Mississippi State alumnus and LSU interim coach Butch Pierre said Friday his return to Mississippi State would be emotional. But emotional Mississippi State senior forward/center Charles Rhodes and the current cast of Bulldogs made sure the homecoming was not triumphant. The reigning Southeastern Conference Player of the Week cried Saturday during his senior day recognition prior to the Bulldogs’ 84-75 victory against the Tigers. “I tried not to get too emotional, but I got emotional, and that made my game off a little,” Rhodes said. “But I got it together.” Rhodes started his final home game 1-of-5 from the field, but scored 17 of his team-high 27 points and gathered all of his team-high 10 rebounds in the second half. His performance helped the Bulldogs (21-9, 12-4) build a 14-point lead – the largest of the game – with seven minutes left to play. But even as LSU’s chances looked bleak, the Tigers did not give up. LSU junior guard Marcus Thornton carried LSU (13-17, 6-10) to within four points of Mississippi State before the Bulldogs sealed the game at the free-throw line. “If [Thornton] gets open and is able to get his shot off clean, he can create problems,” Pierre said in a news release. “He did his part tonight.” The Baton Rouge native made four 3-pointers in the five possessions after the 14-point Mississippi State lead. Thornton tied his career high with 38 points. Mississippi State junior guard/forward Jamont Gordon scored 23 points, grabbed nine rebounds and four assists. “Jamont [Gordon] played like an all-league guard,” Pierre said. The performance may help his case as a potential SEC Player of the Year candidate. The Nashville, Tenn., native ranks No. 5 in the SEC in scoring, No. 3 in assists, No. 15 in rebounding, No. 22 in steals and No. 27 in blocks. Mississippi State sophomore forward/center Jarvis Varnado, the nation’s leading shot blocker, pitched in seven blocks to help his pursuit for SEC Defensive Player of the Year. “I didn’t score that much tonight – just rebounding and blocking shots,” Varnado said. “That’s what I do.” The Bulldogs had 10 total blocked shots, breaking Kentucky’s SEC single-season block record with 243. Varnado entered the game with more blocked shots than nine SEC teams, but the 10-2 advantage Mississippi State had in blocked shots was more than expected. LSU is the conference’s No. 2 shot-blocking team with freshman forward Anthony Randolph and junior center Chris Johnson ranking No. 2 and No. 3 in the SEC, respectively. Each managed one block in Saturday’s contest. Johnson was hindered throughout the game by foul trouble. “We got into some trouble with our big men,” Pierre said. “Not having Chris [Johnson] in there really hurt us.” While Mississippi State snapped LSU’s four-game winning streak, the Tigers will have a chance to recapture their momentum Thursday when they open the SEC Tournament against South Carolina. If the Tigers defeat the Gamecocks, they will earn a second-round matchup with the tournament’s top-seeded team, Tennessee.
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