Postgame Notes: No. 17 MSU vs. Nicholls

TEAM NOTES

Mississippi State returned to Humphrey Coliseum for one last home game before the holiday break. The Bulldogs overcame both a halftime deficit and a late comeback push by Nicholls to emerge with a 68-66 victory.
State has won all seven meetings against the Colonels in a series that dates back to the 1994-95 season.
The Bulldogs improved to 11-0 for the fourth time in program history. This year's squad joined the 1957-58, 2001-02 and 2003-04 teams. The 2003-04 team started a program best 13-0 to begin their 2003-04 SEC regular season championship campaign.
State remained as the only undefeated SEC team, one of two unbeaten Power 5 schools (Purdue) and one of five unblemished programs in the nation (Connecticut, New Mexico, and Utah State).
The 11-0 start marked the program's best since a 13-0 mark to begin its 2003-04 SEC regular season championship campaign.
Chris Jans is the only first-year coach to remain unbeaten during the 2022-23 season. He is joined by Kentucky's John Calipari (19-0, 2009-10) as the only two SEC coaches during the shot clock era since 1985-86 to start their first seasons with at least 11 straight victories.
Jans is the first basketball coach at State to win his opening 11 contests. The previous watermark belonged to E.C. Hayes, who completed the 1911-12 season at 9-0 and won his first game of the 1912-13 campaign.
Pivotal for the Bulldogs was six straight points to open the second half which allowed MSU to take a 33-30 lead. Nicholls answered with a trey to tie the ballgame. From the 18:29 mark to 12:26 left, State ripped off a 17-5 spurt which stretched its lead to 12.
Nicholls was able to bring the game to within a possession five times in the closing minutes. The Bulldogs hit seven of their eight foul shots over the last 2:35 of the contest.
It marked the second time that State has erased a halftime deficit this season, and the 22nd time that a Coach Jans team has rallied to win when trailing at the break.
As a team, the Bulldogs connected on 19-of-49 from the floor (38.8 percent), 2-of-14 from three-point territory (14.3 percent) and 28-35 from the free throw line (80.0 percent).
Conversely, Nicholls was 27-for-64 on its shot attempts (42.2 percent), drained 6-of-25 of its three's (24.0 percent) and was 6-of-9 at the charity stripe (54.5 percent).
The 28 free throws makes, and the 35 foul shot attempts were season-highs for the Bulldogs. The 28 makes were the second-most for a Jans coached team.
State outrebounded their opponents for the 9th time in 11 matchups this year and won the battle of the boards by a 41-31 margin. The +10 margin marks the sixth time this season that MSU has won on the glass by double digits.

PLAYER NOTES

Tolu Smith

Started 61 of 62 career outings at MSU.
Led the Bulldogs with 15 points coupled with eight rebounds and a season-high two steals.
Fired in 12 of his 15 points during the second half.
Drained all four of his shot attempts and all four of his free throws after halftime.
Secured double-digit points in six consecutive outings, 10 of 11 contests this season, 17 of his last 18 outings dating back to 02/23/2022 and in 46 of his 62 MSU appearances.
Sits 35 points shy of eclipsing the 1,000-point mark in his career
Led the Bulldogs in rebounding 38 times during his career.

Dashawn Davis

Contributed 14 points to go along with a season's best high six assists.
Marked his second-highest scoring outing and his third game of 10-plus points in 2022-23.
Scored 10+ points in 18 of 35 career games and three of his last five contests.
Shot 7-of-8 from the free throw line. The seven free throws made are a career-best.

D.J. Jeffries

Pumped in nine points accompanied by six rebounds and three assists.
Pulled within 104 points away from reaching 1,000 for his career
Notched his seventh game this season and 35th career game with 5+ rebounds.
Added 3+ assists for the third consecutive contest and for the 23rd time in his career.

Cameron Matthews

Made his 11th start of the season which eclipsed 10 starting outings apiece during his freshman and sophomore campaigns.
Filled the box score with three points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals and a pair of blocks.
Distributed multiple assists in nine of 11 games this season and notched his 27th career outings with 2+ assists.
Managed 2+ steals five times in 2022-23 and for the 24th career occasion.
Marked his sixth outing in 2022-23 and 23rd career performance with 5+ rebounds.

Eric Reed Jr.

Started 62 of 68 career outings between MSU and Southeast Missouri
Added eight points and a season's best five rebounds.
Four of his five rebounds were on the offensive end.

Bench

Tyler Stevenson poured in 12 of a season-high 14 points during an explosive first half.
His first game with 10+ points at MSU and his 68th performance in double figures.
Drained 6-of-7 from the floor and added a trio of boards.
Will McNair Jr. added five points and four rebounds to round out the scoring for the Maroon and White.
Jamel Horton Jr. collected a couple of boards and dished out three assists.
Dished out 14 assists over his last eight outings.

Postgame Notes: No. 17 MSU vs. Nicholls

Players Mentioned

Dashawn Davis

Jamel Horton Jr.

D.J. Jeffries

Cameron Matthews

Will McNair Jr.

Eric Reed Jr.

Tolu Smith III

Tyler Stevenson

Mississippi State University Athletics

Postgame Notes: No. 17 MSU vs. Nicholls

Players Mentioned

Dashawn Davis

Jamel Horton Jr.

D.J. Jeffries

Cameron Matthews

Will McNair Jr.

Eric Reed Jr.

Tolu Smith III

Tyler Stevenson

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