Mississippi State Bulldogs at Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia routs Mississippi State 66-45 in SEC hoops

Georgia (17-12, 11-6 SEC) remained third in the league and still hopes to make a run at the NCAAs, though a middling RPI ranking likely means it would have to win the regular-season finale at LSU and at least beat either No. 1 Florida or No. 25 Kentucky in the SEC tournament.

The top four SEC teams receive a bye through the first two rounds of the tourney, which will be held next week in Atlanta.

Georgia trailed 16-8 in the early going but took control before the first half was done, leading 37-24 at the break.

Last-place Mississippi State (13-17, 3-14) is closing out another dismal year under second-year coach Rick Ray, who went 10-22 in his debut season. His team shot just 34 percent (17 of 50) and had no one in double figures.

Georgia swept the season series, winning the two meetings by a combined 41 points.

In a repeat of the teams' first game at Starkville, Georgia got off to a sluggish start before turning things around with its superior depth, closing out the first half on a 29-8 run. The home team knocked down seven straight shots after beginning 2-of-13 from the field.

Mississippi State closed the half with an especially brutal stretch.

Mann and Gaines chest-bumped before Georgia ran off the court to a raucous ovation from the sparse crowd, up comfortably by 13.

Marcus Thornton added 13 points and Mann had 10. In all, 10 players scored for Georgia.

Roquez Johnson and Craig Sword led Mississippi State with 9 points.

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