Mississippi State Basketball: Bulldogs host LSU in SEC showdown

Mississippi State (11-9, 5-6 SEC) traveled to Columbia and came away with a 75-59 win over South Carolina on Saturday, and the Bulldogs will try to keep things rolling Wednesday night when SEC foe LSU (11-6, 6-4 SEC) visits the Hump. Tip-off is set for 8 PM CT and will be on ESPNU.

Skylar Mays’ buzzer-beater lifted LSU to a 60-59 win in Baton Rouge’s last year. Head coach Ben Howland has compiled a 5-4 record against the Tigers since arriving in Starkville.

Scouting LSU

The Tigers returned several key contributors from last year’s team and were projected to finish third in the Southeastern Conference this season. Will Wade‘s team started 10-2 before scuffling late, as the Tigers dropped four of their last five.

SEC Freshman of the Year front-runner Cam Thomas leads the conference in scoring at 22.3 points per game. Junior guard Javonte Smart is arguably the most important cog on the Tigers’ roster in his third season, and he is providing 15.4 points, 3.8 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and a steal and a half per game.

Sophomore Trendon Watford has upped his production in year two, scoring at a 16.8 clip and grabbing 7.3 rebounds per game. Darius Days has been solid this season as well, averaging 12.1 points and leading the team in rebounds at just under eight a game.

Freshman Mwani Wilkerson is contributing 4.4 points and 3.4 rebounds a game as a starter. Transfers Shareef O’Neal and Josh Leblanc Sr. provide depth down low for the Tigers off the bench.

Guard Eric Gaines will see action for LSU on Wednesday as well. Gaines is adding 2.6 points in 13.4 minutes per game in his freshman campaign.

LSU ranks second in the SEC in scoring at 81.5 points. Darius Days and Javonte Smart lead the three-point shooting attack for a team that shoots 33.8%.

Keys to a Mississippi State Bulldog Win

Inconsistency has plagued Mississippi State all season long. Just last week, the Bulldogs followed up a 95-point performance with a 45-point one. Mississippi State will need to build off of Saturday’s win and score at least in the 70s to win.

Stopping the backcourt duo of Javonte Smart and Cam Thomas’s is no easy task, but Mississippi State will need to limit their production to win on Wednesday. Both can score from all over the floor, so State will need to keep a hand up at all times when they have the ball in their hands.

Prediction

Mississippi State knocks off LSU to win its second straight. DJ Stewart and Tolu Smith lead MSU in double-figures.