JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI - For the first time since its Final Four season of 1995-96, Mississippi State is ranked. <br>
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The Bulldogs (14-1, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) are No. 22 in the AP media poll released Monday. <br>
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In the final regular-season poll of the 1995-96 season, they were 19th. <br>
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Led by Dontae` Jones and Erick Dampier and coached by Richard Williams, Mississippi State won the Southeastern Conference tournament that season, reached the Final Four for the only time in school history and finished 26-8. <br>
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The Bulldogs, who haven't been back to the NCAA tournament since, are off to their best start in 40 years. <br>
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But until Saturday's come-from-behind 74-69 victory over Kentucky in overtime, Mississippi State had received little support from pollsters. <br>
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Mario Austin scored a career-high 32 points, including his first career 3-pointer that sent the game into overtime, against the Wildcats. That performance helped earn the sophomore center SEC player of the week honors. <br>
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Austin's 32 points were the most by a Mississippi State player since Darryl Wilson's 32 against Oklahoma during the Final Four season. <br>
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The loss dropped Kentucky two spots to No. 8. The Wildcats were the highest ranked team the Bulldogs had beaten since 1996, when they beat No. 1 Kentucky to win the SEC tournament. <br>
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It was Mississippi State's first home victory over a top-10 team since beating Arkansas on Feb. 4, 1995. <br>
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``As big as the media makes the Kentucky game, it counts for just one win,'' said fourth-year coach Rick Stansbury, who was an assistant under Williams in 1996. ``That game is done and over and we still have 15 more games left in the conference. Arkansas is now the biggest game of the year because it is our next game.'' <br>
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To remain ranked, the Bulldogs will have to play well on the road this week. <br>
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The Bulldogs play the Razorbacks in Fayetteville, Ark., on Tuesday, then face Mississippi in Oxford on Saturday.
