The road may be unkind to Tennessee, but it continues to look like a team that could make a deep run in March on its home floor.

The No. 6 Vols' latest Jekyll and Hyde act resulted in an emphatic answer to their loss at Vanderbilt three nights ago in their return to Knoxville, a convincing 68-56 win over No. 14 Mississippi State at Food City Center.

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Tennessee (17-2, 4-2 SEC) used one of its best halves of the season to set the tone, then responded to a push from the Bulldogs (15-4, 3-3) in the early-going of the second half that trimmed the Vols' lead to seven with a dominating close.

Chaz Lanier looked like the player that had headlined Tennessee's offense through the first two months of the season, connecting on some tone-setting 3-pointers on his way to a 23-point performance.

The Vols also reestablished their dominance in the paint. After getting out-rebounded and out-scored there against Vanderbilt, Tennessee was stellar vs. a Mississippi State team that prides itself on physicality, finishing with a 36-31 edge on the boards and 18 points in the paint.

Felix Okpara led the way, grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds, finishing just shy of a double-double with 9 points.

Chaz Lanier couldn't have had a better opening three minutes. Neither could Tennessee.

After missing the game-tying free throw in the Vols' 1-point loss to Vanderbilt, Lanier responded with two 3-pointers as part of an 8-0 start for Tennessee, forcing Mississippi State into an early timeout.

Riley Kugel quelled the Vols' opening run with a three for the Bulldogs first points with 16:21 to go in the first half, but it was one a few Mississippi State possessions that ended in a score.

An offensive rebound kept one Tennessee possession alive out of the first media timeout and led to a foul on Jordan Gainey. He hit both free throws and then rattled in a jumper 20 seconds left to stretch the Vols' advantage to 12-4.

Mississippi State, meanwhile went more than three minutes without a field goal and Tennessee continued to take advantage. Igor Milicic Jr. sunk a three from the corner and after the Bulldogs ended their scoring drought, Zakai Zeigler responded with a steal and reverse layup to put the Vols ahead, 17-6.

Another scoreless stretch for Mississippi State that lasted for three-plus minutes was answered by a Josh Hubbard three, but it was only the Bulldogs' second basket from the field with 7:32 left in the half.

Lanier, who had cooled off after the first couple of minutes, heated up again, hitting back-to-back threes to push Tennessee's lead to 25-11 inside of six minutes. Zeigler added another a few minutes later and the Vols rolled into halftime up, 34-16 on the heels of an impressive opening half on both ends of the floor.

Mississippi State's 16 points were it lowest in a half this season after being held to just 22.2% shooting from the field.

Whatever shooting woes the Bulldogs had in the first half were not apparent in the first few minutes of the second. Mississippi State scored on its first three possessions, including two-straight 3-pointers from Caludell Harris Jr. to cut Tennessee's lead to 10.

The Bulldogs were showing signs of life for the first time, staying within striking distance after a Vols turnover turned into Hubbard layup to pull within seven at 38-31 with 15:22 to go.

Mississippi State was closing in on getting the ball back as Gainey laid on the floor with the ball late in the shotclock. He dished the ball to Felix Okpara on the perimeter, who fired off a 3-pointer in desperation and connected--just the second made three of his career--to put the Vols back up 10.

Gainey's jumper and a dazzling reverse layup from Lanier off of a steal had Tennessee up 45-31 and looking like it had withstood the Bulldogs' push near the midway point of the half.

Nothing seemed more sure that momentum had shifted in the Vols favor than when Jahmai Mashack's corner three-point attempt bounced high off the back of the iron and in to extend a 14-2 run and up their lead to 50-33 with less than 10 minutes remaining.

As it turned out, that run was the difference. Mississippi State didn't have another run left in it after Tennessee's resounding response and the Vols ran away with it over the last 12 minutes to improve to 11-0 at home this season.

Tennessee will go back on the road for its toughest test yet against Auburn on Saturday.

The Vols will have their annual reunion with former head coach Bruce Pearl and his No. 1 Tigers in a primetime clash at Neville Arena (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Tennessee won the lone meeting between the two teams, 92-84 in Knoxville a year ago, but have struggled on the road in the series, losing the last four games at Auburn dating back to 2018-19.

The Tigers are 17-1 overall and the last remaining unbeaten team in SEC play at 5-0, including a 70-68 win at Georgia in their last outing.

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