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The Mississippi State Bulldogs shocked the No. 5-ranked Tennessee Volunteers 77-72 on Wednesday evening to continue a week of shocks in college basketball after No. 1 and No. 2 Purdue and Houston were also upset by unranked teams.
A Bulldogs fan had a mixed night after the incredible result when he stormed the court early with 0.1 seconds still left on the clock, although MSU made it evident that a court invasion was not high on the Bulldogs' agenda.
The fan in a banana costume was removed from the court and was later shown being folded into a Mississippi State Police Department vehicle for a bittersweet ending to his night.
It was MSU's first home win against a top-five side since February 2002 and first since December 2002. It is understandable why the banana-clad fan was so happy about the incredible victory.
Mississippi State responds to adversity
Mississippi State lost its first game in the SEC last weekend 68-62 to South Carolina, and the game against Tennessee looked like a potential banana skin.
Coach Chris Jans highlighted the team's togetherness in his postgame news conference, even after a tough loss to Southern Carolina last time.
"I was glad that we stuck together," Jans said. "We've been in this situation before and just used that experience, and we just had some guys step up, and they just were determined to win this game, and they made some plays.
"You never know how the game is going to unfold and how the kids are going to react, but I was proud of their might and their toughness and their strength and how physical they played."
Center Tolu Smith III also highlighted the growth of the team while speaking to the media after the game.
“Like you said, last year, we went through a lot of adversity,” Smith said. “It’s a blessing to have the same team come back and add pieces like Hubb [Josh Hubbard], Trey [Fort], Jimmy [Bell Jr.] and all the guys. I think the main thing we focused on in the huddle was not going too high, not going too low just staying consistent, stay in the path.”
Mississippi State hosts Alabama at home next week, and the Bulldogs will be cautious after the Crimson Tide upset South Carolina. Hopefully, the "banana-man," as the internet has taken to calling him, will be there.
