SEC basketball standings ahead of Mississippi State basketball vs. Florida Gators showdown
By Ethan Lee
With Chris Jans and the Mississippi State men's basketball team heading down to Gainesville to face the Florida Gators, the SEC basketball race continues to look pretty interesting.
Given where the Bulldogs sit right now, it seems highly unlikely that Mississippi State is going to make a run at winning the regular season SEC crown in Jans' second season in Starkville (nor would that seem all that reasonable to expect), but MSU can improve its standing ahead of the SEC Tournament later this season.
In fact, the Bulldogs have plenty of opportunities to move up from the lower half of the SEC's middle class into considerably better standing. There's plenty of season up ahead for MSU. And it starts tonight against Florida.
As Chris Jans' Mississippi State basketball team prepares to battle Florida, here's a look at the SEC men's basketball landscape on January 24th, 2024:
SEC basketball standings, 1/24/24
- Auburn Tigers: 5-0, 16-2 overall
- Tennessee Vols: 4-1, 14-4 overall
- Alabama Crimson Tide: 4-1, 12-6 overall
- South Carolina Gamecocks: 4-2, 16-3 overall
- Kentucky Wildcats: 4-2, 14-4 overall
- Georgia Bulldogs: 3-2, 13-5 overall
- LSU Tigers: 3-2, 11-7 overall
- Texas A&M Aggies: 3-3, 12-7 overall
- Ole Miss Rebels: 2-3, 15-3 overall
- Mississippi State Bulldogs: 2-3, 13-5 overall
- Florida Gators: 2-3, 12-6 overall
- Arkansas Razorbacks: 1-4, 10-8 overall
- Missouri Tigers: 0-6, 8-11 overall
- Vanderbilt Commodores: 0-5, 5-13 overall
Mississippi State basketball record
That's not exactly where MSU wants to be right now, but the Bulldogs hold a 13-5 overall record (even if they are just 2-3 in conference play so far). That's not a bad overall record and there are plenty of SEC games left up ahead.
Still, this team has too much experience to play like a team of youthful Bulldogs. Road contests shouldn't be impossible to win for a roster that has played alongside each other the way this one has. Mississippi State bounced back nicely in their last outing, taking down Vanderbilt 68-55 at home, but the Bulldogs need to find a way to get wins against SEC foes more regularly.
A win over Florida (12-6, 2-3 SEC) would pull the Bulldogs back to .500 in league action. It would also give the Bulldogs a spot right in the midst of the SEC standings.
Florida basketball record
The Florida Gators aren't really all that far behind Mississippi State right now. The Gators are 12-6 overall and stand at 2-3 in conference games before matching up with Mississippi State. But Florida's real strength is playing at home.
The Gators are tough to beat in Gainesville and they've got a 7-1 record. That one loss is to the Kentucky Wildcats and was decided by just a couple of points. Mississippi State certainly can't overlook this matchup.