Amier Ali banked in a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds remaining in overtime as Mississippi State came back for an 81-78 win over New Orleans on Monday in Starkville, Miss.
Josh Hubbard scored 24 of his 28 points in the second half and overtime for the Bulldogs, who needed a 15-2 run in the final five minutes of regulation to extend the game.
In the extra session, Mississippi State (3-3) led most of the way, but the Privateers (2-4) pulled even on a banked-in 3-pointer from Coleton Benson with 29 seconds left to play. Ali then answered with his long bank shot from the right wing.
Hubbard rallied after a 2-for-8 first-half shooting performance to finish 9-for-21 from the floor. Ali added 16 points and hit 3 of 6 attempts from 3-point range. Mississippi State’s Ja’Borri McGhee also tallied 16 points and dished five assists, and Quincy Ballard added 11 points and seven rebounds.
Mississippi State was without injured guard Jayden Epps, who missed the game and was wearing a boot and street clothes on the bench.
Benson led the Privateers with 25 points thanks to 7-of-12 success from 3-point range. MJ Thomas added 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Churchill Abass notched 13 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots off the bench. Jakevion Buckley contributed 11 points and six assists but shot just 4-for-15 and committed six turnovers.
New Orleans led by six points at halftime, then went on an 11-4 run to open the second half, stretching the advantage to 13 points.
The Privateers led 66-53 after a three-point play by Thomas completed an 8-0 run with 5:14 to play.
Mississippi State rallied with a 14-0 surge to take its first lead since 9-8. Hubbard completed a four-point play by draining the tying 3-pointer with 46 seconds left while getting fouled. His free throw pulled the Bulldogs ahead, but a pair of Thomas free throws gave New Orleans a 68-67 edge with 22 seconds to go.
The Bulldogs’ Shawn Jones Jr. was fouled with three seconds remaining and made one of two free throws to level the score. New Orleans’ Irish Coquia them missed a 3-point shot, sending the game to overtime.
–Field Level Media
