Five Themes From Mississippi State's Upset Win Over No. 5 Tennessee
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.
