Postgame Notes: MSU at No. 8 Kentucky

TEAM NOTES

Mississippi State was outlasted by No. 8 Kentucky, 90-77, to fall to 12-5 overall and 1-3 in SEC action.
State was facing its fourth consecutive NCAA NET Quad 1 opponent to begin conference play. The Maroon and White are the only SEC team to start league action with four straight NCAA NET Quad 1 games.
The Bulldogs were facing a ranked Kentucky squad for the 14th time in the last 19 meetings going back to 2008-09. The Wildcats have won 18 of the last 19 in the series over that span.
State scored on its first two possessions courtesy of a Shakeel Moore three-pointer and a D.J. Jeffries driving layup to take an early 5-2 lead during the contest's opening 58 seconds.
Kentucky answered with a 13-0 spurt over the next 4:30 to go ahead 15-5 with 14:32 remaining.
Ahead 27-20 at the 8:42 mark, the Wildcats concluded the opening stanza scoring 20 of the last 29 points to take a 47-29 advantage into the locker room.
Out of halftime, State came out clicking and knocked down five of its first seven shot attempts to draw back to 49-43 on a Jeffries corner trey with 17:14 left.
Kentucky fired back with 12 of the next 15 points to seize the momentum back and surged back ahead 61-46 with 14:26 to go.
The Wildcats were able to keep State's at arms-length and maintained a double-digit advantage for the remainder of the game.
State dished out 22 assists on 31 field goals as five players delivered at least three dimes.
The 22 assists were a SEC season's best, and the team's second-highest total in 2023-24.
The Bulldogs sank 22 of their 31 baskets on the interior and outscored Kentucky by a 44-38 margin in paint points.
State grabbed 14 offensive rebounds and dialed up 21 of the contest's 35 points courtesy of second-chance opportunities.
The Maroon and White also secured a 14-12 edge in points off turnovers.
The two teams were all square at 33-33 in the rebounding battle. State and its opponent have been tied in rebounds during two of the last three games.
State drained 31-of-69 from the floor (44.9 percent), sank 9-of-27 from three-point territory (33.3 percent) and hit on 6-of-10 at the charity stripe (60.0 percent).
For the season, the Bulldogs have connected on 128 three-pointers which is 6th-highest in program history through 17 games.
Conversely, Kentucky turned in a 30-for-54 shooting effort (55.6 percent), hit on 7-for-23 of its three-pointers (30.4 percent) and produced a 23-for-27 clip from the free throw line (85.2 percent).

PLAYER NOTES

Tolu Smith III

Started in 87 of his 90 career games at State.
Amassed 22 of his team-leading 26 points during the second half.
Extended his run to 23 consecutive games in double figures dating back to last season and has piled up double figures in 70 of 90 career games.
The 22 points equal the most scored by a State player during a half this season as Josh Hubbard also scored 22 in the first half against Tulane (12/09).
Registered his 2nd, 20-plus point effort over his last three games and his 20th for his career.
Provided 14 of his 20 outings of 20+ points versus SEC opponents.
The 26 points is tied for his 5th highest scoring output of Smith III's career.
Became the 23rd player in program history to surpass 1,300 career points.
The 26-point effort gives him 1,303 for his career and enabled Smith III to eclipse Iverson Molinar (2020-21-22) and Timmy Bowers (2001-02-03-04) on the program's scoring list.
Connected on 11-of-16 from the floor, his 1st outing in 2023-24 and 6th performance with 10+ field goals made.
Tucked away 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal.
The 8 rebounds give Smith III 714 career rebounds and moves him into 12th place on the program's all-time list.
Eclipsed Jerry Graves (1959-60-61) on the rebounding list during tonight's game.
Dished out 3+ assists for the second consecutive game.

D.J. Jeffries

Started 82 of 85 career games at State.
Chipped in 5 points and 1 steal.

Cameron Matthews

Started 50 of the team's 51 games over the last two seasons.
Provided 8 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists.
Grabbed 5+ rebounds for the 12th outing in 2023-24 and the 52nd outing of his career.
Marked his 5th outing of this season and his 10th career outing with 5+ assists.
State falls to 4-1 in 2023-24 and 8-2 overall when Matthews distributes 5+ dimes.
36 of 54 games with 2+ assists, 34 of 52 games with 5+ rebounds and 27 of 46 games of 2+ steals have come over the last two seasons.

Dashawn Davis

Started 45 consecutive games and 46 of 48 games at State that he's played in.
Compiled 5 points and 2 steals.
Recorded 26 of his 39 career games of 2+ steals during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.
Secured at least one steal in 15 of 17 outings this season.

Shakeel Moore

Made 53 of his 55 career starts while at MSU, started the team's last nine games.
Secured 5 points, a season-best 5 assists and 2 steals.
Marked his 9th career performance with 5+ dimes.
MSU falls to 7-1 when Moore distributes 5 or more assists over the last three seasons.
Moore's 2 steals give him 122 for his career and places him in 17th place tie with Greg Lockhart (1986-87-88-89) on the program's all-time list.
The 2 steals allowed him to pass Fred Thomas (2013-14-15-16) during tonight's game.
Recorded 2+ steals in 48 of 106 career games highlighted by 37 occasions at MSU.

Bench

Trey Fort secured a SEC-highs of 13 points and 5 rebounds to spark State's bench.
The 13 points also marks his 2nd-highest scoring performance of his career.
Grabbed 5+ rebounds for the 2nd time of his career.
Knocked down a trio of three-pointers which marks his 5th outing with multiple three's.
19 of his 29 field goals have come from beyond the three-point line (65.5 percent).
Shawn Jones Jr. tacked on 6 points and 3 assists.
Marked his 3rd outing of the season and 6th career outing with 2+ treys.
Dished out 3+ assists for the 3rd time in 2023-24, and the 5th time in his career with multiple assists.
Jimmy Bell Jr. put up 6 points and hit on all three of his shot attempts.
Josh Hubbard was limited to 3 points and distributed 3 assists.
Amassed 244 total points which is 5th-most for a freshman in program history through 17 games and the most since Rickey Brown (1976-77).

Mississippi State University Athletics

Postgame Notes: MSU at No. 8 Kentucky

Players Mentioned

Jimmy Bell Jr.

Dashawn Davis

Trey Fort

Josh Hubbard

D.J. Jeffries

Shawn Jones Jr.

Cameron Matthews

Shakeel Moore

Tolu Smith III

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