Tennessee’s 56-53 defeat of Mississippi State was anything but glamorous Tuesday night inside Thompson-Boling Arena, but the No. 18 Volunteers were happy to avoid discussion of a three-game losing streak.
“It was a must win,” Tennessee senior guard/forward Yves Pons said. “We had two straight losses, and we needed that win to put us back on track and to bring our confidence back.”
The Vols won despite shooting 37.0% from the floor, 15.8% from the 3-point line and getting outrebounded 42-30. They began this coronavirus-altered season known for their dominant defensive play and regained their form Tuesday, holding the Bulldogs to just two baskets during the final 11 minutes.
Tennessee improved to 11-3 overall and 5-3 in Southeastern Conference play, while Mississippi State dropped to 9-8 and 4-5.
“I told the team tonight, ‘I don’t care how we do it. We’ve got to find a way to win this game,'” Vols coach Rick Barnes said. “I didn’t care what the score was. I just wanted us to execute what we do. We had to find a way to get it done, and in games like this, players make plays.”