It’s nice to get back on track.
No. 6 Tennessee defeated No. 15 Mississippi State 68-56 in Knoxville on Tuesday night. Here are three things I liked from the game and one critique.
Positive: Early defensive pressure
Strong defense in the first half for the Vols was a relief after a poor defensive outing last week against Vandy. Mississippi State hit one of its first 13 shots while the Vols gradually built up a 15-4 lead. By the end of the half, the visitors only had 16 points, going 6/23 from the floor and only putting the ball in the hoop behind the arc three times. Zakai Zeigler had four steals which led to 8 UT points.
Positive: A better night for Chaz Lanier
The senior from Nashville had a nice get-back game on Tuesday night with a 23-point performance (five three-pointers), 14 of which were in the first half. Lanier tallied 17 points against Vandy last week but infamously missed the game-tying free throw at the end of regulation. This performance was good for him to get his mojo back.
Positive: Weathered the storm
Not long after the second half started, Tennessee’s comfortable 34-16 halftime lead was quickly dwindling, with a score of 38-31. The Bulldogs weren’t going away (more on this later). But blink an eye a few minutes later, and it was 50-33. A few second-chance buckets thanks to offensive rebounding helped the cause. The recovery was much needed to propel UT back into the win column.
Negative: The struggle to start the second half
No one will like how the second half opened up with a 15-4 Mississippi State run. Its defense stifled UT for a little while, until a few timely shots—one of which was a three by Felix Okpara—helped restore order in the orange-and-white confines of Thompson Boling Arena. It was a desperation three that turned the tide of the game. Okpara finished with nine points and 12 rebounds, just one point shy of a double-double.
That early second-half struggle is a reminder of what many UT fans such as myself have concern for. Yes, Mississippi State is a good team, and that run didn’t last long—as the Vols pulled away—but this was at home. When those kinds of runs happen on the road in the SEC, UT is very susceptible. Runs like that aren’t completely avoidable, but they must be limited against quality opponents if Tennessee wants to have favorable seeding in March.
Regardless, the important thing is that the Vols recovered, secured momentum, and earned another win to defend home court. It was nice to get revenge after losing twice to the Bulldogs last season. Now Tennessee turns its attention to a monumental matchup at No. 1 Auburn on Saturday night.