STARKVILLE, Miss — Shakeel Moore scored 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting, Tolu Smith added 16 points and Mississippi State beat South Carolina 74-68 Tuesday night.
Shawn Jones Jr. added 11 points for Mississippi State (20-10, 8-9 SEC).
Moore made a jumper and then, after a steal by Cameron Matthews, added a layup before D.J. Jeffries made two free throws that gave the Bulldogs the lead for good at 59-57 with 6:41 to play. Gregory “GG” Jackson II made two free throws to pull South Carolina (10-21, 3-15) back within two points with five minutes remaining, but Moore answered with a 3-pointer that sparked an 12-4 run that made it 73-62 when Moore — who also made a jumper and a layup in the spurt — made a free throw with 27 seconds left.
Jackson made 11 of 11 from the free-throw line and led the Gamecocks with 22 points and eight rebounds. Josh Gray and Hayden Brown scored 12 points apiece.
Mississippi State made 26 of 52 from the field and shot at least 50% for the fifth time in the last 10 games and sixth time this season.
The Bulldogs have won eight of their last 10 games.
Mississippi State finished with nine steals and scored 17 points off 14 Gamecocks turnovers.
South Carolina has lost three games in a row and 12 of its last 14.
UP NEXT
South Carolina wraps up the regular season at home against Georgia on Saturday.
Mississippi State concludes its regular-season slate Saturday at Vanderbilt.