1/28/2023 basketball Edit

Mississippi State takes down #11 TCU in overtime

Jan 28, 2023; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs guard Dashawn Davis (10) dribbles as TCU Horned Frogs forward Emanuel Miller (2) defends during the second half at Humphrey Coliseum. (Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports)

Jack Byers • BulldogBlitz

Staff Writer

Starkville - The SEC hasn't had the best day in this year's SEC/Big 12 challenge, but Mississippi State came out on top against #11 TCU with an 81-74 victory in overtime.

The two teams couldn't have been more even in regulation. They each made 25 field goals, five three-pointers, and 11 free throws as they went into overtime tied 66-66, but the Bulldogs pulled away for the victory.

Shahada Wells scored a bucket right off the tip for TCU, but the Horned Frogs only managed six more points in the overtime period to Mississippi State's 15. Shakeel Moore scored six of his 11 points in overtime after draining back-to-back threes for the Bulldogs, while Dashawn Davis and Tolu Smith added a pair of baskets to help State pull away.

Smith was one of five Bulldogs in double-figures today with a dominant 27-point, 13-rebound performance with five assists and four blocks. The 6'11" senior took advantage of a TCU defense missing starting center Eddie Lampkin Jr. and made 11/13 from the field.

It was Davis who came up big for the Bulldogs in the clutch. The Oregon State transfer scored 16 points and nailed 4/8 three-pointers, including a nothing-but-net triple from the corner to give Mississippi State a two-point lead with 57 seconds left in regulation.

The Horned Frogs lost its leading scorer Mike Miles Jr. to a knee injury less than four minutes into the contest, leaving them without two of their regular starters. Damion Baugh was tasked with a larger role and scored 19 points on 6/17 shooting, while former Texas A&M wing Emmanuel Miller added 13.

Cameron Matthews continued to stuff the stat sheet for Mississippi State with a double-double. The junior from Olive Branch, Mississippi, scored ten points with ten rebounds and was dominant on the defensive end with three steals in two blocks.

The win gives Mississippi State a quadrant-1 victory to add to its resume and builds its momentum going into the back half of the conference slate. They'll be back in action Tuesday as they'll travel to South Carolina to take on the Gamecocks.