In front of a near sell-out crowd at Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, the Mississippi State Bulldogs would travel into the beast to face the Tennessee Volunteers with a spot in the 2024 Southeastern Conference Tournament Final Four up for grabs. Mississippi State beat Tennessee once this season and wanted to do so again on Friday afternoon to solidify Mississippi State as an NCAA Tournament team on Sunday.

Mississippi State needed the perfect game to beat the top-ranked Tennessee Volunteers in Nashville in front of the Big Orange Nation.

Opening the game, Mississippi State went on a run unlike anything the Bulldogs had ever done. Mississippi State opened the game with a stifling defense and an offensive run that Bulldog fans had not seen from this team all season. Mississippi State came out in the first half, adding pressure to the Tennessee faithful in attendance to cheer on the Volunteers.

Mississippi State came out swinging against the Tennessee Volunteers as the wealth distribution was something that Head Coach Chris Jans and his staff had been working towards all season. Following the win over LSU, the weight on the entire seemed to have left the building as the Bulldogs understood they could play with house money to survive and advance in March.

As the second half progressed, Mississippi State continued to play Mississippi State Basketball and push Tennessee to the point of no return. Every time Tennessee went on a run, Mississippi State would have an answer for the Volunteers.

Tennessee made a run with 4:36 remaining, cutting into the Bulldogs’ lead and making it 60-48. DJ Jeffries buried a corner three to put the nail in Tennessee’s coffin, making it 65-48 with 3:21 to play. In the end, Mississippi State wrapped it in maroon and white.

In all honesty, Coach Chris Jans and his staff prepared the Bulldogs with the best gameplan possible to limit the Tennessee scoring chances and to give Mississippi State the best chance at advancing to the 2024 Southeastern Conference Tournament Final Four, where the Bulldogs will play the winner of Auburn and South Carolina on Saturday at noon on ESPN.