Mississippi State beats LSU 80-66 behind strong defense and rebounding

Mississippi State defeated LSU 80-66 on Jan. 28, ending a losing streak with a concerted effort on defense and rebounding, according to head coach Chris Jans. Jans emphasized the importance of competing harder after a tough loss Saturday, and said his team responded well.

“We kept it pretty simple in terms of what was really important,” Jans said. “Our main goals were to compete harder and to win. When you do that, the outcome can take care of itself.” The Bulldogs started strong, building a significant first-half lead, but struggled in the final minutes, Jans acknowledged.

Jans credited the team’s physicality and effort, especially on the boards. “We punched them in the face pretty good,” he said. “Our rebounding was really good against a big, physical team.” He also praised players Quincy Ballard and Sergej Macura for their active roles, with Ballard finishing with nine rebounds and Macura making key plays.

Macura expressed relief and excitement after ending the team’s losing streak. “It feels amazing to get back on the winning track,” he said. “We played harder and focused on rebounding, which was a big part of our game plan.” The Bulldogs now turn their focus to maintaining this level of effort moving forward.

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