Watch: Ben Howland Talks 74-69 Win Over Vanderbilt
It has very much been an up-and-down season for Mississippi State men's basketball, but the Bulldogs have had some bright spots lately, most recently taking down the Vanderbilt Commodores, 74-69 in Starkville.
Tolu Smith led the Bulldogs in scoring with a total of 22 points. He's been playing at the top of his game, now recording two consecutive contests in which he's scored 20 or more points.
MSU will need that high level of play from Smith and the rest of its roster as it prepares to take on the No. 3-ranked Auburn Tigers on Wednesday in Humphrey Coliseum. It's a matchup head coach Ben Howland will shift his focus to preparing his team for now as the Bulldogs aim to show consistency against one of the most talented teams in the country.
The Bulldogs have had some tough losses against top-notch competition this season, so to take down Auburn would make a statement and certainly instill a high level of confidence in this program.
“It’s been frustrating to be so close with some of those top teams,” Howland said. "So hopefully we can have a chance to get over the hump in beating one of them come Wednesday night.”
Watch below to hear everything Howland had to say after the victory:
