Mississippi
Drake hands No. 15 Mississippi State its first loss, 58-52
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Roman Penn scored 19 factors, Sardaar Calhoun made 4 of his career-high 5 3-pointers within the second half, and Drake beat No. 15 Mississippi State 58-52 on Tuesday.
Calhoun completed with 17 factors and Tucker DeVries added 15 for Drake (9-3), which defeated a ranked opponent for the primary time since 2013.
“I used to be simply excited to get on the market and get a win towards an undefeated workforce going into Christmas break,” Calhoun mentioned. “I simply really feel like we performed collectively at present and every thing was going for us and pictures fell for me.”
Eric Reed Jr. scored all of his team-high 11 factors within the first half for Mississippi State (11-1), which squandered the 10-point lead it held early within the second half.
“We talked a ton about how when you’ve gotten an undefeated document and a rating like that, you’re going to take everyone’s finest shot,” MSU coach Chris Jans mentioned.
DeVries’ floater within the lane put Drake up 52-50 with 1:51 left, and Penn hit a jumper for a four-point lead with simply over a minute left.
A basket by Dashawn Davis lower it again to 2, and MSU had an opportunity to tie or take the lead after Penn missed from in shut. However Drake acquired the ball again with 14.4 seconds left when D.J. Jeffries slipped to the ground as Cameron Matthews despatched a cross his approach and the ball flew out of bounds untouched.
Penn made 4 free throws within the final 10 seconds to safe Drake’s first win over a Energy 5 opponent because it beat Kansas State within the 2020-21 season opener.
“That’s a tricky workforce,” Penn mentioned of MSU, “they usually’re from the SEC in order that they play bodily and have some larger guys. I like the battle we had. I like the best way we got here again second half.”
MSU entered the day having performed the three hundredth hardest schedule out of 363 groups, in keeping with the NCAA, and its eight wins over quad 4 opponents within the NET rankings have been tied for second most within the nation. MSU needed to come from behind within the second halves of its earlier two video games, towards Jackson State and Nicholls.
MSU couldn’t full a comeback this time towards the Missouri Valley Convention preseason favourite.
“Of us which have been watching us know we haven’t been taking part in our greatest,” Jans mentioned. “I hoped that we’d regroup at present towards an excellent Drake workforce. I do know that Drake had their consideration. They knew the preseason predictions within the Valley and the NCAA Event win final yr and all of the returnees. So it wasn’t like our guys neglected them by any stretch of the creativeness in any respect.”
BIG PICTURE
Drake: Drake had come into the sport after two straight losses and left with its first win over a Southeastern Convention opponent because it beat Georgia on Dec. 22, 1973.
Mississippi State: The numbers present MSU is likely one of the finest defensive groups within the nation, however the offense will be sporadic, particularly when the opponent places the clamps on large man and season scoring chief Tolu Smith, who was held to 9 factors.
SCHEDULING REGRETS
Jans second-guessed his nonconference scheduling after the sport, significantly his choices to play Akron in Philadelphia, at Jackson State and towards Drake in Lincoln. The neutral-site recreation was a part of the Battle within the Vault occasion at Pinnacle Financial institution Area.
“I’ve instructed everybody we performed three of those video games that in all probability weren’t the neatest factor that I’ve ever accomplished,” Jans mentioned. “It simply labored out that approach. Clearly, we have been unscathed up till this level. I hoped that we might get by way of it and have a merry Christmas and a contented vacation and all that great things and sit at dwelling undefeated. However sadly, that wasn’t within the plans.”
UP NEXT
Drake hosts NAIA St. Ambrose on Wednesday in a recreation moved up someday due to a winter storm forecast for central Iowa.
Mississippi State opens SEC play at dwelling towards No. 9 Alabama on Dec. 28.
___
AP school basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
No. 15 Tennessee (3-1, 0-1 SEC) will play for its first Southeastern Conference win in 2025 during Week 5. Mississippi State (4-0) will host the Vols on Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi.
Kickoff is scheduled for 4:15 p.m. EDT and SEC Network will televise the contest.
Saturday will mark the 38th game between the Vols and Bulldogs all time, dating to 1907.
Tennessee leads the football series versus Mississippi State, 30-16-1. The Vols have won the last two meetings, including a, 33-14, victory last season at Neyland Stadium.
Below are all-time football results between the Vols and Bulldogs.
Tennessee’s all-time football results versus Mississippi State
1907: Tennessee 11, Mississippi State 4
1910: Mississippi State 48, Tennessee 0
1915: Mississippi State 10, Tennessee 0
1919: Mississippi State 6, Tennessee 0
1920: Mississippi State 13 Tennessee 7
1921: Tennessee 14, Mississippi State 7
1922: Tennessee 31, Mississippi State 3
1923: Tennessee 7, Mississippi State 3
1924: Mississippi State 7, Tennessee 2
1925: Tennessee 14, Mississippi State 9
1926: Tennessee 33, Mississippi State 0
1932: Tennessee 31, Mississippi State 0
1933: Tennessee 20, Mississippi State 0
1934: Tennessee 14, Mississippi State 0
1948: Mississippi State 21, Tennessee 6
1949: Tennessee 10, Mississippi State 0
1950: Mississippi State 7, Tennessee 0
1951: Tennessee 14, Mississippi State 0
1952: Tennessee 14, Tennessee 7
1953: Mississippi State 26, Tennessee 0
1954: Tennessee 19, Mississippi State 7
1955: Mississippi State 13, Tennessee 7
1957: Tennessee 14, Mississippi State 9
1958: Tennessee 13, Mississippi State 8
1959: Tennessee 22, Mississippi State 6
1960: Tennessee 0, Mississippi State 0
1961: Tennessee 17, Mississippi State 3
1962: Mississippi State 7, Tennessee 6
1963: Mississippi State 7, Tennessee 0
1964: Tennessee 14, Mississippi 13
1971: Tennessee 10, Mississippi State 7
1978: Mississippi State 34, Tennessee 21
1979: Mississippi State 28, Tennessee 9
1986: Mississippi State 27, Tennessee 23
1987: Tennessee 38, Mississippi State 10
1990: Tennessee 40, Mississippi State 7
1991: Tennessee 26, Mississippi State 24
1994: Mississippi State 24, Tennessee 21
1995: Tennessee 52, Mississippi State 14
1998: Tennessee 24, Mississippi State 14 — SEC championship game
2002: Tennessee 35, Mississippi State 17
2003: Tennessee 59, Mississippi State 21
2007: Tennessee 33, Mississippi State 21
2008: Tennessee 34, Mississippi State 3
2012: Mississippi State 41, Tennessee 31
2019: Tennessee 20, Mississippi State 10
2024: Tennessee 33, Tennessee 14
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Mississippi
Mississippi State football doesn’t miss Mario Craver, other overreactions to Alcorn State win
STARKVILLE — It’s difficult to determine what Mississippi State football’s lopsided 63-0 win against Alcorn State in Week 3 means for the outlook of the season, but there was certainly no indication of a potential upset.
The Bulldogs (3-0) scored touchdowns on four straight drives to begin the game and led by 42 points before halftime. The third and fourth quarters at Davis Wade Stadium were reduced from 15 to 10 minutes because of the score. MSU and second-year coach Jeff Lebby are 3-0 for the first time since 2018.
Here are four overreactions to MSU’s win before it hosts Northern Illinois (1-1) on Sept. 20 (3:15 p.m., SEC Network).
Mississippi State fans will storm the field after another upset win
Mississippi State has qualities of a team than can pull off another upset like it did to then-No. 10 Arizona State in Week 2. When the offense, defense and special teams are playing soundly, MSU is miles better than last season.
The offense, led by quarterback Blake Shapen, can score in bunches and do so quickly. The defense can string together multiple stops in a row and is forcing two turnovers per game. Kyle Ferrie has yet to miss a field goal, while Anthony Evans III is second in the SEC with 128 punt return yards.
Mississippi State’s four SEC home games are all against ranked opponents — Tennessee, Texas, Georgia and Ole Miss — so don’t be surprised if fans storm the field again in one of those games.
Kamario Taylor is a future Heisman Trophy contender
There have been glimpses of freshman quarterback Kamario Taylor and you can already tell why everyone is so excited about the four-star signee from Noxubee County.
He scored his first career touchdown in the second quarter against Alcorn State, a 42-yard on-the-money throw to Brenen Thompson. Taylor also had a great rush when he read the edge defender, tucked the ball and ran for 19 yards.
Taylor will have to wait for next season to compete for the starting job, but he has the makings to be a special player.
Mississippi State is fine without Mario Craver, Kevin Coleman Jr.
Mario Craver leads college football with 443 receiving yards for Texas A&M. Kevin Coleman Jr. of Missouri is tied for fifth nationally with 24 receptions. Both transferred after last season ended, but Mississippi State is doing just fine without them.
Evans and Thompson have been a terrific duo at wide receiver. Evans, a Georgia transfer, has filled Coleman’s role at MSU as a shorter-yard target with 17 receptions for 210 yards and two touchdowns. Thompson, an Oklahoma transfer, has played Craver’s role as a downfield burner with 15 catches for 278 yards and three touchdowns.
It’s unlikely that Mississippi State could’ve had all four of them on the same team, but losing two great wide receivers hasn’t hurt this season.
Mississippi State’s pass rush will be a weakness in SEC play
Will Whitson was playing like a premier pass rusher before his season-ending injury in Week 2. The Bulldogs haven’t been great at generating pressure though outside of him.
Whitson has two of MSU’s four sacks. He’s also still the only player for MSU with more than one tackle for loss.
The defensive front looks improved from last season, but will still need to be better for SEC standards.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
Friday was a special day for Mississippi State sports and it was the cross country team that got things started for the university.
The Bulldogs put in a record-breaking performance to finish in second place at the Southern Showcase in Huntsville, Ala.
“We’re really pleased with how the team raced today,” said assistant coach Erinn Stemnan-Fahey. “Today, they showed the strides the program has made towards improvement. We’re really excited to keep building on the momentum for the rest of the season.”
The team improved its finish from last year by 6 places, with three athletes finishing in the top 20 overall. Nelly Jemeli led the Bulldogs, literally. Jemeli finished fourth overall in 16-minutes, 36.1 seconds.
Louise Stonham finished 17th in her first cross country race in the maroon and white with a massive personal best of 17:10.0. Gabrielle Boulay and Hunter Anderson rounded out the scorers for state, with the latter running a personal best of 17:31.0.
Women’s Tennis: Mississippi State at Blue Gray Classic
Women’s Tennis: Mississippi State at Debbie Southern Classic
Men’s Tennis: ITF Fayetteville M15 Futures
Cross Country: Southern Showcase, Huntsville, Ala., 2nd Place
Soccer: Mississippi State 3, No. 1 Tennessee 2
Football: Alcorn State at Mississippi State
Women’s Tennis: Mississippi State at Blue Gray Classic
Women’s Tennis: Mississippi State at Debbie Southern Classic
Men’s Tennis: ITF Fayetteville M15 Futures
Volleyball: Mississippi State at Mercer, Noon
“One night, Bilbo got particularly feisty, so my dad and I drove him out to woods. Once we found a good spot, we stopped and I put him on the ground and took his collar off. He kind of ambled about, taking in the new surroundings. I preface this next part by saying I do think humans and animals share an unspoken understanding, to some extent. That’s why it’s so easy to bond with pets. So this is how I remember saying goodbye to Bilbo: He wandered 10 yards away or so from the truck, and then he turned and looked at us and kind of had this expression like, ‘It was nice knowing ya.’ It was this moment where like, both I knew and he knew that we’d had some good times, but this was it.”
– Mike Leach
POV you just beat the #1 team in the country 😤#HailState | @HailStateSOC pic.twitter.com/0aaI6iacbz
— Mississippi State Athletics (@HailState) September 13, 2025
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