Knoxville, Tenn. – For just the third time in Southeastern Conference play, Tennessee had the lead going into halftime. After the first 20, the Vols had a 34-16 lead over the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
The three main takeaways following the Vols’ 68-56 win over the Bulldogs.
Chaz Lanier Cooking:
During the Vanderbilt game, it appeared Lanier found a new sense of confidence from the perimeter. That trend continued against Mississippi State.
On Mississippi State’s opening possession, Zakai Zeigler came up with a steal on Cameron Matthews and dished it to Lanier on the far side. There was a moment of hesitation where he wanted to pass instead of taking the contested look. However, will nearly all the Vols Fans inside Food City Center on their feet in anticipation of a massive bucket, Lanier got set and took the shot.
He sank it.
Later, he showcased his growth with his speed.
Lanier connected on a chat and shoot triple to make it 8-0 Vols. A point of emphasis where Head Coach Rick Barnes needed to see improvement.
The other point of emphasis, attacking the paint. He doesn’t need to live there, but he needs touches to help open his perimeter shot and build confidence to see an otherwise easy bucket to fall.
He made an effort at the 6:52 mark where he drove to the rim, but was swarmed by three Bulldogs. So he kicked it out, Zeigler took a late shot clock layup, no good but Igor Milicic jr. grabbed the offensive rebound. He kicked it out to Lanier and on the catch and release, sank the three-pointer.
On the very next possession, he pulled up from the wing and it was perfect. Not even the net was touched as he recorded his fourth triple of the night to make it 25-14.
His next attempt came from the top of the arc and it was a good shot, but took an unfavorable roll off the rim. The main takeaway after the first 20 minutes of play, he was much more aggressive with his shot selection.
In 12 minutes of action, he had seven attempts and connected on four. Against Vanderbilt and Arkansas, his final stat line from the arc was 4-6 and 5-9, respectively.
In the second half, Lanier’s first bucket came off a paint touch. The sequence started with a Felix Okpara defensive rebound and ended with a Zeigler assist as Lanier went up and under for the layup.
The last time he had at least 20 points, came against Arkansas when he had 29. His 24th point came off a triple try to make it 62-43, following a 0-3 start from three in the second half. Lanier finished 5-12 from three.
Felix Okpara’s force:
Felix Okpara continues to make incredible strides each game, especially with his presence in the post.
However, against State, did he become a three-level shooter?
His size was a problem for the Bulldogs early. In the opening minutes of the game, he managed to make 6’10” KeShawn Murphy look small with an over-the-head block leading to a defensive rebound.
In the first half, he co-led the team with five defensive rebounds.
There he helped to limit second-chance points by the Bulldogs.
He saw his first shot fall from beyond the arc. It came as Jordan Gainey saved a potential turnover, on the ground he found Okpara at the wing and he took the last-second shot as time expired. His first triple of the season.
He’d connect on his first field goal of the game in the final 90 seconds with a jumper to make it 68-53.
Jahmai Mashack the difference:
Jahamai Mashack continues to prove he’s serious about being a respected offensive player. On the heels of calling himself a “hooper” the last home game, he proved just that against the Bulldogs.
Tennessee averages just three corner threes a game, Mashack connected on the second and third one of the game.
Both times, he was left wide open.
That was just the second time this season he’s connected on a pair of trey, and even better he was 2-2 from the perimeter.
With a pair of field goals to add to it, he recorded his fourth 10-plus point performance this season, his second in SEC.