By R.L. Bynum
Suddenly, Garrison Brooks is a perimeter threat.
After scoring six 3-pointers in four seasons at North Carolina, he has that many in the last two games and eight this season for Mississippi State.
Brooks scored 11 of his team-high 15 points in the first half Saturday and made 3 of 6 3-point attempts in Mississippi Stateβs 66β63 loss to undefeated Colorado State at the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic in Fort Worth, Texas.
His six 3-pointers in the last two games came after notching only two in the first seven games.
The Bulldogs (7β3) led by 11 points in the first half and eight with 6:16 left, but Colorado State (10β0) rallied with a 17β2 run.
Brooksβ follow shot with 1:02 left cut the Bulldogsβ deficit to 66β63. Mississippi State missed three potential game-tying 3-pointer attempts in the final eight seconds, including one at the buzzer.
Brooks made his first three 3-point attempts and, much like some current Tar Heels, is taking advantage of more spacing in the Bulldogsβ offense compared to last seasonβs Carolina offense.
Brooks, shooting 40% from 3-point range, has scored in double figures for four consecutive games after doing that once last season. It happened early in the season and included 18 points on Dec. 2 in Carolinaβs 69β67 loss to Texas in Asheville during the Maui Classic.
In his first start of the season and only his fourth game, Morgan State guard Seventh Woods scored seven points in 17 minutes of the Bearsβ 93β56 Saturday loss at Longwood.
Morgan State (4β6) had its two-game win streak snapped and are 2β2 when Woods plays.
Walker Kessler again started for Auburn in its 99β68 Saturday win in Atlanta over Nebraska after coming out of Wednesdayβs game with lower-leg pain.
He collected five points, seven rebounds, two assists and a block in 22 minutes, the sixth time in nine games that heβs scored six points or fewer. Kessler leads the SEC in blocks at 3.3 per game.
On Friday, the NCAA placed Auburn (8β1) on probation for four years and suspended Coach Bruce Pearl for two games but didnβt give the Tigers a postseason ban since they self-imposed one last season.
Siena guard Andrew Platek missed his second consecutive game, the Saintsβ 72β59 Saturday win at Holy Cross, with what has been reported to be an Achilles tendon injury. Heβs expected to be out at least another two weeks.
Brandon Huffman had eight points and seven rebounds in Jacksonville Stateβs 66β52 loss at VCU on Wednesday night.
Sunday night at 7 oβclock on ACC Network, Monmouth β with Coach King Rice and center Walker Miller β play at Pittsburgh. Miller averages 14.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game and has 11 blocks for the 7β2 Hawks.
How six former Tar Heels did
Garrison Brooks, Mississippi State center
66β63 Saturday loss vs. Colorado State in Fort Worth, Texas β Started; 36 minutes, 15 points, 6β14 FG, 3β6 3FG, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, -2
Season statistics β 9 games, 9 starts, 11.4 points, 48.3 FG%, 40% 3FG%, 75% FT%, 7.1 rebounds; season totals of 4 assists, 5 blocks, 2 steals
Up next β 8 p.m. Tuesday vs. Georgia State, ESPN+; 6 p.m. Friday vs. Furman, SEC Network
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Brandon Huffman, Jacksonville State forward/center
66β52 Wednesday loss at VCU β Started; 22 minutes, 8 points, 4β8 FG, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 turnovers, 1 steal
Season statistics β 8 games, 8 starts, 9.4 points, 55.1 FG%, 63.6 FT%, 6.3 rebounds; season totals of 2 assists, 16 turnovers, 8 blocks and 1 steal
Up next β 6 p.m. Monday vs. LaGrange, ESPN+; 6 p.m. Wednesday vs. FIU, ESPN+
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Walker Kessler, Auburn forward/center
99β68 Saturday win vs. Nebraska in Atlanta β Started; 22 minutes, 5 points, 2β5 FG, 0β1 3FG, 1β2 FT, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover, +20
Season statistics β 9 games, 9 starts, 7.6 points, 48.4 FG%, 11.8% 3FG, 46.2 FT%, 7.0 rebounds; season totals of 9 assists, 30 blocks, 12 steals
Up next β 9 p.m. Tuesday vs. North Alabama, SEC Network; 9 p.m. Saturday at Saint Louis, CBS Sport Network
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Walker Miller, Monmouth forward
Off Saturday
Season statistics β 9 games, 9 starts, 14.4 points, 46.4 FG%, 31.3 3FG%, 87.5 FT%, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 11 total blocks
Up next β 7 p.m. Sunday at Pittsburgh, ACC Network; 7 p.m. Tuesday at Yale, ESPN+
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Andrew Platek, Siena guard
72β59 Saturday win at Holy Cross β Missed second consecutive game; still recovering from reported Achilles tendon injury
Season statistics β 5 games, 3 starts, 9.0 points, 40.9 FG%, 31.3 3FG%, 4β4 FT, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists
Up next β 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28, at American, ESPN+; 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 31 at Iona, ESPN3
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Seventh Woods, Morgan State guard
93β55 Saturday loss at Longwood β Started; 17 minutes, 7 points, 2β5 FG, 0β2 3FG, 3β4 FT, 1 assist,
Season statistics β 4 games, 1 start, 6.8 points, 56.4 FG%, 20 3FG%, 1.5 rebounds; season total of 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
Up next β 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, at Mount St. Maryβs; 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 21 vs. James Madison
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Photo via @HailStateMBK