2002 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament
March 7-10 * Georgia Dome * Atlanta, Ga.

FIRST ROUND
March 7 (Thursday)
Game 1 - [E5] Vanderbilt 62, [W4] LSU 69
Game 2 - [W5] Arkansas 61, [E4] Tennessee 68
Game 3 - [W6] Auburn 63, [E3] Florida 81
Game 4 - [E6] South Carolina 69, [W3] Ole Miss 67

SECOND ROUND
March 8 (Friday)
Game 5 - [W4] LSU 78, [E1] Georgia 76
Game 6 - [E4] Tennessee 72, [W1] Alabama 91
Game 7 - [E3] Florida 52, [W2] Mississippi State 62
Game 8 - [E6] South Carolina 70, [E2] Kentucky 57

SEMIFINALS - Semifinals Audio
March 9 (Saturday)
Game 9 - [W4] LSU 51, [W2] Mississippi State 57 | Post-Game Press Conference Audio | Game Stats
Game 10 - [W1] Alabama 65, [E6] South Carolina 57 | Post-Game Press Conference Audio | Game Stats

[W4] LSU 51, [W2] Mississippi State 57

ATLANTA (AP) -- Mario Austin scored 17 points, Marckell Patterson hit a key basket with 25.5 seconds remaining, and Mississippi State defeated LSU 57-51 in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament Saturday.

The Bulldogs (25-7), who won their only tournament championship in 1996, held LSU scoreless over the last 3:47.

LSU (18-14) will likely have to settle for an NIT berth. The Tigers had reached the SEC semifinals by upsetting No. 17 Georgia.

LSU scored its last basket on a putback by Jason Williams with 3:47 remaining. Williams, who was fouled on the play, added the free throw to give LSU a 51-50 lead.

Mississippi State scored the game's final seven points, including a couple of free throws by Austin with 58.6 seconds remaining for a 53-51 lead.

From that point, LSU simply had trouble getting the ball in against State's fullcourt press. Torris Bright lost it out of bounds along the sideline, the sixth turnover of the game for the Tigers' point guard.

The Bulldogs ran down the shot clock before Patterson, with a quick crossover dribble, lost Bright above the foul line and banked in a shot that pushed the lead to 55-51.

Derrick Zimmerman stole the ball again on the ensuing inbounds play, his fifth takeaway of the game, to seal the victory for Mississippi State.

The Bulldogs have won seven in a row since their last loss, 68-65 at LSU on Feb. 13.

Mississippi State won despite shooting just 18 of 51 (35.3 percent) from the field. LSU wasn't much better _ 18 of 46 (39.1 percent) _ and had trouble matching up inside against Austin and the rest of State's taller, deeper front line.

Austin made only four of 15 shots but kept drawing fouls. He hit nine of 10 free throws and overpowered LSU's bulkiest player, 6-foot-8 Brad Bridgewater, who fouled out with 8:10 remaining.

LSU started 2-8 in conference play, including a six-game losing streak. The Tigers were trying to become only the third team in the tournament's modern era to win four games in four days _ probably the only way they would have made the NCAAs.

The Tigers won their lone tournament title 22 years ago.

Antonio Hudson led LSU with 16 points and averaged 21 in three tournament games. Hudson and Austin were the only players in double figures.

Mississippi State led 31-28 at halftime after a play that foreshadowed the ending. Ontario Harper stole the ball from Bright, leading to a three-point play.

[W1] Alabama 65, [E6] South Carolina 57

ATLANTA (AP) -- Kenny Walker's three-point play with 26.3 seconds remaining broke a tie, and No. 8 Alabama went on to beat South Carolina 65-57 in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament Saturday.

The Crimson Tide (26-6), which already claimed its first regular-season SEC title since 1987, will play for its first tournament championship in 11 years against Mississippi State on Sunday.

South Carolina (18-14) kept it close despite going nearly six minutes in the second half without a field goal. In fact, the Gamecocks had the ball and a chance for the lead after Erwin Dudley missed a hook shot with 41 seconds remaining.

Chuck Eidson got tangled with Maurice Williams while dribbling toward the corner, both players tumbling to the court. Alabama's Rod Grizzard grabbed the loose ball and fired a long pass to Antoine Pettway, who missed the layup but was bailed out by Walker.

Walker jammed the ball through with an emphatic dunk, was fouled by Carlos Powell and hit the free throw to give Alabama a 60-57 lead.

Powell tried to even things up with a 3-pointer, but his shot spun out and caught the rim again before falling into Walker's hands. He was fouled immediately and made one free throw with 17.4 seconds left to seal the victory.

Powell let out an anguished cry and held his head in his hands after the miss.

South Carolina, which upset No. 12 Kentucky on Friday, was denied a chance to play for its first SEC tournament title since joining the league for the 1991-92 season. Coach Dave Odom is hopeful of NCAA consideration, but trip to the NIT is much more likely.

The Gamecocks were doomed by poor free-throw shooting, making just three of eight. Alabama, which had five fewer field goals, was 20-of-26 at the line.

Walker led Alabama with 21 points. Terrance Meade added 15, while Grizzard, who scored a career-high 33 points in the quarterfinals, was held to seven on 2-of-10 shooting. His first shot _ an airball _ set the tone.

The teams went back-and-forth through most of the first half, with 12 lead changes and four ties. South Carolina pulled even at 23 on Tony Kitchings' basket with 3:10 remaining.

But Alabama finished the period with a 15-5 run, including seven straight points in the final minute. Meade hit a 3-pointer, then was fouled on a drive to the basket with less than a second to go. He made both free throws to give the Tide a 38-38 lead at the break.

Alabama pushed the margin to 12 early in the second half before South Carolina reeled off a 9-0 spurt. The Gamecocks stayed close the rest of the way, but didn't pull even until Aaron Lucas hit a 3-pointer with 1:12 remaining to make it 57-all.

South Carolina went cold after Powell's jumper with 11:02 to go. The Gamecocks managed only one free throw until Powell converted a three-point play with 5:04 left.

Alabama couldn't pull away, however, shooting just 39 percent (20-of-51) from the field.

Kitchings led South Carolina with 16 points, and Powell had 15.