Mississippi State Men's Basketball Takes Down No. 11 TCU In Overtime Thriller
In this story:
As part of the final addition of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, Mississippi State men’s basketball took down No. 11 TCU, 81-74 in overtime, in Humphrey Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.
TCU was shorthanded, missing three starters in their weekend contest against the Bulldogs. Despite this, the Horned Frogs wouldn’t go down without a fight, coming back from a 31-25 deficit at halftime.
It was a close battle in the second half of the game, with DeShawn Davis hitting a three pointer from the corner to put the Bulldogs up 66-64 with 55 seconds remaining in regulation.
TCU would tie the game with a go-ahead layup and would force overtime. However, the Bulldogs took control, outscoring the Horned Frogs 15-8 in overtime as the crowd in Humphrey Coliseum roared with energy.
“For me it was an exhale,” Bulldogs head coach Chris Jans said. “For the guys it was super-excited, joyous, celebrating a win. We didn’t address it that much. I told them how proud I was of them during this stretch because it’s real easy to start listening to noise and other people. I understand how that works and you start questioning things. But they kept with it.”
Several Bulldog players finished in double digits. Forward Tolu Smith put up a double-double, scoring a season-high 27 points and 13 rebounds, along with five assists and four blocks, while shooting 11-13 from the field and 5-6 from the free throw line.
Four other Bulldog players finished with ten or more points, with guard DeShawn Davis scoring 16. Guard Shakeel Moore had 11 points while forward Tyler Stevenson and guard Cam Matthews both finished with ten points apiece.
With the win, the Bulldogs improve to a 13-8 overall record for the season. The win also snaps a five game losing streak for the Bulldogs.
While they remain at 1-7 in conference play, the win gives the Bulldogs the momentum they need to turn the season around and make a push for a postseason bid, whether it be the NCAA Tournament or the NIT.
"I feel like we've gone through trials and tribulations, but we've stuck together and fought together," Shakeel Moore said. "This win means a lot for us."
Up next, the Bulldogs return to conference play and travel to play at South Carolina on Tuesday, January 31st, at 5:30 PM CT. The game will be aired on SEC Network.
