Mississippi State Shocks Top-Seeded Tennessee in SEC Quarters

In a major upset at the SEC Tournament, the Mississippi State Bulldogs knocked off the #5 ranked Tennessee Volunteers 73-56 in the quarterfinals on Friday. The Bulldogs raced out to a huge 38-19 halftime lead and never looked back, weathering a second half Tennessee run to secure the victory.

Senior guards Cameron Matthews and Josh Hubbard led the way for Mississippi State, each scoring 18 points on an efficient shooting night. The Bulldogs shot a blistering 55.3% from the field against one of the nation’s best defenses.

“We came out playing with great energy and confidence from the opening tip,” said Matthews. “Getting that big lead allowed us to settle in and stick to our game plan against a very talented Tennessee team.”

On the other side, the Volunteers struggled mightily on offense, shooting just 31.1% overall. Projected NBA lottery pick Jalen Wilson had a night to forget, scoring just 8 points on 3-14 shooting.

“You have to credit Mississippi State, they played with great poise and toughness,” said Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes. “But our guys know that level of offense isn’t going to get it done this time of year. We’ve got to regroup and get refocused for the NCAA Tournament.”

The loss is a major hit to Tennessee’s chances at earning a #1 seed in the Big Dance. Prior to Friday, the Volunteers were seen as a near-lock to claim one of the top seeds after an outstanding regular season in the rugged SEC.

Now their NCAA Tournament resume has a glaring blemish – an 0-2 record in their final two games against unranked opponents. While still likely to earn a high seed, the path to the Final Four just got much tougher for the Vols.

For Mississippi State, the weekend continues with a semifinal date against either Auburn or South Carolina. The Bulldogs are likely solidly in the NCAA field already, but a strong run in the SEC Tournament could propel them to a better seed and location.

“We’re just taking it one game at a time and having fun playing our best basketball of the season,” said Bulldogs head coach Chris Jans. “But we know we’re capable of beating anyone when we are locked in like we were tonight.”

Tennessee will have over a week off before learning their NCAA Tournament draw and road. A deep run is still very much in play, but the sting of this upset will linger as a reminder to play their best every night.

As for the other contenders for a #1 seed, North Carolina stayed alive by holding off Pitt in the ACC semis, while Arizona cruised past Oregon to make the Pac-12 finals. The chase for the coveted top seeds will go down to the wire on Selection Sunday.

But for one night, it was Mississippi State and their dynamic backcourt duo cutting down the nets and sending shockwaves through the college basketball world with their signature win over mighty Tennessee.