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Mississippi State holds off Tennessee

Jan 13, 2012 - 7:53 AM Starkville, MS (Sports Network) - It wasn't Dee Bost's best effort, but Mississippi State's leading scorer came up with a steal and game-sealing dunk in the closing seconds to give the No. 20 Bulldogs a 62-58 victory over Tennessee.

Bost made a three-pointer for a 59-53 lead with just over three minutes left in regulation, but missed jumpers on the Bulldogs' next two possessions.

Kenny Hall dunked off an inbounds pass to pull Tennessee within four, and after Arnett Moultrie made 1-of-2 from the foul line at the other end, Renaldo Woolridge drained a three-pointer with 44.2 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to two.

Bost's ill-advised pass was picked off by Skylar McBee to give the Volunteers a chance to tie or take the lead, but Bost made up for his sixth turnover by picking Trae Golden's pocket at midcourt and throwing down a one-handed slam.

"I was sizing it up, about to attack and make the play and I slipped," justified Golden. "My left foot slipped from under me, lost the ball and (we) lost the game."

Bost, who shot 3-for-11, finished with 13 points, as did Moultrie and Renardo Sidney for Mississippi State (14-3, 1-1 SEC).

"We shared the ball well and it showed on the scoreboard," Moultrie said. "I was glad we were able to stop their momentum tonight."

Golden netted 20 points to pace the Volunteers (8-8, 1-1), who had won five of six coming in, including a win over nationally-ranked Florida last Saturday.

Mississippi State scored nine of the last 11 points in the first half and never trailed in the final 20 minutes.

The Bulldogs led by as many as 10 in the second half, but went nearly eight minutes without a field goal to let the Vols back in it.

Jordan McRae's layup off a turnover cut Tennessee's deficit to 51-47 with 7 1/2 minutes left, and it was a two-possession game from there.

Game Notes

MSU was coming off a 10-point loss at Arkansas on Saturday...Jeronne Maymon and Hall scored 13 and 12 points, respectively, for the Vols, who went to the foul line just seven times and made five...The Bulldogs shot 13-of-17 from the charity stripe.