Tennessee basketball's defense wakes up in its 68-56 win over Mississippi State after a disappointing loss to Vanderbilt on Saturday. The defensive performance marks the second time Tennessee has held its opponent to only 56 points in the past three games.
The Vols forced multiple turnovers early in the first half and rattled the Bulldogs' offense. This defensive performance was a complete flip from what we saw in Nashville against Vanderbilt.
Tennessee's defensive aggression carried the Vols throughout the first half. This type of performance has become common in the Rick Barnes era on Rocky Top, but it has not been as common in the past couple of weeks, with two glaring losses on the schedule since the start of SEC play.
Mississippi State scored 16 points and committed eight turnovers in the first half, which reminded Tennessee fans what this team is capable of on the defensive end of the court.
The Bulldogs responded with a strong start to the second half, but their push to make a comeback was blocked as the Vols' offense found its footing and shut down any opportunity for Mississippi State to pull off the upset over Tennessee.
If the Vols bring that defense to the SEC and NCAA Tournament, the Vols could go deep into March, especially if they can pair its defense with a handful of dominant offensive performances down the stretch.
Chaz Lanier returned to the sharpshooter ways we've seen prior to the start of SEC play. He shot four-for-seven from three-point range in the first half and finished the night with 23 points on eight of 17 from the field.
That shooting performance could be crucial going into Tennessee's matchup with the No. 1 team in the country on Saturday. The Vols will travel to Auburn on Saturday afternoon to dispel the conversations surrounding Tennessee's inability to perform on the road.
Winning road games in the SEC will be a premium this season, so Tennessee's finding a way to beat Auburn on the road could help it get back on track as one of the conference's premier teams.