Mississippi State Basketball vs. LSU: Start time, TV info, and more
Mississippi State Basketball is back in action at Humphrey Coliseum tonight for an SEC showdown with the LSU Tigers. The game will tip-off at 8 pm CT. The Bulldogs enter the matchup having won three in a row and have put themselves right back into the NCAA Tournament conversation. Can they extend the winning streak to four?
Here are some notes that you need to know before watching tonight’s game:
The Mississippi State basketball team has all the momentum right now.
After a brutal stretch throughout the month of January, Mississippi State has begun to turn things around. The Bulldogs are in the midst of a three-game winning streak, defeating #11 TCU, South Carolina, and Missouri. These wins have put Chris Jans’ squad firmly on the NCAA Tournament bubble, and their remaining schedule sets up for them to make a run to the Big Dance.
I broke down everything Mississippi State must do in order to reach the tournament here.
Mississippi State Basketball currently sits at 15-8 on the season.
The Bulldogs’ winning streak has given them a respectable 15-8 record to this point. State cruised through much of their non-conference slate, starting the season 11-0 with impressive victories over quality opponents in Marquette and Utah. A loss to a respectable Drake squad going into SEC play slowed down momentum, and MSU lost 8 of 9 against difficult competition. A win over #11 TCU in the SEC-Big 12 Challenge sparked a turn-around for the Bulldogs who will now look to extend their winning streak to four.
The LSU Tigers are 12-11.
LSU has had a rough go of things in their first season under Matt McMahon. After a great 12-1 start to the year, the Tigers have now lost 10 straight games by an average margin of 15.4 points. LSU has struggled defensively on the year allowing opponents to shoot nearly 44% against them while giving up 69 points per game. Murray State transfer and Mississippi native KJ Williams has been the lone bright spot for the Tigers averaging 16.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.
How to Watch
TV: SEC Network
Time: 8:00 pm CT/9:00 pm ET
Location: Humphrey Coliseum; Starkville, MS
Prediction
Vegas has Mississippi State as a 10-point favorite, and that makes perfect sense. The Bulldogs are playing good basketball right now while LSU could not be in more of a slump. The battle between Tolu Smith and KJ Williams in the post should be a lot of fun to watch, but as long as State can contain Williams, the Tigers don’t have many answers elsewhere. This is a must-win for State as a loss to the Tigers could tank their tournament hopes. MSU’s elite defense and home court give them a big edge here.
Bulldogs win 68-56.