Heartbreak.

That’s the only way to describe what happened at Stegeman Coliseum after No. 22 Mississippi State escaped with a 76-75 decision Saturday afternoon.

After trailing for most of the game, Mississippi State’s Cameron Matthews missed the front end of a free throw with seven seconds left. Georgia grabbed the rebound with a chance to win the game.

Guard Silas Demary Jr. would drive the ball. However, the sophomore would lose the handle, turning the ball back to Mississippi State with 0.7 seconds left.

Mississippi State would miss another free throw, but there simply was not enough time to set up a play as a desperation heave was knocked away at the buzzer.

"It was an open lane ... Coach said attack," Demary Jr. said of the turnover, his only one of the game. "I've just got to move on. Plays happen, things happen ... It's about my response and I'm responding to it."

Head coach Mike White was asked why he did not take a timeout to try and set up a play instead.

"Sure, I mean, he's one of the better downhill guards," White said. "He's made a lot of plays, he's getting downhill in space, and not allowing Mississippi State to set its defense. You had one if you don't feel it and if he gets stuck playing off the two feet in a crowd there, you could have taken one. But I'm always leaning that way (not taking one)."

The loss – just Georgia’s second in 15 games at home this year – dropped the Bulldogs to 16-8, 4-7 in the SEC. Mississippi State improves to 17-6 and evens its conference record at 5-5.

Mississippi State's success in the paint was the major reason why. The Bulldogs scored 46 of their 76 points inside the perimeter. Georgia scored just 28.

"Some of it was layups. That said, though, they're a team that, since Chris (head coach Chris Jans) has been in there, has had physicality offensively and defensively, and they've had success," White said. "These guys are big and strong. I thought Nwoko played well, a big, strong guy. Cameron Matthews is one of the most underrated guys in the country, in my opinion, offensively and defensively. I thought RJ (Melendez) played well. He made a couple of big plays. Claudell (Harris Jr.) hit a couple of timely shots."

Nevertheless, the Bulldogs had a chacne.

Georgia trailed 40-32 at the half, but it didn’t take the Bulldogs to get right back into the game.

An 8-0 run to start the second tied the score, but Mississippi State responded with a run of its own to extend its advantage back to eight.

Back-to-back threes by Asa Newell and Blue Cain brought Georgia back within two.

But every time Georgia answered, so did MSU.

Twice, the Bulldogs would close back within two, but another three, this one by Riley Kugel, pushed Mississippi State’s margin back to five.

With 7:02 to play, a free throw by Newell tied the game, only to have MSU score the next five before Georgia rallied once again.

Towards the end, Georgia trailed by one and had a chance to take the lead, but after a missed shot, Mississippi State got the ball in transition to former Georgia player RJ Melendez for a three-point lead with 1:00 left.

Georgia would have no more answers, as the Bulldogs failed to convert two attempts. Demary's subsequent turnover allowed Mississippi State to ultimately hold on to the win.

"We did a lot of really good things offensively. It really hurt us in transitional offense after our makes especially," White said. "It was really unfortunate, can't get those possessions back. We did enough offensively, our defense let us down tonight. We had a great opportunity but didn't have urgency in transition defense.'

Demary Jr. led the Bulldogs with a career-high 23 points, followed by Newell with 16, Dakota Leffew with 12, and RJ Godfrey with 10.

Josh Hubbard led MSU with 16.

White knew coming in that his Bulldogs would have their work cut out dealing with MSU’s front line. He was correct.

The first half saw Mississippi State dominated down low, scoring 24 of its 40 points in the paint, with Georgia managing just 10 in the same area.

When MSU wasn’t doing it in the paint, Hubbard made it happen from the perimeter.

Hubbard – who came in averaging 17 points – scored 10 in the first half, six coming on a pair of three-pointers.

As a result, MSU finished the first half scorching 56.7 percent from the field (17 for 30), getting off six more shots than Georgia, who converted just 10 of its 24 shots (41.7 percent).

Mississippi State – which scored its first nine points courtesy of Michael Nwoko - led 40-32 at the half.

Georgia returns to action Tuesday night when the Bulldogs travel to No. 10 Texas A&M, a 67-64 winner at No. 15 Missouri.

Boxscore

• Guard Tyrin Lawrence suffered what appeared to be an ankle injury in the first half and had to be helped from the court. He did not return. White did not have an update after the game.

• Demary Jr. scored a career-high 23 points (and 2nd career 20+ pt game (had 22 on January 20, 2024 at Kentucky).

• The last player to have 20+ points and 7+ assists for Georgia was Aaron Cook on November 16, 2021 vs South Carolina State.

• Demary Jr. was the 4th different Georgia player in the 2000s with 20+ points, 5+ rebounds, 7+ assists.