Timmy Bowers' first last-second shot kept No. 5 Mississippi State alive and his second gave the Bulldogs their first outright Southeastern Conference years in 41 years.

Bowers hit a layup in traffic with a second left in overtime to complete a big rally and give Mississippi State (25-2, 14-2 Southeastern Conference) an 82-81 victory over Alabama, capping a momentous season in high style.

What a wild finish to this one. Also of note, the baseball team continued it hot play by beating Tennessee Tech 12-1 today at Dudy Noble, another great weekend for State sports.

<a href='http://www.secsports.com/index.php?url_channel_id=4&url_publish_channel_id=3476&url_subchannel_id=&well_id=2' target='_blank'>State wins SEC Regular Season</a>

Congrats - I'm glad UK didn't get a chance to steal a share of the title (they were lucky to squeak out of Starkville when they came to town). Tough break for BAMA - but they will play in the NIT at least.

thanks man. I wish the Gamecocks good luck in the upcoming tournament and the NCAA's. I think the Tide might have just played themselves into the NCAA's with their run before yesterday, a good showing in the tournament can only enhance that.

raptorcox Wrote:Congrats - I'm glad UK didn't get a chance to steal a share of the title (they were lucky to squeak out of Starkville when they came to town). Tough break for BAMA - but they will play in the NIT at least.

A second congrats to the Dawgs on the League title, but we should be in the NCAA as well. General thinking has us a 8 or 9 seed (possibly getting matched up with UAB if everything works out)

Resume incluses:
#1 Strength of Schedule in nation
Top 25 RPI
Strong late season finish (after a early 5 game losing streak)
.500 in league play
decent road record (nothing compared to State's, but only Duke's is)

bama_jay Wrote:

raptorcox Wrote:Congrats - I'm glad UK didn't get a chance to steal a share of the title (they were lucky to squeak out of Starkville when they came to town). Tough break for BAMA - but they will play in the NIT at least.

A second congrats to the Dawgs on the League title, but we should be in the NCAA as well. General thinking has us a 8 or 9 seed (possibly getting matched up with UAB if everything works out)

Resume incluses:
#1 Strength of Schedule in nation
Top 25 RPI
Strong late season finish (after a early 5 game losing streak)
.500 in league play
decent road record (nothing compared to State's, but only Duke's is)

a second thanks to you bama jay. I agree, Bama is in. I sure the hell hope they ain't in our bracket either. :D Tough team and very underrated.

We are in the same half-bracket in the SEC tourney - we'd meet in the semi's if we both won out. We've got UT first, then UF (assuming a win). Who knows where we'll end up next week.

<a href='http://www.rolltide.com/livestats/mbasketball/2003-04/SECBracket2004.pdf' target='_blank'>SEC tourney - PDF</a>

Congrats, from a Rebel, too, 64. State is simply damn good!

It's funny, I have run into a couple of people since being back in TN that happen to be fans of Ole Miss. I don't know them personally, but usually my OM attire strikes up a conversation about the football season we had last Fall. Then, almost like clockwork, they say, "Yeah, but we suck in basketball, but Miss State is sure kicking arse". Obviously, I agree. :D I am pulling for you guys, 64. As a matter of fact, one of the OM fans that I bumped into yesterday said the same thing, that he was very proud of the Bulldogs' season. I think a good majority of the Rebel fan base is oddly enough kind of cheering 'em on. Weird, ain't it?

GO STATE!!! (Don't get too used to me saying that)

thanks 10Man, I won't hold you to getting used to you saying Go State. :D I think what is happening here is that this trancends just rivalries, it is good for the State of Mississippi for one of our own to be ranked in the top 5 in the country in any sport, basically we are all saying that we can play ball here. I mean I was very proud of the Rebels football season, they deserved it. I was talking to my friend in West Point the other day and I have known him since we were both 5 or 6 years old so we have always had a friendly rivalry when it comes to our college teams, well he is primarily a LSU fan but he is like me, in that we both give credit where it is due, regardless of team. His dad went to MSU and his brother is a huge Ole Miss fan. He told me that he was cheering for Ole Miss when we played last year, he said, no offense but he did not want State to mess up the great season that Ole Miss was having, I actually tended to agree with him, I just wanted the game to be closer than it was. Did we even score in that game? What a blur. :D Oh and those guys that you mentioned, those are the type of fans, like yourself, that I can sit down and have a beer with and talk sports or whatever without getting into a knock down brawl.

msudawgs64 Wrote:thanks 10Man, I won't hold you to getting used to you saying Go State. :D I think what is happening here is that this trancends just rivalries, it is good for the State of Mississippi for one of our own to be ranked in the top 5 in the country in any sport, basically we are all saying that we can play ball here. I mean I was very proud of the Rebels football season, they deserved it. I was talking to my friend in West Point the other day and I have known him since we were both 5 or 6 years old so we have always had a friendly rivalry when it comes to our college teams, well he is primarily a LSU fan but he is like me, in that we both give credit where it is due, regardless of team. His dad went to MSU and his brother is a huge Ole Miss fan. He told me that he was cheering for Ole Miss when we played last year, he said, no offense but he did not want State to mess up the great season that Ole Miss was having, I actually tended to agree with him, I just wanted the game to be closer than it was. Did we even score in that game? What a blur. :D Oh and those guys that you mentioned, those are the type of fans, like yourself, that I can sit down and have a beer with and talk sports or whatever without getting into a knock down brawl.

Great post, brother, I agree 100% with every point you made here. And we almost had that beer together a couple of months ago, but you know, long story.

We'll have it one day soon, hopefully while we watch a Rebel-Bulldog game of any kind.