Ali's last-second 3 pointer helps State survive New Orleans in overtime, 81-78

It wasn’t exactly how Mississippi State drew it up but Amier Ali didn’t mind going off script. Ali banked in a 3 pointer with 1.9 seconds left in overtime to send the Bulldogs to an 81-78 win over New Orleans on Monday at Humphrey Coliseum.

That shot helped cap off a furious comeback by the Bulldogs (3-3), who trailed by as many as 13 points in the second half. Ali finished with 16 points on 6 of 9 shooting and was 3 of 6 from 3 point range.

“We were trying to get the ball to Hubb (Josh Hubbard), obviously,” recalled Ali, who also had five rebounds. “He was being denied and I saw an opening, got through the front line off the dribble and I just shot it and made it. It felt when you were a kid thinking in your brain ‘3, 2, 1’ on the playground. But I was in a gym and I made it.”

Josh Hubbard led all scorers with 28 points and scored 24 of those in the second half. Hubbard was 5 of 12 beyond the arc but struggled mightily at the foul line, making just 5 of 12. Ja’Borri McGhee scored 16 points for the Bulldogs while Quincy Ballard had 11, all coming in the first half.

Coleton Benson led UNO (2-4) with 25 points while MJ Thomas and Churchill Abass each had 13. Jakevion Buckley also finished in double digits for the Privateers with 11 points.

For the game, State shot 43% from the floor and made 10 of 31 from 3 point territory. The Bulldogs were only 15 of 29 at the charity stripe and had 14 turnovers. UNO shot 38% from the field and made 10 of 27 from 3 point range. The Privateers were 16 of 17 at the foul line, had 15 turnovers and out-rebounded State, 44-42.

After a woeful first half, State’s fortunes were not much better for much of the second half. New Orleans would lead by as many as 13 before the Bulldogs made a mad run late in the half, led by Hubbard.

Hubbard converted a four-point play with 45.8 seconds left to finish off a 14-0 State run and gave the Bulldogs a 67-66 lead. Thomas made a pair of free throws for UNO, however, with 22 seconds left and the Privateers led 68-67.

Holding for the final shot in regulation, Shawn Jones was fouled with 3.8 seconds left to tie the game and send it into overtime.

“What I am most proud of is we kept fighting,” head coach Chris Jans explained. “Our kids kept fighting. We got a little bit of momentum and the huddles picked up, the crowd picked up. Coming off the Kansas City weekend, I didn’t know exactly where we would be and that’s the way it goes sometimes. It wasn’t good for a long stretch but if we can hang our hat on anything, there was zero quit in them.”

With Ali’s game-winner, Jans said that was what they wanted on that play, knowing Hubbard would be guarded heavily in the closing seconds.

“Actually it was what I was trying to get (Ali) to do,” said Jans afterwards. “I was trying to get him at that position on the court that I wanted him (in). With them basically doubling Hubb as he came across halfcourt towards the end of the game, I just thought it would be difficult to get (Hubbard) the ball, have it in the front court and run the risk of turning it over.

“So it was looking hap-hazard but they did what we wanted them to do. But I didn’t tell Amier to bank it in.”

Mississippi State held the lead for much of overtime until a Benson 3 pointer tied the game with 29 seconds remaining. But that set up the heroics for Ali moments later.

Both teams struggled offensively in the first half but it was UNO reeling off 10 straight points to grab a 13-9 midway through the first half. The Privateers would lead by as many as seven in the first half before settling for a 34-28 halftime advantage.

State shot just 37% from the field in the opening half and made just 2 of 15 beyond the 3 point arc. The Bulldogs were 4 of 5 at the foul line and had eight turnovers in the first half.

UNO shot 34% from the floor in the first half but made 6 of 12 from 3 point range. The Privateers were 8 of 8 at the foul line, had eight turnovers and out-rebounded State 20-18 in the opening half.

The road only gets tougher for State, who was without starting guard Jayden Epps on Monday due to an injury. And trying to find better play for longer periods of time will be the focal point.

“Honestly, in my opinion and I don’t mean this in a bad way,” remarked McGhee. “Being around a new group of guys, this is probably the nicest group I have been around. But we got to hold each other accountable more. I feel like on the court some nights, Coach Jans is coaching us hard and we kind of get timid and play on our heels.

“As a senior, it seems like we play to lose on some nights, if that makes sense, instead of just going out there not nervous and just ready to play hard no matter what happens. The moment we figure that out, I think we are going to turn this around and be one of the best teams in the country.”

Up Next

Mississippi State rounds out this week’s schedule on Friday when the Bulldogs host ACC foe SMU for a 6 p.m. tipoff at Humphrey Coliseum. The Bulldogs knocked off SMU on the road last season as the Mustangs reached the second round of the NIT a year ago. SMU is 7-0 after winning Monday’s game against Radford.