The Mississippi State University men’s basketball team added a huge win to their NCAA Tournament resume on Saturday as the Bulldogs pulled off a 70-64 upset win over the University of Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena.
MSU looked impressive offensively in the opening minutes of the first half, shooting 9-11 (81.8%) and 3-5 (60%) from beyond the arc in the opening 10 minutes of the game.
At the end of the first half, MSU had a nine-point lead over Arkansas — the game’s biggest lead so far. The Bulldogs shared the wealth with each other in the first, as five different players had over five points apiece to close out the half.
Following the win over the Hogs, Bulldogs head coach Chris Jans discussed his thoughts on the environment and his team’s performance against a tough conference opponent.
“(I’m) just proud of my kids,” Jans said. “I’ve heard all about (Bud Walton Arena). I’d never been to a game here. I’d been to AAU events here a long, long time ago, but obviously, it’s a great venue to compete in. And (the win) felt really good.
Although Arkansas was able to draw within three, the Bulldogs maintained the lead and closed out the game as the victors. MSU finished the game 27-57 (47.4%) from the field and the Bulldogs finished a much improved 6-10 (60%) from the three-point range.
Dashawn Davis, Shakeel Moore, Tolu Smith and Cameron Matthews all reached double-digits, but Davis led the way for the Bulldogs with 17.  Davis went 6-11 on the night, including 2-3 from deep and 3-3 from the charity stripe.
Smith led the Bulldogs with eight rebounds, followed closely by Matthews and Moore who had six and five respectively.
At the postgame presser, Smith spoke to the media about the importance of picking up the conference win against a Quadrant 1 opponent on the road.
“This feels amazing,” Smith said. “I’m so happy we got this win. It’s a Quad 1 win, so it’s a great feeling for us. It was a great opportunity we had, and we just accomplished it.”
The Bulldogs’ defense has consistently been one of the most tenacious in the country all season, and now that the offense has found its stride, MSU is making an intriguing case for a chance at the dance.
Next up, MSU returns to Starkville to face the University of Kentucky Wildcats at Humphrey Coliseum Wednesday night. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. and the game will broadcast live on the SEC Network.