Smith helps Mississippi State knock off No. 5 Tennessee 77-72
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) Tolu Smith scored 23 points, including a three-point play with 14.7 seconds remaining, to lead Mississippi State to a 77-72 win over No. 5 Tennessee.
The win marked Mississippi State’s first win over a Top 5 team since defeating Oklahoma in December of 2002. The Vols are the fourth top five team to lose in the past 24 hours as No. 1 Purdue, No. 2 Houston and No. 3 Kansas also were beaten.
Freshman Josh Hubbard led Mississippi State (12-3, 1-1 in SEC) with 25 points, highlighted by a 5 of 10 showing from 3 point territory.
“We just stuck together,” said Mississippi State head coach Chris Jans. “And we made some plays. The game changed quickly in the second half. Out of the gates they made some baskets and Tennessee played with great intensity and passion. We obviously struggled with the press and we’re not a huge pressing team. But I was glad we stuck together.”
Smith missed the first 12 games of the season due to a preseason foot injury. Wednesday marked just his third game of the season and he was 7 of 10 from the field and 9 of 12 at the foul line.
“I think the main thing we focused on in the huddle was not going too hot and not going too low,” said Smith. “We just stayed together. I’ve got great players on my team like Cam Matthews that get me the ball inside. It is like a feeling and it is hard to explain. When I see him and he sees me, we make things happen.”
Dalton Knecht scored 26 of his 28 points in the second half for Tennessee (11-4, 1-1). Zakai Zeigler added 26 points for the Volunteers.
Tennessee trailed by 13 at halftime but made a second-half charge led by Knecht. With 11:36 left in the second half, Knecht’s 3 pointer capped a 12-2 Tennessee run and cut the State lead to 51-49.
Later in the half, Knecht tied the game at 62-62 with two free throws and then his dunk tied the game at 72-72 with 35.3 seconds remaining. However, Smith’s three-point play with 14.7 seconds left gave the Bulldogs the lead for good and a Cameron Matthews dunk in the final second clinched the victory.
Mississippi State shot 50% from the field and made 19 of 27 at the foul line. The Volunteers shot 46% from the floor and made 8 of 29 from 3 point range. The Bulldogs had 18 turnovers while Tennessee had 16 and both teams had 33 rebounds.
“That’s the most disappointing thing and just so inconsistent,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said of the first-half deficit. “We took a couple of steps forward and then a step back. But I don’t want to take anything away from Mississippi State and Coach Jans had his guys ready to play. In the first half we had some good looks and just didn’t make them. The second half we fought hard to get back in it and I appreciate that effort.”
Both teams traded leads in the opening moments before Mississippi State took a 15-10 lead after a Smith three-point play. After Tennessee closed the gap to 16-14, Hubbard had a trio of 3 pointers to spark a 17-4 run by the Bulldogs as the lead grew to 33-18. Mississippi State led 35-22 at halftime, which was Tennessee’s lowest first-half scoring output of the season.
Mississippi State shot 50% in the first half while holding the Volunteers to 33% in the opening half. The Bulldogs were 4 of 9 from 3 point range and Tennessee was just 2 of 13 beyond the arc in the first half. Tennessee also had 10 turnovers in the first half.
BIG PICTURE
Tennessee: Wednesday’s loss marked Tennessee’s first loss to an unranked team this season. The Volunteers had won nine of the last ten meetings with Mississippi State and their previous losses this season came against No. 1 Purdue, No. 3 Kansas and No. 7 North Carolina.
Mississippi State: After losing at South Carolina in their SEC opener, the Bulldogs faced a must-win situation. Later this week, the Bulldogs host Alabama before traveling to Kentucky next week.
UP NEXT
Tennessee: The Volunteers remain on the road and travel to Georgia on Saturday.
