Mississippi State 77, Missouri 74: Roquez Johnson and Craig Sword each scored 22 points as the Bulldogs held off the host Tigers late for the SEC victory.

Johnson and Sword combined to make 22-of-25 free throws for Mississippi State (12-13, 5-7), which shot 56.1 percent from the floor. Gavin Ware added nine points and five rebounds for the Bulldogs, who won for the third time in 27 road games.

Johnathan Williams III recorded career-high 27 points - including a 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds left to cut the deficit to 75-74 - and seven rebounds for Missouri (7-18, 1-11), which has lost 11 straight. Keith Shamburger registered 15 points and six assists while Ryan Rosburg added 12 points off the bench for the Tigers.

Williams scored seven straight points to get Missouri within 46-42 five minutes into the second half and the Tigers closed the gap to three on D'Angelo Allen's layup, but the Bulldogs answered with baskets from Ware and Johnson with 7 1/2 minutes left. Williams' 3-pointer and Keanau Post's jumper capped a 12-4 run that gave Missouri a brief 64-63 lead three minutes later, but Mississippi State scored eight of the next 10 points - starting with Johnson's three-point play - and hit six straight free throws to seal the win.

Ware and Johnson each made a couple of baskets during a 21-5 run that gave the Bulldogs a 33-16 lead with about 7 1/2 minutes remaining in the first half. Rosburg sank back-to-back shots to cut the deficit to 10 and Jakeenan Gant's dunk before halftime got the Tigers within 40-29.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Missouri freshmen Montaque Gill-Caesar (two points) and Namon Wright (six) both returned from two-game suspensions and came off the bench Saturday. ... The Bulldogs, who shot 66.7 percent from the floor in the first half, improved to 9-1 when they shoot at least 45 percent. ... Missouri went 14-for-21 from the foul line while the Bulldogs hit 26-of-33 free throws.