Despite understanding that this season was to be a rebuilding year, the young Bulldogs basketball team has taken more lumps recently than expected.
Behind 19 points from C.J. Watson, the No. 19-ranked Tennessee Volunteers routed Mississippi State 88-65 Wednesday night in a game they controlled from the opening tip. The 33-point defeat is the biggest home loss in coach Rick Stansbury’s tenure and the largest margin since the Volunteers beat MSU by 24 in 1998.
“I thought for the first time all year long that we got whipped,” Stansbury said.
Tennessee (13-3, 4-1 SEC) showed no signs of weakness coming off its weekend upset of then-No. 2 Florida. The Volunteers shot 52 percent from the field and led by as many as 25 points.
Charles Rhodes, Jamont Gordon and Jamall Edmondson each had 15 points for Mississippi State (11-8, 1-5), which has lost five straight games for the first time since the 1999-2000 season.
Mississippi State tied the score at 14 off a Gordon layup, but a blindingly quick transition attack by the Vols allowed them to make a 21-5 push to take a commanding lead with five minutes remaining in the first half. JaJuan Smith swished a demoralizing three-pointer at the buzzer to give Tennessee the 44-29 halftime edge.
MSU cut the deficit to 12 points in the second half but Tennessee’s relentless fullcourt press and Watson’s 12 second-half points gave the Bulldogs no chance to recover. Mississippi State struggled to inbound the ball, twice having to call for timeout.
Coach Stansbury used a different starting lineup for the seventh time this season, opting to sit 7-2 center Wesley Morgan in favor of 6-4 guard Reginald Delk to combat Tennessee’s quickness.
The Bulldogs were able to handle the press in the first 20 minutes using their four-guard lineup but had significant problems with their half court offense, shooting just 32 percent. They were also outboarded in the first half 24-17 by the Vols, who rank last in the SEC in rebounding.
“I understand that our team is not very good right now,” Stansbury said. “We have to find a way to get better, whether it’s on the road or at home. We just don’t have much rhythm, and we changed the rhythm again tonight by going small.”
Andre Patterson had 13 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Stanley Asumnu added 12 points, and Smith had 11 for Tennessee, which is now 11-0 when holding opponents under 80 points.
“I think we are soul-searching right now,” Delk said. “None of these games are going to be easy.”
Mississippi State now moves on to play Alabama on Saturday in Tuscaloosa.
“There is only so much that you can say,” Stansbury said. “There is no magical speech after (the Tennessee game). No one likes to lose. They are hurting like everyone else is hurting. I told them that it doesn’t get any easier … and no one feels sorry for you.”