Matthews and Jeffries continue to set tone for surging Bulldog basketball team

NASHVILLE – There’s no way that DJ Jeffries and Cameron Matthews could have ever predicted where this journey in life would bring them.

Two guys that loved basketball and grew up together playing the game at Olive Branch High School and went their separate ways after their time playing for the Conquistadores. Jeffries was a year ahead of Matthews and started his career at Memphis after a highly recruited period while Matthews was an underappreciated player that wanted to stay home and play for his home state Mississippi State Bulldogs.

No matter the course, they both ended up playing together for the last four seasons and they’ve been the glue that has held the team together from the beginning. The two joined with head coach Chris Jans couldn’t have made for a better marriage, either.

In Jans’ defensive scheme, Jeffries and Matthews have been menaces. The two have personified exactly what Jans is looking for in a defender and they were forever more in their bag on Friday afternoon against the nation’s No. 5 team and SEC Regular Season Champion Tennessee.

As the Bulldogs took down the mighty Volunteers for the second time this season, Jeffries was a key cog with his defensive performance on SEC Player of the Year Dalton Knecht. The senior small forward held Knecht to just 4-of-17 shooting and 2-of-9 from 3-point range as he had 14 points and it helped State to a 73-56 win.

Jeffries finished the game with eight points and seven rebounds and was 3-of-5 shooting. He wasn’t worried about what he did on the offensive end, but he did deliver five quick points in the final 5 minutes that would end a final breath rally by UT.

Jeffries ended the game with a team-best +18 efficiency while he was on the court.

“I just did my job. I just went out there and played defense, played hard, do what I need to do,” Jeffries said. “Whatever they need me to do, I’m going to do it. I’m going to give my all each and every night.”

Matthews followed suit with his own impact.

The senior small forward has been putting up absurd looking stat sheets all season long as he’s played just about every role imaginable. His stat line on Friday read 18 points on 7-of-7 shooting, 4-of-5 from the free throw line, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Matthews went viral in the first half with his one-handed slam and didn’t stop from there. He was the offensive spark for the Bulldogs on the day and another physical presence that wouldn’t be denied.

Most of MSU’s team went into the game with an alpha dog mentality. It set the tone and it allowed the team to play ahead the entire ball game. It was exactly what MSU basketball has been built to be before Jans and remains his mantra.

“These kids are tough-minded guys. We feel like we work pretty hard on a daily basis. They bought into that, bring it every day, lunch pail mentality,” Jans said. “For the most part, some of them weren’t recruited at the highest levels, a bunch the stars by their names. We have a couple of them did, but a majority of our guys didn’t grow up in basketball that way. We mixed this group together. Fortunately, they got to know each other and like each other. You can tell by the way they play for each other.”

State (21-12) is right where it wants to be. After a four-game losing streak to end the regular season, the team was left for dead by many following college basketball. The Bulldogs were sliding to the other side of the bubble but the confidence level hasn’t changed.

Saturday will bring another game in which the Bulldogs will not be given much of a chance. State plays an Auburn team that’s red hot and a favorite to make a March run and the Bulldogs are ready for another challenge at Noon for a trip to the championship on the line.

“Please, please, keep counting us out. Please keep giving us a chip on our shoulder,” Matthews said. “Gives fuel to the fire. Just keep doing that.”