Tennessee Stays Extra Night in Starkville After Defeating Mississippi State

Vols return to hotel after late-night SEC matchup, highlighting flexibility in college travel plans.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Following Tennessee's 73-64 victory over Mississippi State on Wednesday night, head coach Rick Barnes and the Vols opted to stay overnight in Starkville rather than return to Knoxville immediately. The decision was part of the team's pre-planned travel itinerary due to the late start time of the game, and was noted during the television and radio broadcasts of the contest.

Why it matters

The Vols' decision to stay an extra night highlights the increasing flexibility in college teams' travel plans, with more students taking online classes and fewer traditional in-person requirements. This allows programs greater latitude in managing their schedules around midweek road games.

The details

Tennessee led Mississippi State wire-to-wire on Wednesday, building a 23-point second half advantage before the Bulldogs mounted an 18-0 run to cut the deficit to five points. However, freshman Nate Ament scored 8 of Tennessee's final 10 points to seal the 73-64 victory for the Vols.

  • Tennessee defeated Mississippi State on Wednesday, February 12, 2026.
  • The Vols returned to Knoxville on Thursday morning, February 13, 2026.

The players

Rick Barnes

Head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers men's basketball team.

Nate Ament

Freshman player for the Tennessee Volunteers men's basketball team.

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What’s next

The Vols will return to Knoxville on Thursday morning and begin preparations for their next SEC matchup against LSU on Saturday, February 15, 2026 at 6pm ET on the SEC Network.

The takeaway

Tennessee's decision to stay an extra night in Starkville after their midweek road win over Mississippi State highlights the growing flexibility in college sports travel plans, enabled by the rise of online classes and fewer traditional in-person requirements for students.