University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
13-8, 5-4SEC
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Mississippi State
11-11, 4-5SEC
Hot-Shooting Miss State Tops Vols, 71-66
February 03, 2015 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 3, 2015
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Mississippi State hit 8-of-11 from 3-point range and 56 percent from the floor to capture a 71-66 win at Tennessee on Tuesday night. Bulldogs Craig Sword (26 points) and Fred Thomas (20 points) combined for 46 points. Sword and Thomas each made 4-of-5 from 3-point land.
Senior Josh Richardson had a career-high to keep the Vols (13-8, 5-4 SEC) in the game with 30 points. It was the 14th time this season he led the Vols in scoring as he had the most for a Vol in game in 2014-15. Jordan McRae was the last to score 30-plus with 31 at Missouri last February.
Junior Kevin Punter had 10 points. Classmate Armani Moore added eight points and 10 rebounds (career-high nine offensive rebounds).
Mississippi State won for the fourth time in six games to even its record at 11-11 and move to 4-5 in the SEC. It was the Bulldogs' first win in a game in February since Feb. 29, 2012, ending a losing streak of 16 games in the month.
The Bulldogs gained a measure of revenge against the Vols as Tennessee beat them in Starkville, 61-47, in the first meeting on Jan. 7.
Down 32-30 at intermission, the Vols trailed by as many as eight several times in second half before taking a brief lead with 13:31 left and drawing within one point with five minutes left. But the Vols were unable to overcome the deficit and suffered their first loss to Mississippi State since a 62-58 defeat on Jan. 12, 2012.
The Vols battled in the final minutes but were unable to take a lead. Punter connected on a 3-pointer with 2:20 left to bring them within two points at 63-61. Derek Reese missed a dunk with less than a minute left that would have tied the game at 63.
From there, Mississippi State sealed the game as Thomas converted a 3-point play with 52 seconds left, putting the Bulldogs up 66-61. I.J. Ready and Sword made five free throws in the final 37 seconds to finish off the victory.
Richardson scored 10 consecutive points for Tennessee to get the Vols within two at 58-56 with 5:18 left in the game.
After the Vols rallied from eight down to take brief lead, the Bulldogs continued their hot shooting from 3-point range and rebuilt that advantage of eight points at 51-43 with 10 minutes left.
Richardson scored seven consecutive points as the Vols went on a 9-0 run to take a 41-40 lead with 13:18 left in the game. The Bulldogs didn't make a field goal for nearly the first eight of the second half before Sword his a 3-pointer with 12:11 left to give the lead at 44-41.
Mississippi State scored eight of the first 10 points in the second half -- all on free throws -- to build an eight-point lead at 40-32 with 16:51 left in the game.
The Bulldogs held a 32-30 lead at halftime as they shot 12-of-19 in the first half (63.2 percent) led by Thomas (11) and Sword (10). Mississippi State surpassed their entire game total (11-of-36) of field goals from the first meeting in the first half alone. MSU made 4-of-5 3-pointers with Thomas knocking down all three of his attempts.
Mississippi State was red shot to start the game, hitting eight of their first 10 attempts to lead 20-17 with 9:28 left in the half.
Richardson had 11 to lead the Vols in the first half as Tennessee shot 37.5 from the floor.
The Vols return to action on Saturday as they travel to Georgia for a 12 noon tip on ESPN2.
