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Miss. State vs. Georgia, 3:15 p.m.

The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 12, 2009

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Probable Starters

No.	Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Yr.	PPG	RPG	APG
32	Jarvis Varnado	C	6-9	210	Jr.	13.0	9.0	0.8
25	Phil Turner	G	6-3	170	So.	8.5	6.0	1.6
3	Dee Bost	G	6-2	170	Fr.	11.5	3.5	4.4
22	Barry Stewart	G	6-3	170	Jr.	12.1	3.8	1.9
2	Ravern Johnson	G	6-7	175	So.	12.5	3.2	1.2

Georgia Bulldogs

Probable Starters

No.	Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Yr.	PPG	RPG	APG
30	Terrance Woodbury	F	6-7	221	Sr.	14.0	4.5	1.4
33	Trey Thompkins	F	6-9	247	Fr.	12.7	7.4	0.2
34	Albert Jackson	C	6-10	265	Jr.	4.4	3.8	1.8
23	Corey Butler	G	6-3	195	Sr.	6.7	4.1	1.8
3	Dustin Ware	G	5-11	182	Fr.	7.4	1.5	3.3

Player To Watch

Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi State: He's the nation's top shot-blocker (4.6 per game). If the Bulldogs go on a postseason run, he should finish with the best shot-blocking season in SEC history (Varnado has 143; he had 157 last season, tying Shaquille O'Neal's 1992 record).

Regular-Season Meeting

Mississippi State beat Georgia, 67-61, on Jan. 24 at Athens, Ga. Mississippi State built a 19-point lead, then held on. Georgia cut it to 64-61 with 21 seconds remaining but missed five of its final six shots.

What To Expect

Georgia is the defending SEC Tournament champion and proof that anything can happen in postseason play. It has been a tumultuous season - considering the midseason firing of Coach Dennis Felton - but the Bulldogs had late-season victories against Florida and Kentucky. But Mississippi State, led by the intimidating presence of Varnado, has the look of a team that no one wants to face.

Fun Fact

Georgia was 0-6 against teams from the SEC West, marking the first time that happened since the league began divisional play in 1992.

FRIDAY'S OPPONENT South Carolina Gamecocks (21-8, 10-6)

The Mississippi State-Georgia winner will meet South Carolina, the East's No. 2 seed, in Friday's quarterfinals at 3:15 p.m.

Probable Starters

No.	Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Yr.	PPG	RPG	APG
21	Dominique Archie	F	6-7	200	Jr	10.9	6.3	0.7
44	Sam Muldrow	F	6-9	216	So.	5.8	5.3	0.5
24	Mike Holmes	C	6-7	230	So.	10.9	7.7	0.3
2	Devan Downey	G	5-9	175	Jr.	20.2	2.8	4.6
20	Zam Fredrick	G	6-0	203	Sr.	15.5	2.7	1.6

Player To Watch

Devan Downey, the practically unguardable backcourt player and first-team All-SEC member. Whether it's going to the rim, stealing the ball or scoring a big bucket, Downey is always in the middle of things for the Gamecocks. After his 33-point effort against Florida, Gators coach Billy Donovan described it as "one of the top individual efforts" by an opponent in his tenure at UF.

What To Expect

The Gamecocks, picked last in their division by a few preseason prognosticators, surpassed all expectations and were tied for the SEC East lead with two games to play (before getting blown out at home against Tennessee, 86-70, on March 5). South Carolina swept Georgia (79-68 and 68-51) but lost at Mississippi State 75-70 on Feb. 18.

Fun Fact

South Carolina coach Darrin Horn is trying to extend his unbeaten record at the Forum. Last season, Horn was head coach of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, who won two NCAA Tournament games in Tampa, beating Drake, 101-99 in overtime, and San Diego, 72-63, to reach the Sweet 16.

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