Vanderbilt Dominates Mississippi State
STARKVILLE, Mississippi — In a dominant display, No. 15 ranked Vanderbilt ended a three-game losing streak with a resounding 88-56 victory against Mississippi State on Saturday. Leading the charge for the Commodores, Tyler Tanner scored an impressive 24 points while Duke Miles contributed 17.
Mississippi State’s Struggles
This defeat marked a significant low for Mississippi State, equaling the third-largest loss in head coach Chris Jans’ time with the team. Vanderbilt, holding a current season record of 17-3 and 4-3 in the SEC, demonstrated their offensive prowess, particularly in the paint where they outscored their opponents 50-22.
Mississippi State, now at a disappointing 10-10 overall and 2-6 in conference play, was led by Jayden Epps who managed to put up 14 points. After a promising start to the season with two early SEC victories, the Bulldogs have faced a rough patch, suffering five consecutive losses.
Game Highlights
The Commodores quickly established control of the game, racing to a 22-4 lead early on. By halftime, they had made seven 3-pointers and had capitalized on 18 points from turnovers to take a comfortable 51-30 lead.
Vanderbilt’s shooting stats reflected their strong offensive night, finishing the game at 54% from the field including 32% from beyond the arc (8 for 25) and an impressive 90.9% (10 for 11) from the free-throw line. In contrast, Mississippi State struggled, shooting only 34% overall and managing just 5 out of 26 from three-point territory, in addition to committing 17 turnovers.
Looking Ahead
Given concerns about incoming winter weather, the game’s start time was adjusted ahead of schedule. Looking ahead, Vanderbilt is set to face Kentucky at home on Tuesday, while Mississippi State will travel to LSU for their next contest on Wednesday.
This victory not only revitalizes Vanderbilt’s season but also serves as a stark reminder for Mississippi State of the challenges they must overcome as they regroup to find their footing in the SEC.
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