Feb. 17 at 1 p.m.
TV: ESPNU
Arkansas Starting Five
Khalif Battle
El Ellis
Davonte Davis
Tramon Mark
Chandler Lawson
Mississippi State Starting Five
Shakeel Moore
Shawn Jones Jr.
Josh Hubbard
Tolu Smith III
Cameron Matthews
First Half
This story will be regularly updated throughout the game.
Off the opening tip, Arkansas scores on a layup. Razorbacks leads 2-0.
Arkansas gets fouled by Hubbard for a potential and-one but misses. Razorbacks Lead 4-0.
After Misses back-to-back layups, Smith gets fouled and completes the and-one. Razorbacks lead 4-3.
State has started the game playing a press defense but Hubbard gets two early fouls two minutes into the game. Dashawn Davis enters the game for him.
Jones Jr. finds an open Moore for an easy layup. MSU leads 5-4.
Matthews battles in the post and scores his first points of the game. MSU leads 7-4.
On a fastbreak opportunity, Smith gets fouled and sent to the line. He splits them and MSU leads 8-4.
Jones Jr. drives into the paint and finishes over the top of an Arkansas defender. MSU leads 10-4.
MSU is playing quicker than they are normally scouted for and has the Razorbacks out of sorts.
Both teams trade buckets inside the paint. MSU leads 12-6.
It has been easy for the Bulldogs to get into the paint and finish. Davis finishes inside as MSU leads 14-6.
Arkansas has great ball movement and finishes with a three. MSU leads 14-9.
The defense of the Bulldogs has been intense all game and has forced four turnovers early for Arkansas.
Moore shakes and bakes his defender and throws a no-look pass to Smith who has six for the Bulldogs early. MSU leads 16-9.
Arkansas returns down the court and finishes in the paint. MSU leads 16-11.
Another cut and entry pass for the Bulldogs as Davis gets fouled on the finish. He misses the free throw. MSU leads 18-11.
The Bulldogs are active on defense and continue to force turnovers for the Razorbacks. They produce a shot-clock violation.
Smith gets a block after a slow rotation from Hubbard but it results in a turnover on the other end for the Bulldogs and an easy bucket for the Razorbacks. MSU leads 18-13.
Hubbard draws contact after driving into the paint for a foul. He makes both free throws. MSU leads 20-13.
Mississippi State is not making anything easy for Arkansas. The only way the Razorbacks are scoring is on difficult shot attempts. MSU leads 20-15.
Matthews uses his size to his advantage and finishes over a defender. he has four for the game. MSU leads 22-15.
Smith gets sent to the line for a one-on-one opportunity. He makes the first but misses the second. MSU leads 23-15.
Arkansas gets a tip-in after a missed three. MSU leads 23-17.
Jones Jr has four points after scoring over two defenders in the paint. MSU leads 25-17.
What looked like an impressive block from Jones Jr. ended up being a goaltending call for the Razorbacks and a foul. Marks hits his free throw. MSU leads 25-20.
Hubbard gets fouled while advancing the ball up the court for a one-on-one opportunity. He misses the free throw.
Battle gets fouled and sent to the line. He makes both free throws. MSU leads 25-22.
The Bulldogs have started to become sloppy with the ball after being very clean at the beginning of the half.
The defense of the Bulldogs has slowed down a bit and Razorback players are starting to get loose. Battle scores again and has eight for his team. MSU leads 25-24.
Jimmy Bell Jr. grabs an offensive rebound and finishes over a defender while getting fouled. He misses his free throw. MSU leads 27-24.
The Razorbacks have started to find their footing on offense and are making smart reads on the Bulldog's defense. Ellis finishes around the basket for a layup. MSU leads 27-26.
Matthews is sent to the line after getting fouled and makes both his free throws. MSU leads 29-26.
Mark is left open in the corner and hits a three. The game is now time.
Keshawn Murphy gets blocked after going up for a shot but as the shot clock is ticking down, Hubbard hits a huge three. MSU leads 32-29.
Hubbard gets blocked going up for a shot but Murphy cleans it up and finishes around the basket. MSU leads 34-29.
To end the half, the Bulldogs have the lead but have slowed down a bit from their initial attack at the beginning of the game. Smith has seven for the Bulldogs and Battle for the Razorbacks has eight. MSU has started to become sloppy with turnover after turnover but closed the half strong.
