Following a disappointing loss on Wednesday night to Alabama, Mississippi State welcomed TCU to the Hump as part of the SEC/ Big 12 Challenge on Saturday. This a challenge that Mississippi State took to heart as the Bulldogs came out on Saturday afternoon in front of the home court with a chip on their shoulder following Wednesday night’s heartbreaking loss. TCU came into the matchup with the Bulldogs ranked 11th in the country after winning four games in a row. Such a big game in the fact that a group of Mississippi State students painted ( UGA 65- TCU 7) about the beatdown TCU received in the 2023 College Football National Championship a few weeks prior.

It was all Mississippi State in the first half, as the Bulldogs relied on their dominating defensive performance to hold the line until the break. TCU had no answer before the break for the physicality that Mississippi State brings to the table. On the offensive side of the court for Mississippi State, it was Tolu Smith who led the way for the Bulldogs with an easy twelve points. Mississippi State never trailed in the first half taking a 31-25 lead to the break.

At the start of the second half, TCU went on a little run to tie the Bulldogs around the under-sixteen media timeout. From there, it was a back-and-forth struggle between Mississippi State and TCU. Neither team could break away from the other, creating an electric college basketball game at the Hump in Starkville, Mississippi.

In the second half, Mississippi State and TCU went toe for toe like a heavy-weight prized boxing match. However, regulation was not enough as the two ended the second half in a deadlock tie of 66-66, forcing overtime at the Hump.

In overtime, it was Maroon Madness as the Mississippi State Bulldogs knock off TCU to earn a much-needed non-conference basketball game. We saw it on Wednesday night, the spark that Mississippi State needed to defeat TCU on Saturday.

Mississippi State will return to action on Tuesday night as they travel to South Carolina to take on the Gamecocks.