5 Key Takeaways from Mississippi State’s 95-90 Loss to Kentucky

Mississippi State came up just short in a wild loss to Kentucky. 5 takeaways from the Bulldogs first SEC loss.

Jan 11, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs forward Cameron Matthews (4) handles the ball against Kentucky Wildcats center Amari Williams (22) during the second half at Humphrey Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images | Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

5. Kentucky dictated the tempo

Mississippi State isn't about chasing. It's not bad cranking up the fast break, the threes are usually okay, and all is fine as long as it's dictating the pace and tempo. The Wildcats got up fast, put up 49 on the board in the first half, and it took everything in the Bulldog arsenal to make this a fight.

The comeback in the second half was terrific, but the game was still a wee bit too hectic because ...

4. The Kentucky threes were a killer

Prairie View A&M kept it way too close in a 91-84 loss thanks to ten threes. Mississippi State’s first and only loss of the year before this came against Butler, who hit 12 threes. 

Kentucky was on fire hitting 16 of 32 shots from three, Mississippi State did its best to keep up, but it was just too much. Jaxson Robinson and his seven threes dominated, but that’s all a bit of an outlier. UK got hot. It’s going to happen. But ...

3. Everything went (almost) right for the Bulldogs but the win

There’s no reason to panic quite yet. Mississippi State did almost everything it needed to do.

It could’ve been far better on the glass - there were too many one-and-done possessions. The three point defense wasn’t lazy; Kentucky just hit ht shots.

The Bulldogs keep on improving from the free-throw line, moved the ball around well, and didn’t have a turnover problem. Kentucky was on fire, and it was still only a five-point Miss State loss.

2. The Mississippi State offense was balanced

Think of the long haul here. It was a setback, but the depth and firepower from several parts will add up.

No, Mississippi State doesn't have the high-end scorers of some of the other SEC teams, but the production comes in waves. All five starters scored at least ten points, and KeShawn Murphy and Riley Kugel each came up eight.

1. Mississippi State proved it could hang with Kentucky, but ...

It doesn't get easier after this.

Yeah, the Bulldogs are a top 25 team and the expectations are higher now, but Kentucky has the talent and the offense to be truly special, and this was close even though just about everything went right for the visitors.

At Auburn, Ole Miss, at Tennessee, at South Carolina, Alabama. This will be a rough January, and the record will take a hit, but keep playing like it did on Saturday - only with more defensive pressure and more boards - and the Bulldogs will win their share of these.