Stewart leads Mississippi State rally past No. 13 Missouri
AP
Jan 05, 2021
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) DJ Stewart scored 20 of his 24 points in the second half, and Mississippi State Bulldogs overcame a 12-point halftime deficit to roll past No. 13 Missouri Tigers 78-63 on Tuesday night.
Mississippi State trailed by 14 early in the second half before taking the lead with a 15-0 run and then pulling away with a 21-4 burst.
Iverson Molinar added 20 points for the Bulldogs (7-4, 2-1 Southeastern Conference). Tolu Smith had 15 points and nine rebounds.
''I wish I could take credit for it, but I thought we had good leadership within the team,'' Mississippi State coach Ben Howland said. ''DJ, Molinar, Abdul (Ado) and Tolu all stepped up and played with fire. Missouri only shot 38% in the second half and we only turned it over three times.
''DJ really got us going when we were down and he was unbelievable. He had 13 points in a row at one stretch in the second half and we kept going to him.''
Jeremiah Tilmon led Missouri (7-2, 1-2) with 16 points. Xavier Pinson scored 13 points and Dru Smith had 11.
Stewart was was 10 of 14 from the field and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line. He hit six consecutive field goals at one point in the second half.
''I kinda zoned out and I was just so focused. I knew we needed a person to try to help us fight back and get the (win),'' Stewart said. ''So I had to put the team on my shoulders.''
Mississippi State trailed 43-29 early in the second half before Stewart's jumper with 13:07 remaining capped the 15-0 run and put the Bulldogs ahead by one. The Tigers pushed back ahead 50-48, but a three-point play from Stewart gave Mississippi State the lead for good and the Bulldogs quickly stretched the advantage to 69-54.
Mississippi State shot 51.9% from the field, including a 67.9% in the second half. The Bulldogs out-rebounded Missouri 37-22 and made 19 of 21 at the free-throw line.
Missouri led 39-27 at halftime.
Mississippi State shot 35% from the field in the opening 20 minutes. The Bulldogs had eight first-half turnovers and Missouri outscored the Bulldogs 15-2 in points off turnovers.
''I thought we had one of our better halves of the season in the first half and we did everything well,'' Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin said. ''Then in the second half, I couldn't tell you exactly what happened. We were not the same team. We talk about taking what they give you and making the right play.
''I don't know if we got consumed about having a lead. But in the second half we didn't do what gave us the lead in the first half.''
BIG PICTURE
Missouri: The Tigers have lost nine of their last ten meetings with Mississippi State.
Mississippi State: The Bulldogs bounced back nicely after a double-overtime loss to Kentucky last Saturday.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
The Tigers are certain to fall in the next AP poll, and the Bulldogs could get a look from voters.
UP NEXT
Missouri: Opens a two-game homestand Saturday against LSU.
Mississippi State: At Vanderbilt on Saturday.
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1st Half
MIZZ
Tigers
39
MSST
Bulldogs
27
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Jump ball. Abdul Ado vs. Jeremiah Tilmon (Iverson Molinar gains possession)
19:41
+2
Tolu Smith makes two point reverse layup
0-2
19:22
+2
Mark Smith makes two point driving layup
2-2
18:58
+2
D.J. Stewart Jr. makes two point alley-oop dunk (Tolu Smith assists)
2-4
18:36
Mark Smith misses three point jump shot
18:34
Jeremiah Tilmon offensive rebound
18:29
Jeremiah Tilmon misses two point jump shot
18:27
Abdul Ado defensive rebound
18:23
+3
Jalen Johnson makes three point jump shot (D.J. Stewart Jr. assists)
2-7
18:00
+2
Jeremiah Tilmon makes two point dunk (Xavier Pinson assists)
4-7
17:42
Iverson Molinar misses two point jump shot
17:40
Dru Smith defensive rebound
17:30
Kobe Brown misses two point layup
17:28
Kobe Brown offensive rebound
17:23
+2
Kobe Brown makes two point layup
6-7
17:05
Kobe Brown shooting foul (Tolu Smith draws the foul)
17:05
+1
Tolu Smith makes regular free throw 1 of 2
6-8
17:05
+1
Tolu Smith makes regular free throw 2 of 2
6-9
16:50
Xavier Pinson turnover (lost ball) (D.J. Stewart Jr. steals)
16:48
Xavier Pinson personal foul (D.J. Stewart Jr. draws the foul)
16:36
+2
D.J. Stewart Jr. makes two point jump shot (Abdul Ado assists)
6-11
16:08
+3
Dru Smith makes three point jump shot (Mark Smith assists)
9-11
15:42
Tolu Smith misses two point jump shot
15:42
Tigers defensive rebound
15:42
TV timeout
15:27
Xavier Pinson misses two point layup
15:25
Tolu Smith defensive rebound
15:01
Deivon Smith misses two point jump shot
14:59
Jeremiah Tilmon defensive rebound
14:52
Xavier Pinson misses two point driving layup
14:50
Quinten Post defensive rebound
14:50
Jeremiah Tilmon personal foul (Quinten Post draws the foul)
14:30
D.J. Stewart Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Mark Smith steals)
14:06
+2
Javon Pickett makes two point pullup jump shot
11-11
13:41
Tolu Smith misses two point jump shot
