Mississippi State basketball is off to their best start to a season since 2004. The Bulldogs moved to 2-0 in conference play and 14-1 overall Tuesday night with a 76-64 win at Vanderbilt, and their toughness was on full display late.
After leading by as much as 22 in the second half, a run by the Commodores cut the MSU lead to just five with four minutes remaining. With all the momentum behind Vanderbilt in a rowdy Memorial Gymnasium and the game on the line, the Bulldogs would quickly flip things back in their favor and close out an impressive road win over a solid opponent.
Cam Matthews and RJ Melendez stepped up and showed out for Mississippi State
It seems like every game there are one or two guys that step up for to have the big performances for State, even if other key players have off nights. That was the case again as Cam Matthews and RJ Melendez had their best games of the season. Melendez led the Bulldogs with 19 points on 8-14 shooting to go along with seven boards. Matthews scored 16 with five rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. That duo was unstoppable down low, helping State put up 42 points in the paint.
The Mississippi State Bulldogs took control when pressure was mounting
State looked to be in total control in the second half with a 22 point lead. But it seemed that "Memorial Magic" had once again taken over in Nashville as the Commodores steadily chipped away at that deficit until they found themselves down just 65-60 with four minutes to play. The Bulldogs easily could've folded. But then coming out of a timeout with the shot clock winding down, Claudell Harris hit one of the biggest shots of the season.
CLAUDELL OUT OF THE TIMEOUT! #HailState🐶 | 📺 ESPNU pic.twitter.com/9kF6kmVFo1
— Mississippi State Men's Basketball (@HailStateMBK) January 8, 2025
A pair of defensive stops and a Cam Matthews slam would put State pack up by double-digits with just two minutes remaining, and they'd close things out. It says a lot about this MSU team's resiliency that they can withstand a run like that on the road by a quality opponent. They're going to be in pressure-packed situations all season, and they've proven their built to handle them.
Securing a road SEC win is massive for the Bulldogs
Winning on the road in the SEC is always a tall task, but it's never been tougher than it is this season. With the league as strong top-to-bottom as it is, road wins are going to be hard to come by, even for the SEC's best teams. To get one in the bag early in the season (a quality road win at that) is big both for Mississippi State's NCAA Tournament resume and their quest to compete for a conference title.