TAMPA, Fla. — Mississippi State showed all those bubble teams from the Southeastern Conference how to get into the NCAA tournament.

Phil Turner scored seven of his 12 points in the final 1:35 Sunday, and the Bulldogs knocked off Tennessee 64-61 to win the SEC tournament championship and the league's automatic NCAA berth.

Turner, who had 10 rebounds, hit a big 3-pointer to put Mississippi State (23-12) in front for good, then made two free throws with 8 seconds left to help the Bulldogs hold off the Volunteers (21-12) in a wild finish.

Cameron Tatum's long 3-pointer bounced off the rim and Mississippi State's Barry Stewart rebounded as time ran out on Tennessee's hopes of winning the tournament for the first time since 1979.

The victory was the sixth straight for Mississippi State, which entered the tournament needing a strong run to improve its chances of making the NCAA field. The Bulldogs' first SEC title since 2002 ensures the league at least three spots, with Tennessee and regular-season champion LSU considered locks.

Auburn, which lost to Tennessee in the semifinals, South Carolina and Florida all entered the tournament trying to improve their postseason resume.

Mississippi State's run was reminiscent of Georgia's stunning march through the SEC tournament last year. Georgia won four games in three days to earn an improbable NCAA berth after finishing last in the regular-season conference standings.

Stewart and Ravern Johnson both scored 11 points for Mississippi State, which also got 10 points, seven rebounds and six blocks from tournament MVP Jarvis Varnado. The Bulldogs held Tennessee to 29 percent shooting and forced two of the Volunteers' 14 turnovers with the game on the line.

Tennessee's J.P. Prince made one of two free throws to cut Tennessee's deficit to 62-61 and the Vols got a break when the rebound went out of bounds off Varnado with 9.6 seconds left. But Tyler Smith was unable to inbound ball, leading to a 5-second call that gave the ball to Mississippi State.

The Bulldogs turned it right back when Dee Bost took the inbound pass and dribbled out of bounds, giving Tennessee another chance that the Vols squandered when Stewart tipped an inbound pass that landed in Turner's hands.

Tennessee immediately fouled the sophomore guard, who made both free throws. The celebration started a short time later.