By beating, its first ranked opponent of the season, Mississippi State (22-12) reached the SEC tournament final for the first time since 2003.
• The Aggies have won five straight, matching their longest streak of the season.</p>
• LSU was the SEC regular-season champ but has lost three of four heading into the NCAA tournament. SEC player of the year Marcus Thornton missed 14 of 19 shots (0-6, 3-point FG) and finished with 14 points.</p>
-- ESPN research</p>