Mississippi State’s Late-Game Push Not Enough Against Kentucky, 95-90
On Saturday night, Mississippi State's men's basketball team hosted an SEC showdown, falling short to the top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats, 95-90. The game lived up to the hype, with a sold-out crowd filling Humphrey Coliseum for an intense battle.
Bulldogs Struggle to Keep Pace
Mississippi State has been scoring at an impressive rate this season, averaging 83.9 points per game with a 15.6-point margin. However, in their loss to Kentucky, the Bulldogs couldn’t match the Wildcats’ offensive firepower when it mattered most. To elevate their game and compete against the best, Mississippi State will need to raise their production level as the competition intensifies.
Head coach Chris Jans shared his thoughts on his team's performance despite the defeat.
“We’ve got to make sure we understand that every shot is crucial. I have a lot of confidence in this group. I really believe in them, and I think they believe in each other. They’ll rally after this loss. We’ve got to understand that everything matters. You can’t say, ‘I’ll get it back,’ because you won’t. There are going to be a lot of challenging games and opportunities. So, we just have to play our best,” said Jans.
Kentucky's Three-Point Barrage Proves Too Much
Kentucky's three-point shooting continues to be a major weapon that has yet to be solved by their opponents. In this matchup, the Wildcats shot 16 of 32 from beyond the arc. Jaxson Robinson and Ansley Almonor were particularly difficult to contain. Robinson went 7 of 10 from three-point range, finishing with 27 points, while Almonor added 11 points on 3 of 6 shooting from deep.
With Auburn next on the schedule—another team capable of hitting from long range—Mississippi State will need to improve its defense to avoid similar issues.
Jans reflected on Kentucky’s offensive dominance, particularly their perimeter shooting.
“They’re very explosive offensively. One thing they do particularly well is make threes. They’ve got multiple weapons. Certainly, we had some breakdowns. I thought the biggest difference was how Jaxson Robinson was able to get it going. It was almost like he knew that every shot he took was going to go in. I think their MVP was 15 [Ansley] Almonor. He made some timely threes when they really needed it. Our three-point shooting defense has been an issue, one that I thought we fixed in the last few games, but it bit us tonight,” said Jans.
Looking Ahead to Auburn
While the loss to Kentucky was disappointing, it provides a valuable opportunity for growth. The SEC is widely regarded as one of the toughest basketball conferences, and Mississippi State must learn from this defeat as they prepare for their next challenge: a matchup with the Auburn Tigers.
Auburn, under head coach Bruce Pearl, is playing elite basketball. With scoring threats like Johni Broome in the post and Miles Kelly from beyond the arc, they present another tough test for the Bulldogs.
Jans emphasized the importance of maintaining a positive mindset moving forward.
“We just have to take every positive that we can out of this. I was proud of our toughness and resilience. I’ve been telling them for a while that we’ve got what we need in this room for a great season. There are a lot of other teams that feel the same way in this league. We just have to stick to our style. We’ve got awesome kids that have been working their tails off. They’ll bounce back,” said Jans.
Mississippi State will now head to Auburn for a highly anticipated evening matchup. The Bulldogs will look to bounce back from their Kentucky loss and aim to shock the SEC with an upset on the Plains.
