Memphis Battles Back but Late Mistakes Cost Tigers in Road Loss to Mississippi State
STARKVILLE, Miss. - For most of Saturday afternoon, Memphis went toe-to-toe with Mississippi State in a gritty, back-and-forth battle. The Tigers clawed back from a double-digit hole, even briefly taking the lead late in the second half. But when it mattered most, the Bulldogs made the plays, and Memphis didn’t - falling 71-66 at Humphrey Coliseum.
This one will sting for Memphis (4-7), not just because of the final score, but because of how close they came to stealing a road win. After trailing for much of the game, the Tigers surged ahead midway through the second half, only to be undone by turnovers, missed opportunities, and a cold shooting stretch down the stretch. Mississippi State (7-5), meanwhile, closed strong with a 7-3 run in the final minutes to seal its third straight victory.
Givens Returns with a Spark
One bright spot for Memphis was the return of Curtis Givens III, and he wasted no time making an impact. After missing five games with a thigh injury, the freshman guard came off the bench and poured in 18 points in just 23 minutes - 13 of them coming in the second half. He hit three of his four three-point attempts after halftime, including a deep one with just over two minutes left that pulled Memphis within one.
That shot gave the Tigers a real shot at stealing the game late. But Mississippi State had the answer.
Jones Closes, Bulldogs Deliver
Shawn Jones Jr. stepped up in crunch time for the Bulldogs, scoring six straight points in just over a minute to swing the momentum back in Mississippi State’s favor. Jayden Epps led all scorers with 19 points, and Josh Hubbard added 17 more to give the Bulldogs a balanced offensive attack.
For Memphis, the final 90 seconds were a series of missed chances. The Tigers committed three turnovers in that span - part of 18 total on the afternoon - and managed just four made field goals in the final eight minutes. That’s not going to cut it in a tight road game, especially against a team that knows how to close.
Starting Five Shuffle Continues
Memphis went with yet another new starting lineup: Dug McDaniel, Ashton Hardaway, Hasan Abdul Hakim, Julius Thedford, and Thierno Sylla. That marks the ninth different starting five in 11 games this season - a sign of a team still trying to find the right mix.
Despite the constant changes, the Tigers showed plenty of fight. They outrebounded Mississippi State 43-35, including a season-high 17 offensive boards.
That effort translated into 22 second-chance points - matching their season high and marking the fourth time this year they’ve topped 20 in that category. For context, they only did that three times all of last season.
Bench Steps Up Again
Memphis got a major lift from its bench, which poured in 38 points - the sixth time this season the reserves have gone for 35 or more. That’s a dramatic shift from the past few years, when bench scoring was more of a luxury than a staple.
Bradshaw continued his steady play with 12 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 29 minutes. It’s his third double-digit scoring game of the season - all in the last five games - as he continues to grow into a bigger role.
Hardaway added 11 points and four boards while matching Givens with three made threes. His shooting gave Memphis a needed perimeter threat on a day when the team hoisted a season-high 31 attempts from deep, connecting on just nine (29%).
Turnovers Tell the Story
Ultimately, the game came down to ball security - or lack thereof. Memphis turned it over 18 times, leading to 12 Mississippi State points.
That’s tied for the second-most giveaways the Tigers have had this season. Combine that with a 37.1% shooting clip and a cold finish, and it’s clear where things slipped away.
Still, there’s reason for optimism. The Tigers showed resilience on the road, got a major boost from Givens in his return, and continue to dominate the glass - especially on the offensive end.
What’s Next
Memphis won’t have much time to dwell on this one. They’re back home Monday night to host Alabama State at FedExForum.
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN+. It’ll be the Tigers’ final game before a long break, with their next matchup not coming until Jan. 31 when they open American Conference play against North Texas.
The pieces are there - now it’s about putting them together.