Former Mississippi State basketball player and coach Joe Dan Gold has died after a lengthy illness. He was 68. Gold, a Benton, Ky., native, averaged 12.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game from 1961 to 1963 as the Bulldogs won or shared three Southeastern Conference titles. During his career, Mississippi State had a 65-13 overall record, including 36-6 in SEC play. The 6-foot-5 Gold was a team captain as a senior, leading the Bulldogs to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 1963, where they lost to Loyola of Chicago 61-51 in the first round. It was the first game Mississippi State played against black players. Read more: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=6354154
