1/11/2024 basketball Edit

Vols’ bigs turn in 'frustrating' performance in loss at Mississippi State

Tennessee forward Tobe Awaka (11) is fouled by Mississippi State guard Shawn Jones Jr. during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) (The Associated Press)

Noah Taylor • VolReport

Managing Editor

Noah is a graduate of the UT College of Journalism & Electronic Media and has covered Tennessee football since 2019. He joined Rivals in 2022.

STARKVILLE, Miss. — The tone was set less than a minute in.

Mississippi State forward Tolu Smith III, in just his third game since returning from injury, gathered in a pass and immediately went toe-to-toe with Tennessee forward Jonas Aidoo.

Smith won the match up, the first of many over the next 39 minutes inside Humphrey Coliseum on Wednesday night, resulting in a 77-72 loss for the Vols.

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"Tolu Smith his way with our post guys, got his position where he wanted it and just did what he wanted to," Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said. "We didn't make enough winning plays at the end and (Mississippi State) deserve all the credit for this win."

The 6-foot-11 Smith finished with 23 points and was 9-of-12 at the free throw line.

In a game where the Bulldogs led by as much as 15 points in the second half before Tennessee (11-4, 1-1 SEC) tied it with five minutes, 17 seconds left, Smith's dominance in the paint was paramount.

If he wasn't scoring, he drawing fouls and getting to the free throw line, which allowed Mississippi State (12-3, 1-1) to pull back in front down the stretch and win by five.

Tennessee's lack of presence in the post was a concerning development just days after the Vols dominated there in a 90-64 drubbing of Ole Miss in Knoxville.

The Vols out-rebounded the Rebels, 47-24 and Aidoo turned in a double-double with a game-high 24 points and 10 boards with Tobe Awaka giving productive minutes off of the bench.

Neither were factors against Mississippi State, combing for 13 points and 11 rebounds missed critical stretches late with foul trouble.

"We know (Smith) is certainly an outstanding offensive player, but I mean, he just took it where he wanted to go, which you know, (Aidoo and Awaka) can't allow him to do that. And again, fouls, he put fouls on us and they did a good job of getting to the foul line but still, with the arm bar in the rules today, nobody should back down the way he backed us down.

"It shouldn't happen. Second half, end of the first half, we starting having to come off and go down and try to help him and fire down there to help him."

Smith is one of a star-studded forward lineup Tennessee has faced this season.

In the non-conference, the Vols went up against three preseason All-Americans in Zach Edey (Purdue), Hunter Dickinson (Kansas) and Armando Bacot (North Carolina), all of which had success, averaging 13.6 rebounds and 20.6 in those games.

"It's frustrating because we think our guys can do it," Barnes said. "And, again, we love them to help us score and do that, but we’ve got to be able to guard other people’s post players. We’ve got to do that. And I know we’re more than capable of doing it, but we’ve got to prove we can do it.”

For a Tennessee team that has looked every bit the part of the preseason SEC favorite at times, it's struggles in the paint have become even more glaring and could be the difference between an early exit and a deep run in March.

Barnes' remedy is more physicality, something the Vols surprisingly lacked against Mississippi State.

“Understanding that you’re allowed to arm bar, for one," Barnes said. "And I think if you’re allowed to arm bar, nobody should be able to back you down. And I really believe that. But it is leverage. It’s getting down low and holding your ground. And if you do that, we can come and help, we can do that. But when a guy gets it deep in the lane now, it’s a long way to come down and it’s a longer way to get back out.

"(It) puts us into a really tough rotation where it really becomes a three-man rotation. But again, it’s all about space. Fighting for your space on the floor, getting the ball where you want it.”

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