NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Tyson Carter led four teammates in double figures with 14 points and Mississippi State beat Kansas State 67-61 on Saturday in the first game of the Never Forget Tribute Classic.
Abdul Ado scored 13 points for Mississippi State (7-2, Robert Woodard II had 12 and D.J. Stewart Jr. added 10.
Cartier Diarra scored 20 points and Mike McGuirl added 14 for Kansas State (6-4).
McGuirl’s tip-in with 59.4 to go drew Kansas State to within 64-61, but Carter sealed it with two free throws with 10 seconds left.
Stewart’s free throw capped a 7-0 Bulldogs’ run for a 62-58 lead with 2:04 to play.
Mississippi State went ahead 59-58 on a layup from Stewart with 3:11 left and a jumper from Carter on the next possession pushed the Bulldogs’ lead to 61-58.
The Bulldogs tied it at 55-55 on two free throws from Reggie Perry with 5:05 to play.
Kansas State was playing its first game in New Jersey since 2006. Mississippi State played in the Never Forget Tribute Classic last year.