Even Tennessee, a No. 2 seed, didn't look worthy of that status in a sloppy win over big underdog American.
It was shaping up to be a dismal opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the Southeastern Conference, and things didn't look any better when Mississippi State fell behind Oregon by 13 points Friday night.
Charles Rhodes made sure the Bulldogs salvaged some SEC pride and stayed alive to fight another day. His career-high 34 points and some get-tough defense by his teammates in the second half led to a 76-69 victory. Oregon, a finesse team, chose not to challenge MSU's superior physical strength in the paint. The Ducks chucked 38 3-point shots, including an icy 2-of-21 effort in the second half. The No. 1 seed Memphis Tigers will be an entirely different beast when State faces them today in the second round.
An upset would further restore the SEC's reputation. And it'd give State its first Sweet 16 appearance under Coach Rick Stansbury.
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