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STARKVILLE, Miss. — Tolu Smith III scored 24 points and Mississippi State turned back rival Mississippi 83-71 to split the season series and break their tie in the SEC. The Rebels overcame a 12-point deficit in the first half and cut an 11-point deficit to four with more than five minutes to go but the Bulldogs ran off nine-straight points to end it. Mathew Murrell scored 23 points for Ole Miss, whose NCAA Tournament hopes took a hit. Mississippi won the first meeting 86-82. Dashawn Davis started and ended the game clinching run with layups at 4:15 and with 45 seconds remaining for an 84-68 lead. Ole Miss hit a late 3, which made it a 1-for-9 second half behind the arc.Mississippi State helped keep Ole Miss in it missing 16 foul shots (23 of 39). Ole Miss was 19 of 21 from the stripe.
