Not even a meeting with the worst team in the SEC could end Vanderbilt’s SEC slide.
The Commodores lost 82-68 to Mississippi State in the first round of the SEC tournament late Wednesday night at the Georgia Dome. The Bulldogs (14-18) advanced to play sixth-seeded Ole Miss (18-13) on Thursday.
Guard Craig Sword scored a game-high 20 points to lead four Mississippi State players in double figures. The Bulldogs shot 59 percent from the floor and scored 46 points in the paint.
The Commodores beat Mississippi State 55-49 on Feb. 1 as part of their 5-4 start in the SEC. They lost seven of their last nine in the regular season, including their last four.
The Bulldogs had been even worse. Their 13-game SEC losing streak is the third-longest in school history and the longest ever to end the regular season.
These are lean times for the Commodores by their standards. Their No. 11 seed is their lowest since the tournament was reinstated in 1979, meaning they would have to win three games to make it to the semifinals for the fourth consecutive season.
Injuries have Vanderbilt down to seven scholarship players and 10 overall. The Commodores added the team manager to the roster in January.
The Commodores kept it close for a half and briefly rallied in the second half before fading.
Mississippi State shot 61 percent in the first half, but Vanderbilt managed to trail only 36-31. Damian Jones and Dai-Jon Parker combined for 24 points and 10-of-13 shooting in the half for the Commodores.
The Commodores looked to be finished when the Bulldogs opened the second half with a 12-1 run for a 48-32. Vanderbilt had five missed field-goal attempts and a turnover during that span.
The Commodores rallied by making four of their next five 3-point attempts and getting two free throws from Rod Odom to trim the deficit to 52-46. Mississippi State’s Sword was called for an offensive foul on the ensuing possession.
But Vanderbilt turned the ball back over to the Bulldogs, who responded with a 7-0 spurt to regain control. Sword’s three-point play gave Mississippi State a 69-52 lead with 3:22 to play.
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