Mississippi State snapped a two-game losing skid over the weekend with a thrilling home victory over rival Ole Miss in overtime. It was another ranked win for a Bulldogs squad that entered the game as a Top 25 team in both the AP and Coaches Poll. And after that win, State has seen positive momentum in both polls.
Mississippi State Bulldogs ranked 14th in AP Top 25 Men's College Basketball Poll
Bulldog basketball climbed one spot in the AP Poll, checking in at #14 in the rankings following their win over the Rebels. That gets them back to where they were prior to their home loss to Kentucky, and it ties the highest AP ranking the program has had since the 2004-2005 season.
State had previously fallen one spot from 14th to 15th after the Kentucky loss, but after a blowout loss at Auburn, there was a chance for a plummet in the rankings with a poor result on Saturday. By beating Ole Miss at home, State was able to essentially maintain positioning in the poll.
Mississippi State Bulldogs ranked 14th in Men's Basketball Coaches Poll
Mississippi State also checks in at #14 in the Coaches Poll, though in this case, they made a multiple spot jump. The Bulldogs were ranked #18 last week. Their win over the Rebels plus losses by Memphis, UConn, and Oregon were enough to boost them up in the rankings.
The Coaches Poll had previously been the highest on the Bulldogs, ranking them #13 going into their matchup with Kentucky. But Coaches Poll voters were also more harsh with MSU's rank after that loss, and it seems they're now correcting that with a nice jump back to #14.
Six currently-ranked opponents remain on Mississippi State basketball's schedule
State has already played four games against teams currently ranked in either Top 25 poll. Six more currently ranked teams - #3/4 Alabama, #5/6 Florida, #6/7 Tennessee, #13 Texas A&M, #16 Ole Miss, and #22/24 Missouri - await them in seven total games (they'll play Alabama twice).
Needless to say, things won't be getting any easier for the Bulldogs going forward. But we've seen State prove they can compete with nearly any team on the schedule, and those remaining ranked matchups should be viewed at opportunities for more statement wins.