Second Half
Lawson for Arkansas opens the half with a midrange jumper. MSU leads 34-31.
Smith gets sent to the line after grabbing an offensive rebound. He splits them. MSU leads 35-31.
stagnate offense from both sides. Arkansas ends the drought with an and one. MSU leads 35-34.
Matthews end the scoring drought for the Bulldogs to finish after getting fouled. He does not make the free throw. MSU leads 37-34.
Matthews tips the ball on the defensive end and it leads to a Razorback shot clock violation.
Hubbard comes running around the court and finishes a three of a Matthews pass. Arkansas returns down the court and hits one of their own. MSU leads 40-37.
Matthews is flying around on the court. Saving the ball on one end and bouncing the ball off Razorbacks on the other.
Hubbard dribbles in between two defenders and finds Matthews for a reverse layup. MSU leads 42-37.
Battle is having a great game for the Razorbacks now having 13 points after a tough layup over an MSU defender. MSU leads 42-39.
Hubbard comes down and scores in response. MSU leads 44-39.
The Razbord backs are not backing down without a fight and they find another basket inside the paint. MSU leads 44-41.
Free throws for Arkansas and they make them both. MSU leads 44-43.
Jones Jr. gets sent to the line and makes both his free throws after a hard foul. MSU leads 46-43.
Arkansas gets a foul while going up and completes the and-one. The game is tied.
Arkansas has started to take control of the game and Mitchell now has 15 for the Razorbacks. Matthews finishes on the other end to keep the game tied.
The Bulldogs have been sloppy the entire second half. The offense has not clicked and they have gotten away from how they were playing a clean game at the beginning of the game
Battle gets sent to the line and splits his free throws. Jones Jr. also gets fouled on the other end and he splits them. The game is tied.
Hubbard puts his head down and attacks the basket on a fastbreak. Arkansas gets a putback and finishes at the rim. The game is still tied.
Moore hits a huge three and that has the already hot crowd erupting for the Bulldogs. MSU leads 54-51.
Arkansas gets sent to the line and makes both of its free throws. MSU leads 54-53.
Murphy comes down at the other end and recovers his missed shot for a finish at the rim. MSU leads 56-53.
The battle now has 16 as he gets fouled and finishes over Matthews. He misses his free throw and cannot complete the and-one. MSU leads 56-55.
Matthews gets fouled and sent to the line. He makes both. MSU leads 57-54.
Battle is in foul trouble but he is maximizing his time on the court with 18 for the game. MSU leads 58-57.
Bell Jr. gets sent to the line and splits his shots. MSU leads 59-57.
The Bulldogs have scored in the last three minutes. Mitchell from Arkansas gets sent to the line and makes both free throws to tie the game.
Marks gets fouled out and sends Hubbard to the line. He makes both to take the lead. MSU leads 61-59.
Mitchell finds a way to dunk the ball and finish over Smith. The game is tied.
Mitchell continues to score for the Razorbacks and has 21 for the game. Razorbacks lead 63-61.
Matthews spins off his defender and finishes while getting fouled. he misses the Free throw but the game is tied.
MSU fouls and Arkansas finds scores both free throws. Hubbard spins and finishes in the paint to tie the game. there is less than 90 seconds left in the game.
Arkansas finds ways to continue to score in the paint but Hubbard is a big shot-maker. He hits a three to take the lead with 58 seconds left in the game. he has 19 points and MSU leads 68-67.
Matthews snags the rebound after two back to backed misses at the rim for the Razorbacks. He gets fouled and misses both free-throws. MSU still leads 68-67.
Even though he missed his free throws, Matthews gets another stop on the defensive end. Moore gets fouled and sent to the line and makes both of his free throws with seven seconds remaining. MSU leads 70-67.
Hubbard fouls an Razorback with three seconds left. He misses the first and intentionally misses the second and Mitchell fouls out. Matthews get sent to the line and splits them.
Final: Mississippi State 71, Arkansas 67
Hubbard lead the Bulldogs with 19 points along side Matthews who finished with 17.
Arkansas had both of its top scorers in Battle (18) and Mitchell (21) foul at the closing moments of the game.
Mississippi State will stay at home and have Ole Miss come to town in a rematch of an epic game that was played early in January.
