Tennessee Basketball Searching for Complete Game Despite Win at Mississippi State

Vols blow 23-point lead but hold on for victory over Bulldogs

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Despite a nine-point win over Mississippi State, the Tennessee basketball team is still searching for a complete 40-minute performance. The Vols led by 23 points in the second half but allowed the Bulldogs to go on an 18-0 run to cut the lead to just five points with five minutes remaining. Tennessee was able to regain control and win 73-64, but the late-game collapse continued a concerning trend for the young Vols squad.

Why it matters

Tennessee has now blown double-digit leads in consecutive games, raising questions about the team's ability to maintain focus and intensity for an entire contest. While the Vols are a young team still developing, these lapses in concentration could prove costly as they aim to secure a high seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The details

Tennessee led 55-32 with 10 minutes left before Mississippi State mounted its furious comeback. The Vols missed eight straight field goals and committed two turnovers that led to easy Bulldogs baskets during the 18-0 run. Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said the team "let up" and had "mental breakdowns" that allowed Mississippi State to get back in the game.

  • Tennessee led by 23 points with 10 minutes remaining in the game.
  • Mississippi State went on an 18-0 run to cut Tennessee's lead to 5 points with 5 minutes left.

The players

Rick Barnes

The head coach of the Tennessee basketball team.

JP Estrella

A Tennessee forward who discussed the team's need to maintain focus and intensity for the full 40 minutes.

Nate Ament

A Tennessee wing player who scored 8 of his 16 points in the final 5 minutes to help the Vols regain control of the game.

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What they’re saying

“We just went through a period where I thought we let up. … And it goes back to concentration and not getting relaxed. And that kind of has been the story of our team. We get a lead and we start doing those things.”

— Rick Barnes, Tennessee Head Coach (rockytopinsider.com)

“Messed up a couple ball screen situations on defense. We had a couple mental breakdowns. We talked about it. Lock in afterwards. In those situations, we've got to make sure we put it away when the time comes. We got to keep pounding, pounding, pounding just with energy.”

— JP Estrella, Tennessee Forward (rockytopinsider.com)

“I think it's a little more frustration for us because it has been a common theme with this group. Get up early, be a good first half team and then kind of die down and stuff like that. I feel like, just for us, we need to continue to put our foot on the gas.”

— Nate Ament, Tennessee Wing Player (rockytopinsider.com)

What’s next

Tennessee will look to put together a complete 40-minute performance when they return home to host a ranked opponent on Saturday.

The takeaway

While the young Tennessee team has shown growth over the course of the season, their inability to maintain focus and intensity for an entire game remains a concern. Addressing these lapses in concentration will be crucial as the Vols aim to secure a high seed in the NCAA Tournament.