RECAP
DULUTH, Ga. -- Kendra Grant scored 17 points, Martha Alwal added 16 and Mississippi State beat Missouri 73-70 in the first round of the Southeastern Conference tournament Wednesday night.
No. 13 seed Mississippi State (19-12) will play fifth-seeded Florida on Thursday afternoon.
Brianna Kulas finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Sierra Michaelis scored 16 for 12th-seeded Missouri (17-13). The Tigers have lost two straight.
The Bulldogs, who snapped a two-game skid and won an SEC tournament game for the first time since 2010, never trailed after Alwal's two free throws made it 69-68 with 2:07 remaining.
In the closing seconds, Jerica James hit one free throw for Mississippi State, stole the ball from Maddie Stock and hit another free throw to make it 73-70 before Stock missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer.
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