The second half was different and Mississippi State pulled out a 60-49 victory Saturday to extend its winning streak to six games. Mississippi State (11-5, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) has not lost at home since Dec. 13.

Mississippi State opened the game on a 9-2 clip, but could not sustain any momentum.

The Bulldogs had nine blocked shots in the opening period, and the teams combined to shoot 2-for-17 from beyond the arc. Mississippi State led 27-24 at the half.

Georgia (9-5, 0-1) took an early 28-27 lead in the second half, but didn’t hold it long.

A 3-pointer by Ben Hansbrough, who played almost the entire game with a swollen left hand, started an 18-2 run that would eat 10 minutes off the clock and put Mississippi State up 45-30.

Georgia responded with its own 9-0 run late in the half, but a 3-pointer by Mississippi State freshman guard Riley Benock ended the comeback.

Georgia’s Sundiata Gaines and Mississippi State’s Jamont Gordon led all scorers with 15 points each.

"It’s the blocks," Georgia head coach Dennis Felton said.

"You don’t have to be a genius. When I was looking at them as a team, if a team makes 40 percent of the shots they normally block, then they’re giving up like 47 or 48 percent shooting."