The Mississippi State men’s basketball team will now anxiously await Selection Sunday, following a 72-49 loss to No. 4 Alabama in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals Friday.
The Bulldogs, who were never able to find a lead against the Crimson Tide, were led in scoring by Tolu Smith (17 points) and Dashawn Davis (13 points). Smith also added 11 rebounds, giving the big man out of Bay St. Louis his 12th double-double of the season.
For the Crimson Tide, Brandon Miller had a game-high 18 points, while Charles Bediako and Noah Gurley each pitched in 11 points.
Even with the loss, Mississippi State is projected as an 11-seed when the NCAA Tournament begins on March 16. The Bulldogs used a late-season run, which included nine wins over the last 13 games, to make a solid case as to why they deserve a selection to the big dance for the first time since 2019.
The full NCAA Tournament field will be revealed Sunday at 5 p.m. on CBS.