Mississippi State: The Bulldogs host Alabama on Saturday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | (Bulldogs gains possession) | |||
19:48 | Shakeel Moore turnover (Jonas Aidoo steals) | |||
19:34 | Dalton Knecht misses two point layup | |||
19:32 | Dalton Knecht offensive rebound | |||
19:29 | +3 | Zakai Zeigler makes three point jump shot (Dalton Knecht assists) | 3-0 | |
19:02 | +2 | Tolu Smith III makes two point layup | 3-2 | |
18:34 | Josiah-Jordan James misses two point jump shot | |||
18:32 | Dashawn Davis defensive rebound | |||
18:17 | +3 | Dashawn Davis makes three point jump shot (Tolu Smith III assists) | 3-5 | |
18:00 | Dalton Knecht misses three point jump shot | |||
17:58 | D.J. Jeffries defensive rebound | |||
17:42 | Shakeel Moore turnover (Dalton Knecht steals) | |||
17:28 | +3 | Zakai Zeigler makes three point jump shot | 6-5 | |
17:04 | +2 | Tolu Smith III makes two point dunk (Cameron Matthews assists) | 6-7 | |
16:39 | +2 | Jonas Aidoo makes two point jump shot (Santiago Vescovi assists) | 8-7 | |
16:18 | D.J. Jeffries misses two point jump shot | |||
16:16 | Jonas Aidoo defensive rebound | |||
16:02 | Zakai Zeigler misses three point jump shot | |||
16:00 | Dashawn Davis defensive rebound | |||
15:53 | Shakeel Moore misses three point jump shot | |||
15:51 | Zakai Zeigler defensive rebound | |||
15:44 | Shakeel Moore blocks Santiago Vescovi's three point jump shot | |||
15:42 | Jonas Aidoo offensive rebound | |||
15:31 | Zakai Zeigler turnover (Cameron Matthews steals) | |||
15:27 | Santiago Vescovi personal foul | |||
15:27 | TV timeout | |||
15:12 | Jahmai Mashack shooting foul (Josh Hubbard draws the foul) | |||
15:12 | +1 | Josh Hubbard makes regular free throw 1 of 3 | 8-8 | |
15:12 | +1 | Josh Hubbard makes regular free throw 2 of 3 | 8-9 | |
15:12 | +1 | Josh Hubbard makes regular free throw 3 of 3 | 8-10 | |
14:57 | D.J. Jeffries personal foul | |||
14:51 | Josiah-Jordan James misses three point jump shot | |||
14:49 | Dashawn Davis defensive rebound | |||
14:36 | +2 | Jimmy Bell Jr. makes two point hook shot | 8-12 | |
14:13 | +2 | Zakai Zeigler makes two point jump shot | 10-12 | |
13:53 | Dashawn Davis turnover (Josiah-Jordan James steals) | |||
13:35 | Jimmy Bell Jr. blocks Josiah-Jordan James's two point layup | |||
13:35 | Jahmai Mashack offensive rebound | |||
13:35 | Jahmai Mashack turnover (traveling) | |||
13:22 | Josh Hubbard misses three point jump shot | |||
13:20 | Jimmy Bell Jr. offensive rebound | |||
13:17 | Jimmy Bell Jr. misses two point layup | |||
13:15 | Tobe Awaka defensive rebound | |||
13:06 | Jahmai Mashack misses three point jump shot | |||
13:04 | Josh Hubbard defensive rebound | |||
12:51 | Jimmy Bell Jr. misses two point jump shot | |||
12:49 | Josiah-Jordan James defensive rebound | |||
12:44 | Jordan Gainey misses three point jump shot | |||
12:42 | Tobe Awaka offensive rebound | |||
12:33 | Jordan Gainey misses three point jump shot | |||
12:31 | Jimmy Bell Jr. defensive rebound | |||
12:03 | Bulldogs turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
11:41 | Jordan Gainey turnover (traveling) | |||
11:41 | TV timeout | |||
11:24 | +2 | Tolu Smith III makes two point layup | 10-14 | |
11:24 | Santiago Vescovi shooting foul (Tolu Smith III draws the foul) | |||
11:24 | +1 | Tolu Smith III makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 10-15 | |
11:13 | Dalton Knecht misses three point jump shot | |||
11:11 | Jahmai Mashack offensive rebound | |||
11:11 | Shawn Jones Jr. personal foul | |||
11:10 | Jonas Aidoo turnover (D.J. Jeffries steals) | |||
10:42 | Trey Fort misses three point jump shot | |||
10:40 | Dalton Knecht defensive rebound | |||
10:26 | Trey Fort shooting foul (Jonas Aidoo draws the foul) | |||
10:26 | Jonas Aidoo misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
10:26 | +1 | Jonas Aidoo makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 11-15 | |
10:06 | Jonas Aidoo shooting foul (Tolu Smith III draws the foul) | |||
