Quinndary Weatherspoon and Tyson Carter scored 12 points each as No. 15 Mississippi State bounced back from its first loss of the season to beat Saint Mary's 61-57 on Wednesday night to claim third place in the MGM Resorts Main Event at Las Vegas.

Aric Holman added nine points and 11 rebounds for the Bulldogs (4-1), who lost to Arizona State 72-67 on Monday.

Jordan Ford scored 23 points and Malik Fitts had 10 points and nine rebounds to lead the Gaels (3-2), who lost to Utah State 80-63 on Monday.

The Bulldogs led by eight at halftime, but the Gaels scored the first five points to set the tone for what would be a very tight second half.

Mississippi State rebuilt the lead to eight, but Saint Mary's scored seven straight points.

The Gaels got within one point twice more before Ford made a 3-pointer and another jumper to give Saint Mary's a 50-48 lead with 6:15 remaining.

Holman's dunk, Robert Woodard's layup and another dunk by Holman gave the Bulldogs a 54-50 lead.

The Gaels went more than four minutes without scoring, but Elijah Thomas' 3-pointer ended the drought and got them within 54-53 with 1:58 left.

Lamar Peters answered with a jumper for a three-point Bulldogs lead with 1:25 left.

After Ford missed a layup, Holman was fouled with 18 seconds left and made one of two free throws.

Ford's layup cut the deficit to 57-55 with nine seconds left.

Nick Weatherspoon, who had just three points previously, was fouled and made both free throws for a four-point lead with six seconds left.

Ford drove in for another layup with one second left, but Peters sealed the outcome with two more foul shots.

Jordan Hunter and Ford scored four points each during an 11-0 run that gave the Gaels a 17-6 lead.

Carter ended the run with a 3-pointer and made two more as Mississippi State closed within 19-16.

The Bulldogs got within one point three times before Quinndary Weatherspoon's dunk put them ahead 28-27.

He added five more points during an 11-0 run that gave Mississippi State a 35-27 halftime lead.

--Field Level Media