Langston Love added 15 points and Norchad Omier had 12 points and nine rebounds for the Bears (20-14), who led by 11 points in the second half but had to hold off the Bulldogs in the final seconds — and even tenths of seconds.

But Baylor’s V.J. Edgecombe, a Bahamas native who played his last two years of high school ball for Long Island Lutheran in Brookville, sank two clutch free throws with 9.3 seconds remaining to give the Bears the 75-72 lead.

Mississippi State basketball's NCAA tournament game has arrived. The No. 8 seed Bulldogs (21-12) are facing No. 9 Baylor (19-14) in the first round of March Madness on Friday (11:15 a.m. CT,