10:06 | +1 | Tolu Smith III makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 11-16 | |
10:06 | Tolu Smith III misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
10:06 | Dalton Knecht defensive rebound | |||
9:36 | Volunteers turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
9:21 | Tolu Smith III misses two point layup | |||
9:19 | Cameron Matthews offensive rebound | |||
9:02 | Dashawn Davis misses two point layup | |||
9:00 | Jonas Aidoo defensive rebound | |||
8:53 | Josiah-Jordan James misses three point jump shot | |||
8:51 | Tolu Smith III defensive rebound | |||
8:34 | D.J. Jeffries misses two point jump shot | |||
8:32 | Josiah-Jordan James defensive rebound | |||
8:24 | +2 | Dalton Knecht makes two point jump shot | 13-16 | |
7:58 | Cameron Matthews misses two point jump shot | |||
7:56 | Josiah-Jordan James defensive rebound | |||
7:51 | Cameron Matthews shooting foul | |||
7:51 | TV timeout | |||
7:51 | Josiah-Jordan James misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
7:51 | +1 | Josiah-Jordan James makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 14-16 | |
7:41 | Tobe Awaka personal foul | |||
7:35 | +2 | Cameron Matthews makes two point layup | 14-18 | |
7:35 | Dalton Knecht shooting foul (Cameron Matthews draws the foul) | |||
7:35 | Cameron Matthews misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
7:35 | Josiah-Jordan James defensive rebound | |||
7:19 | Jordan Gainey misses two point layup | |||
7:17 | Tobe Awaka offensive rebound | |||
7:11 | Josiah-Jordan James turnover (Cameron Matthews steals) | |||
6:51 | +3 | Josh Hubbard makes three point jump shot | 14-21 | |
6:35 | Cameron Matthews personal foul | |||
6:27 | Jordan Gainey misses three point jump shot | |||
6:25 | Shakeel Moore defensive rebound | |||
6:11 | +3 | Josh Hubbard makes three point jump shot | 14-24 | |
6:08 | Volunteers 30 second timeout | |||
5:56 | Josiah-Jordan James misses two point jump shot | |||
5:54 | Tobe Awaka offensive rebound | |||
5:50 | +2 | Tobe Awaka makes two point layup | 16-24 | |
5:22 | Tolu Smith III misses two point jump shot | |||
5:20 | Jahmai Mashack defensive rebound | |||
5:14 | Dalton Knecht misses three point jump shot | |||
5:12 | D.J. Jeffries defensive rebound | |||
4:50 | +2 | Tolu Smith III makes two point layup | 16-26 | |
4:38 | Tobe Awaka turnover (Shakeel Moore steals) | |||
4:22 | Tolu Smith III turnover (Jahmai Mashack steals) | |||
4:08 | Josh Hubbard personal foul | |||
4:06 | +2 | Jonas Aidoo makes two point dunk (Zakai Zeigler assists) | 18-26 | |
3:35 | +2 | Tolu Smith III makes two point layup | 18-28 | |
3:23 | Jonas Aidoo misses two point hook shot | |||
3:21 | D.J. Jeffries defensive rebound | |||
3:10 | +2 | Shakeel Moore makes two point jump shot (D.J. Jeffries assists) | 18-30 | |
2:52 | Jahmai Mashack misses two point layup | |||
2:50 | Jahmai Mashack offensive rebound | |||
2:47 | Jahmai Mashack turnover (D.J. Jeffries steals) | |||
2:40 | Bulldogs 30 second timeout | |||
2:40 | TV timeout | |||
2:28 | Josh Hubbard misses three point jump shot | |||
2:26 | Volunteers defensive rebound | |||
1:55 | Zakai Zeigler turnover (D.J. Jeffries steals) | |||
1:47 | +3 | Josh Hubbard makes three point jump shot (Dashawn Davis assists) | 18-33 | |
1:34 | Jonas Aidoo turnover (D.J. Jeffries steals) | |||
1:30 | Josh Hubbard misses three point jump shot | |||
1:28 | Zakai Zeigler defensive rebound | |||
1:28 | Shawn Jones Jr. personal foul | |||
1:28 | Zakai Zeigler misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
1:28 | D.J. Jeffries defensive rebound | |||
1:02 | Josiah-Jordan James personal foul (Josh Hubbard draws the foul) | |||
1:02 | Josh Hubbard misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
1:02 | Tobe Awaka defensive rebound | |||
0:50 | +2 | Zakai Zeigler makes two point jump shot | 20-33 | |
0:36 | +2 | D.J. Jeffries makes two point dunk (Shakeel Moore assists) | 20-35 | |
0:03 | +2 | Josiah-Jordan James makes two point jump shot | 22-35 | |
0:00 | End of period |