Mississippi State guard Trivante Bloodman (4) guards Georgia guard Charles Mann (4) as he drives to the line during the first half of an NCAA basketball game Saturday in Athens, Ga.ATHENS, Ga. – Jalen Steele scored a career-high 21 points, Craig Sword added 14 and Mississippi State won its third straight game with a 72-61 victory over Georgia on Saturday.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope finished with 16 points for Georgia, but the fourth-leading scorer in the Southeastern Conference went 0 for 6 from the field in the second half.
Steele’s consecutive 3-pointers gave Mississippi State (7-7, 2-0 SEC) an 11-point lead, its biggest of the game, with 5:02 remaining.
Charles Mann added 14 points for Georgia (6-9, 0-2), which was coming off a 33-point loss that was its worst Florida since 1967.
Georgia, which has dropped two straight games, got reserves Donte’ Williams and Kenny Gaines from one-game suspensions levied by coach Mark Fox for breaking unspecified team rules.