After a big win over Kentucky, Tennessee is in line for an SEC basketball title and looks to defend their home court against Mississippi State.
After losses in two of their previous four games, people were beginning to wonder whether Tennessee was the real deal. The Volunteers had gotten embarrassed at Rupp Arena, knocking them from the top spot in the polls, and followed that up by losing to the SEC’s other top team in LSU.
The script flipped in Knoxville on Saturday, when the Volunteers routed Kentucky 71-52 to move back on top of the SEC standings. While Grant Williams did what he usually does for the Vols, piling up 24 points, the team was actually led by junior Jordan Bone.
Bone, who had scored only nine points in Tennessee’s win at Ole Miss on Wednesday, exploded for 27 on 11-15 shooting to help Tennessee score a marquee victory. The Vols will now look to finish the season hot with a four-game winning streak, and that process begins with a home date against Mississippi State.
Ben Howland’s team appears poised to head back to the NCAA Tournament, but they are coming off a loss to Auburn on Saturday. The Bulldogs saw a five-game winning streak come to an end, and while the strength of the SEC should raise Mississippi State’s boat they can’t afford to drop too many more games.
Winning at Tennessee would give the Bulldogs a signature win on a resume whose best wins include Wofford, Auburn, and Ole Miss. This is the only matchup of the year between the two teams, so Mississippi State needs to make it count.
How to watch Mississippi State vs. Tennessee
- Date: Tuesday, March 5
- Time: 9 p.m. ET
- Location: Knoxville, TN
- Venue: Thompson-Boling Arena
- TV: SEC Network
- Live Stream: WatchESPN