Caleb Sanders Scores 28, but Tennessee Tech Falls to Mississippi State

Tennessee Tech opened the Tobin Anderson era with a 106-88 road loss to Mississippi State. Caleb Sanders scored a career-high 28 points, but the Bulldogs pulled away with a decisive first-half run and sharper shooting from 3-point range and the free-throw line.

• Caleb Sanders: 28 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists; he scored 26 points after halftime.
• Mississippi State: 12-of-24 from 3-point range and 24-of-32 from the free-throw line.
• Tennessee Tech: 9-of-32 from 3-point range and 15-of-20 from the free-throw line.
• The Golden Eagles forced 15 turnovers, recorded 10 steals and scored 16 points off takeaways.

Tech shot 48.5% from the field, matched Mississippi State with 46 points in the paint and won the fast-break scoring battle, 20-13. But the Bulldogs’ advantage from beyond the arc and at the line proved decisive.

Tennessee Tech hosts Blue Mountain on Nov. 4 at 6:30 p.m. CT for its home opener at the Hooper Eblen Center.

Sanders’ breakout performance showed Tech’s scoring potential, but the opener underscored how costly a first-half collapse and a gap in perimeter and free-throw shooting can be.