Honoring Mississippi State's Basketball Team

HONORING MISSISSIPPI STATE'S BASKETBALL TEAM -- (Extensions of Remarks - April 21, 2004)

SPEECH OF
HON. CHARLES W. "CHIP" PICKERING
OF MISSISSIPPI
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2004

Mr. PICKERING. Mr. Speaker, it has been four decades since Mississippi State University stood atop the Southeastern Conference as the undisputed solitary men's basketball champion. The Bulldogs, under the leadership of Coach Rick Stansbury-the Associated Press SEC Coach of the Year-did so this year with a 25-2 regular season record and a 14-2 record in the SEC that propelled them into the top five ranking in the national AP poll.

It was the 1962-1963 season when MSU won a previous solitary SEC championship. Six head coaches and 41 years later, the Bulldogs did it again in a nail-biting come-from-behind victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Bulldogs were down in the second half by 18 points against the University of Alabama, one of two teams to defeat MSU during the regular season. During the last second, under intense defensive pressure, senior All-SEC guard Timmy Bowers made a 14-foot jump shot to tie the game, sending it into overtime. Then again, in the final second of overtime, Bowers made another jumper to earn a Bulldog victory of 82-81.

MSU has had champion basketball teams in the past, some shared, all notable.

1958-59, 24-1, 13-1, opened SEC play with only loss to Auburn.

1960-61, 19-8, 11-3, lost three games only by a combined 12 points.

1961-62, 24-1, 13-1, shared title with Kentucky, only loss to Vanderbilt.

1962-63, 22-5, 12-2, lost to Loyola (Chicago) in NCAA Mideast regional.

1990-91, 20-9, 13-5, shared title with LSU; lost to Eastern Michigan in NCAA East regional.

2003-04, 25-2, 14-2, became fourth SEC team to win all eight road league games; lost to Xavier in NCAA second round.

END