Very unfortunate: Tennessee volunteers key prayer have just lost his mother on her way to the…….
No. 5 Tennessee basketball falls to Mississippi State
STARKVILLE, Miss. — No. 5 Tennessee basketball travels to Mississippi State on Wednesday night for its first conference road game of the season. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on the SEC Network with Mike Morgan (play-by-play) and Mark Wise (analyst) on the call.
The Vols are 9-1 against the Bulldogs in their last 10 meetings, and have won five straight by an average of 14.0 points, dating back to Jan. 26, 2021. The winning streak includes the biggest margin of victory in series history by either side, a 34-point home win, 87-53, on Jan. 3 of last season.
GoVols247’s Tennessee basketball beat writer Ben McKee is in attendance at Humphrey Coliseum for Wednesday night’s matchup between the Vols and Bulldogs. You can follow his coverage of tonight’s contest for score updates and conversation in the link below.
This will be Rick Barnes’ 1,200th game as a head coach, making him the 13th individual (min. 10 years in DI) to reach that mark, including the third active coach to do so. Barnes is 22-5 against the SEC’s two Mississippi schools as a head coach, including a 19-5 mark during his nine-year tenure on Rocky Top.
Tennessee is coming off a 90-64 win over previously-ranked No. 22 Ole Miss in its SEC opener. It was UT’s largest win over a ranked team since a 30-point win against No. 25 Kentucky on Feb. 16, 2013. It was also the second-largest win by any team against an AP-ranked opponent this season.
The Vols were led by point guard Zakai Zeigler (17 points, 10 assists) and Jonas Aidoo (24 points, 10 rebounds) in the win, as the junior duo became the first pair to have two different types of double-doubles in the same game since Jordan Bone (18 points, 10 assists) and Grant Williams (22 points, 10 rebounds) at Texas A&M on Feb. 2, 2019. Zeigler’s points/assists double-double was the sixth of his career, setting a new school record.
While Tennessee said hello win column in its conference opener, Mississippi State saw its five-game winning streak come to an end when it lost, 68-62, at South Carolina.
To get you ready for Wednesday night’s matchup between Tennessee (11-3, 1-0 SEC) and Mississippi State (11-3, 0-1 SEC), we take a look at the pertinent information, what we’re paying attention and give a quick prediction on the way out the door.
CoachSpeak: T.J. Lockhart
Mississippi State signee T.J. Lockhart remained True Maroon to the Bulldogs despite a coaching change.
Steve Robertson
Some guys are born to play with the ball in their hands. Others are dyed in the wool to be path makers. Such is the case for Mississippi State signee T.J. Lockhart of Winona. Over the course of his high school career, Lockhart became one of the most dependable offensive lineman in the state of Mississippi.
With a state title, an All-State selection and appearance in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star game, Lockhart is as accomplished as just about any other player in the Magnolia State. The robust offensive lineman made an early commitment to Mississippi State. The three-star big man remained true to the Bulldogs despite a coaching change.
At 6-6, 365 pounds, Lockhart is an imposing figure. Despite his impressive prep level resume, Winona High School coach Joey Tompkins believes that the best is yet to come for Lockhart, especially once he gets into a college weight room this summer. The path to Starkville began with a position change.
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Five Themes From Mississippi State’s Upset Win Over No. 5 Tennessee
By Hunter De Siver Sports Illustrated Mississippi State Football, Basketball, Recruiting, and More
Updated January 11, 2024 3:07 AM
The Mississippi State men’s basketball shocked the college basketball world on Wednesday night after defeating No. 5 Tennessee 77-72.
The Bulldogs made school history in this SEC bout, as it was their first win over an AP Top 10 team since 2002. Mississippi State now holds a stellar 12-3 record.
This matchup featured many themes that affected the historic outcome. Here’s five:
1. The Unique Scoring Night
Mississippi State’s early season success has typically stemmed from nights of even scoring around the team as the leading scorer doesn’t finish with many more points than the lowest. However, on Wednesday, forward Tolu Smith III and guard Josh Hubbard each tallied 20-plus points while no other Bulldog had double-digits.
Their methods of putting the ball in the basket couldn’t have been any more different. Hubbard primarily took shots from outside of the paint and even hit five shots from behind the arc. Smith, on the other hand, relied on his size to punish Tennessee on the inside with layups and dunks, but also converting 9-of-12 free throw attempts including the go-ahead and-1 with 15 seconds remaining in regulation.
2. The Unlikely Defensive Hero
Mississippi State forward D.J. Jeffries came into Wednesday night with a very noticeable demeanor that appeared as though he was out for some Tennessee Volunteers blood.
Jeffries entered the game third on the team in steals per game (0.9), but finished the first half with an astounding four. Smith, Hubbard and the rest of the Bulldogs rode Jeffries’ defensive prowess throughout the first half on the offensive side of the ball, as Mississippi State was up 35-22 at the break.
Jeffries continued to shine defensively in the second half on two of the three levels of the court. However, the rest of the team was unable to stay near the three-point line.
3. The Turning Point
Tennessee collectively buckled down defensively throughout the second half but shooting wasn’t the issue. Mississippi State ended the opening period with five turnovers, but by the end of the game, they committed a worrisome 18. In fact, seven of the nine Vols that played recorded a steal, and it only took a few threes for them to claw back into the game.
4. The Trouble-Making Tennessee Duo
Similar to Mississippi State, Tennessee only needed two players to shine in the scoring department, as guard Zakai Ziegler (26) and Dalton Knecht (28) combined for 54 of the team’s 72 points.
Nevertheless, unlike Mississippi State, the trouble-making duo had the same method of scoring, as they each buried four shots from behind the arc. They also often drove inside for layups, dunks and each nailed four free throws. Ziegler and Knecht led Tennessee from a 15-point deficit to an eventual 62-62 tie with roughly five minutes remaining.
5. The Foul-Out
20 seconds after Knecht’s free throws tied the game at 62, Tennessee forward Jonas Aidoo committed his fifth foul, which benched him for the final four minutes.
Tennessee earned their No. 5 ranking by using a small-ball play style, as 6-foot-11 Aidoo is the only forward in the starting lineup.
Mississippi State took advantage of Aidoo’s absence by solely going for layups and free throws. This method of punishing the inside helped Smith, Hubbard and forward Cameron Matthews complete the historic upset.
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This story was originally published January 11, 2024, 3:00 AM.