13:39
Tolu Smith offensive rebound
13:36
+2
Tolu Smith makes two point layup
11-13
13:31
Mark Smith misses three point jump shot
13:29
Jalen Johnson defensive rebound
13:10
D.J. Stewart Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Mitchell Smith steals)
13:00
+2
Javon Pickett makes two point reverse layup (Drew Buggs assists)
13-13
12:39
Quinten Post offensive foul (Mitchell Smith draws the foul)
12:39
Quinten Post turnover
12:26
+3
Javon Pickett makes three point jump shot (Dru Smith assists)
16-13
12:06
Deivon Smith misses two point jump shot
12:04
Mitchell Smith defensive rebound
11:57
Dru Smith misses two point jump shot
11:55
Deivon Smith defensive rebound
11:52
Iverson Molinar misses two point jump shot
11:50
Tigers defensive rebound
11:52
Quinten Post personal foul
11:50
TV timeout
11:29
Mitchell Smith misses three point jump shot
11:27
Bulldogs defensive rebound
11:11
Iverson Molinar misses two point jump shot
11:09
Javon Pickett defensive rebound
11:05
+2
Jeremiah Tilmon makes two point dunk (Xavier Pinson assists)
18-13
10:35
Kobe Brown shooting foul (Tolu Smith draws the foul)
10:35
+1
Tolu Smith makes regular free throw 1 of 2
18-14
10:35
Tolu Smith misses regular free throw 2 of 2
10:35
Cameron Matthews offensive rebound
10:28
+2
Cameron Matthews makes two point layup
18-16
10:21
Abdul Ado blocks Mark Smith's two point dunk
10:19
Tolu Smith defensive rebound
10:17
D.J. Stewart Jr. misses two point layup
10:15
Xavier Pinson defensive rebound
10:11
Cameron Matthews shooting foul (Mark Smith draws the foul)
10:11
+1
Mark Smith makes regular free throw 1 of 2
19-16
10:11
+1
Mark Smith makes regular free throw 2 of 2
20-16
9:57
D.J. Stewart Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Mitchell Smith steals)
9:40
+2
Mitchell Smith makes two point layup (Mark Smith assists)
22-16
9:15
Tolu Smith turnover (traveling)
9:02
+2
Jeremiah Tilmon makes two point dunk (Xavier Pinson assists)
24-16
8:57
Bulldogs 30 second timeout
8:44
Iverson Molinar misses two point jump shot
8:42
Jeremiah Tilmon defensive rebound
8:33
Mark Smith misses three point jump shot
8:31
Abdul Ado defensive rebound
8:24
Quinten Post misses three point jump shot
8:22
Tigers defensive rebound
7:58
+2
Xavier Pinson makes two point driving layup
26-16
7:34
Mitchell Smith blocks Quinten Post's two point jump shot
7:32
Jalen Johnson offensive rebound
7:28
Quinten Post offensive foul (Xavier Pinson draws the foul)
7:28
Quinten Post turnover
7:28
TV timeout
7:00
Javon Pickett misses two point jump shot
6:58
Iverson Molinar defensive rebound
6:28
Abdul Ado misses two point jump shot
6:26
Drew Buggs defensive rebound
6:15
+2
Jeremiah Tilmon makes two point layup
28-16
6:12
Bulldogs 60 second timeout
5:54
D.J. Stewart Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Drew Buggs steals)
5:49
+2
Dru Smith makes two point driving layup (Drew Buggs assists)
30-16
5:29
Iverson Molinar misses two point jump shot
5:27
Dru Smith defensive rebound
5:12
Drew Buggs misses two point reverse layup
5:10
Iverson Molinar defensive rebound
5:05
Javon Pickett blocks Jalen Johnson's three point jump shot
5:03
Bulldogs offensive rebound
4:47
Jeremiah Tilmon shooting foul (Abdul Ado draws the foul)
4:47
+1
Abdul Ado makes regular free throw 1 of 2
30-17
4:47
+1
Abdul Ado makes regular free throw 2 of 2
30-18
4:32
Mitchell Smith misses three point jump shot
4:30
D.J. Stewart Jr. defensive rebound
4:08
+2
Iverson Molinar makes two point floating jump shot
30-20
3:47
Deivon Smith personal foul (Mark Smith draws the foul)
3:47
TV timeout
3:29
+3
Mark Smith makes three point jump shot (Xavier Pinson assists)
33-20
3:08
Mark Smith personal foul (D.J. Stewart Jr. draws the foul)
2:54
Parker Braun blocks Abdul Ado's two point layup
2:52
Bulldogs offensive rebound
2:49
+3
Deivon Smith makes three point jump shot (D.J. Stewart Jr. assists)
33-23
2:28
Dru Smith misses two point floating jump shot
2:26
Tolu Smith defensive rebound
2:20
Iverson Molinar turnover (lost ball) (Dru Smith steals)
2:05
Iverson Molinar shooting foul (Xavier Pinson draws the foul)
2:05
+1
Xavier Pinson makes regular free throw 1 of 2
34-23
2:05
+1
Xavier Pinson makes regular free throw 2 of 2
35-23
1:44
Parker Braun shooting foul (Iverson Molinar draws the foul)
1:44
+1
Iverson Molinar makes regular free throw 1 of 2
35-24
1:44
+1
Iverson Molinar makes regular free throw 2 of 2
35-25
1:28
Mitchell Smith misses three point jump shot
1:26
Deivon Smith defensive rebound
1:03
Deivon Smith misses two point pullup jump shot
1:01
Tolu Smith offensive rebound
0:56
+2
Tolu Smith makes two point layup
35-27
0:39
+2
Mitchell Smith makes two point alley-oop dunk (Xavier Pinson assists)
37-27
0:04
D.J. Stewart Jr. misses two point jump shot
0:02
Xavier Pinson defensive rebound
0:02
Tolu Smith personal foul (Xavier Pinson draws the foul)
0:02
+1
Xavier Pinson makes regular free throw 1 of 2
38-27
0:02
+1
Xavier Pinson makes regular free throw 2 of 2
39-27
0:00
End of period
2nd Half
MIZZ
Tigers
24
MSST
Bulldogs
51
Time
Team
Play
Score
19:46
+2
Jeremiah Tilmon makes two point layup (Xavier Pinson assists)
