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CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Mississippi State coach Ben Howland knew what was coming. Yet, it still left him shaking his head.Can you believe he ran a triangle and two on November 20? smiled Howland at his longtime friend and one-time LA rival, UTEP coach Tim Floyd.Howland, UCLAs coach from 2003-2013, squared off against Floyds USC teams from 2006 through 2009 with the Bruins winning seven of the 10 matchups. This time, Howland left a winner, too, as Aric Holman scored 18 points and Lamar Peters had 13 points, including a critical four-point play that snapped the Bulldogs from a shooting funk, in a 61-54 victory over the Miners. Mississippi State left with two straight wins and fifth place at the Charleston Classic.Im just excited about our team never quits, never gives up, Howland said.The Bulldogs (3-1) trailed 15-4 early and 43-35 in the second half as they started 1 of 10 from the field. Thats when Peters struck for a 3-pointer and got fouled, which seemingly woke up Mississippi State.Coach always tells me to look for my opportunities, Peters said. I just wanted to do whatever it took to help the team.The 6-foot-10 Holman did, too. His last basket was a thunderous jam with 5:22 to go that broke a 49-all tie. Mississippi State did not trail again.At the end of the day, the main thing was just to keep my team going, Holman said. Get defensive stops because our defense leads to our offense.Dominic Artis scored 15 points and Matt Willms had 12 points and 11 rebounds for UTEP. But the Miners lost their shooting touch in the second half, going just 7 of 26 from the field and missing their final four shots to lose two of their three tournament games.Floyd, critical of his club after their 10-3-81 loss to Wake Forest here Thursday, left much more pleased about what the Miners could become. The defense, he said, improved over the weeks three games and Artis and Willms took control of the attack.That was a real, real positive for us, Floyd said.Howland said he and Floyd were friendly during his time in Westwood when fans of the rivalry wanted only hate for the Trojans.He and Floyd hadnt faced each other since USCs 65-55 win over UCLA in the semifinals of the Pac-10 tournament in 2009. Howland doesnt enjoy facing coaches he considers friends. I hope we dont have to do it again, he said. I really do.Floyd enjoyed seeing Howland this weekend, too.Great respect for him, Floyd said. Mississippi States got the right guy.BIG PICTUREUTEP: The Miners have a dynamic guard in Dominic Artis and a solid post player in 7-foot-1 Matt Willms. But if those two struggle, UTEP is often left forcing shots. Starter Jake Flaggert, a three-point specialist, was just 1 of 7 from behind the arc while Paul Thomas, also a starter, struggled from the field at 3 of 8 and was hurt by foul trouble. The Miners will have to discover a reliable third option quickly.Mississippi State: The Bulldogs are led by sophomore Quinndary Weatherspoon. But when Weatherspoon is off his game, as he was against UTEP, Mississippi State is stuck for reliable shooters. Aric Holman was dominant inside before fouling out with 86 seconds left. Take away Holmans 8 of 10 shooting and the Bulldogs were 13 of 42 from the field.INJURED QBen Howland said leading scorer Quinndary Weatherspoon would have an MRI on his left wrist, injured Friday in Southern Mississippis win over Boise State. We dont know how bad it might be, Howland said. Thats what concerns me.UP NEXTUTEP returns home for a two-game stretch, starting against Southeastern Louisiana on Wednesday night.Mississippi State begins a five-game run at home when it faces Lehigh on Friday night---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.orgCustom Jerseys China . But Bourque, who has missed three games with a lower-body injury, wont be in the lineup when the Habs travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres on Wednesday. Fake Custom Jerseys . -- Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968 World Series and Pete Roses bruising hit on Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game could become relics of baseball history, like the dead-ball era. https://www.cheapcustomjerseysonline.com/ . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. Custom Jerseys Cheap . -- Nathan Pancel scored twice as the Sudbury Wolves defeated the North Bay Battalion 4-2 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Custom Jerseys Nike . The veteran safety was a starter for the Bengals from 2008-2012. He totaled 41 tackles and three interceptions while starting all but four of the 13 games he played last season.AUBURN, Ala. -- Former Auburn defensive end Quentin Groves has died at 32, a school spokesman said Saturday.?Kirk Sampson said Groves died in his sleep while visiting Trinidad, where his wife is from.?Sampson said he didnt know the cause of death.Groves played for the Tigers from 2004 to 07 and finished with 26 career sacks, tying the schools all-time record. He earned first-team All-SEC honors as both a junior and a senior, and his senior class won more games (50) at Auburn than any other class in school history.I am devastated and in disbelief by the sudden passing of Quentin, Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs said. He had a vibrant smile, a big personality and was full of life. ... Quentin was one of my favorites and I always enjoyed spending time with him. He lived life to its fullest and had a great love for his family and friends.Medical tests at the 2008 NFL combine revealed that Groves had Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, which causes a rapid heartbeat. He had what is described as a minor heart surgery after the combine, and two months later, he wwas chosen by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round of the NFL draft.ddddddddddddGroves played seven seasons in the NFL with five different teams. His most recent stint came prior to the 2015 season, when he signed a contract with the Buffalo Bills. However, he was cut before the first game.Quentin was an outstanding man, on and off the field, former teammate and current Jaguars tight end Marcedes Lewis said in a statement. He made everyone around him better and always had a smile on his face. He pushed me every day in practice and was a fierce competitor.Im very grateful to have had an opportunity to spend two seasons with him. My thoughts and prayers are with his entire family on this incredibly sad day.Groves met his wife, Treska Baptiste, at Auburn when he played football and she ran track. The school said he is survived by Baptiste and their two children.Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. ' ' '