Tennessee Defeats Mississippi State 73-64

Ja'Kobi Gillespie scores 18 points to lead Volunteers to SEC victory

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The Tennessee Volunteers used a strong second-half performance to defeat the Mississippi State Bulldogs 73-64 in an SEC men's basketball matchup on Wednesday. Ja'Kobi Gillespie led Tennessee with 18 points, while Josh Hubbard scored a game-high 31 points for Mississippi State.

Why it matters

This SEC conference game was an important win for Tennessee as they look to solidify their position in the standings. Mississippi State, meanwhile, continues to struggle in conference play this season.

The details

Tennessee led 39-28 at halftime, but Mississippi State used an 18-0 run early in the second half to close the gap. The Volunteers responded with a 9-0 run of their own to regain control. Gillespie finished with 18 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists for Tennessee, while Nate Ament added 16 points and 5 assists. Hubbard scored a game-high 31 points for Mississippi State in the losing effort.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, February 12, 2026.

The players

Ja'Kobi Gillespie

A Tennessee Volunteers basketball player who scored a team-high 18 points in the win.

Josh Hubbard

A Mississippi State Bulldogs basketball player who scored a game-high 31 points in the loss.

Nate Ament

A Tennessee Volunteers basketball player who scored 16 points and had 5 assists in the win.

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What’s next

Tennessee will host LSU on Saturday, while Mississippi State will travel to Ole Miss on Saturday.

The takeaway

This SEC matchup saw Tennessee bounce back from a halftime deficit to defeat Mississippi State, led by strong performances from Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Nate Ament. The win helps solidify Tennessee's position in the conference standings, while Mississippi State continues to struggle in SEC play this season.