Chris Jans praises Shakeel Moore after career-high night

Mississippi State fell to Tennessee 70-59 on Tuesday night, but the Bulldogs might have uncovered something in the process. A career-high night for Shakeel Moore showed Mississippi State has some hefty firepower available off the bench.

Moore scored 20 points, topping two previous 19-point outings earlier in his career. He also chipped in three steals, two rebounds and two assists in the game.

“It gives us a little more diversity offensively, we can open the floor a little bit more because we’ve got multiple guys that can get in the paint and create for themselves and others,” coach Chris Jans explained. “He got to the line, obviously, he knocked down a couple threes, he’s got some wiggle in his game and he’s obviously very athletic.”

The versatility and production off the bench gives Mississippi State some options in terms of how Jans can substitute early in games.

After Shakeel Moore’s career night, Chris Jans considers him a starter

Moore is also playing well enough that Jans considers him a bona fide starter, even if he isn’t one of the first five players on the court on a given evening.

“He’s a starter,” Jans said. “I mean he played 28 minutes. He knows that, but it’s nice having him to be able to come in for either guard spot depending on the flow of the game and foul situations.”

What does Moore need to do to earn even more playing time, or perhaps a spot in the starting lineup?

Fairly straightforward.

“We need him and others to be consistent with that most nights,” Jans said.

The good news is Moore seems to be getting hot at the right time. He’s scored at least 15 points in two of the last three games after topping that mark only once in the previous 15 games.