Postgame Notes: MSU vs. Marquette

TEAM NOTES

In a game that featured five ties and seven lead changes, Mississippi State emerged with a 58-55 grind-it-out victory over Marquette to open the Fort Myers Tipoff.
The Bulldogs advance to face Utah in Wednesday's championship game. Tip time is set for 7:30 p.m. CT televised by FS1.
For the first time all season, Mississippi State took a game all the way down to the wire, but the end result was all too familiar as Mississippi State defeated Marquette 58-55 to win their first game in the Fort Myers Tip-Off,
Chris Jans became the 7th head coach in program history to win his opening five contests. Most recently, Jans is joined on the list by Jim Hatfield (1978-79, 8-0) and Rick Stansbury (1998-99, 8-0).
With the score tied at 48-48 with 2:32 remining, Dashawn Davis provided the go-ahead bucket with a right wing triple off a second-chance opportunity. Davis and Eric Reed Jr. drained all four of their free throws inside the final 10 seconds.
As a team, the Bulldogs connected on 20-of-55 from the floor (36.4 percent), 7-of-16 (43.8 percent) from beyond the three-point line and a 11-of-21 clip at the free throw line (52.4 percent).
Defensively, State held the Golden Eagles to 21-of-51 shooting mark (41.2 percent), 8-of-28 from on triples (28.6 percent), and 5-of-8 at the charity stripe (62.5 percent).
The Bulldogs again crashed the glass hard and outrebounded their opponents for the fifth consecutive game by a 42-30 margin. State has won the battle of the boards by at least +10 in four straight games.
The offensive boards were particularly hit hard as MSU came down with 15 compared to just five from Marquette. The Bulldogs has had at least 15 offensive rebounds in three of five games on the season.
Those offensive rebounds translated into points as the Bulldogs scored all 12 of the contest's points on second chances.
Mississippi State collected 11 steals and has reached double-digit steals in four of five outings on the young season.

PLAYER NOTES

Eric Reed Jr.

Fired in a team-leading 15 points and splashed home a season-high three treys.
Hit 6-of-7 free throws including two in the closing moments of the contest

Tolu Smith

Started in 55 of 56 career outings at MSU.
Pulled down a career-high 16 rebounds highlighted by 12 on the defensive end.
Dished out four of his career-best six assists during the second half.
Contributed seven points which ended a run of 11 consecutive games in double figures.

Cameron Matthews

Collected seven points, all during the second half.
Grabbed a season's best seven rebounds.
Dealt out two assists and swiped two steals
Up to 22 games with multiple steals, 22 outings with multiple assists and 21 games with 5+ rebounds.

Dashawn Davis

Returned to the starting lineup and amassed nine of a season-high 12 points during the second 20 minutes.
Registered his 16th career game in double figures.
Notched a team-leading plus-minus ratio of +7.

D.J. Jeffries

Came down with two points and four rebounds.

Bench

The Dawgs top performers off the bench were Will McNair Jr. and Skakeel Moore.
Moore came way with eight points and three steals.
Moore's three steals gave him his 33rd career games with multiple steals, fourth in 2022-23.
McNair Jr. provided five points, four rebounds and two steals.
Jamel Horton Jr. dished out three assists against one turnover over 13 minutes of action.
Mississippi State outscored their opponent in bench points, 15-10, for the fifth consecutive game.
The Bulldogs now leads their opponents 138-64 in points scored outside the starting rotation for the season.

Postgame Notes: MSU vs. Marquette

Players Mentioned

Dashawn Davis

Jamel Horton Jr.

D.J. Jeffries

Cameron Matthews

Will McNair Jr.

Eric Reed Jr.

Tolu Smith III

Mississippi State University Athletics

Postgame Notes: MSU vs. Marquette

Players Mentioned

Dashawn Davis

Jamel Horton Jr.

D.J. Jeffries

Cameron Matthews

Will McNair Jr.

Eric Reed Jr.

Tolu Smith III

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