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SEC media predicts Mississippi State basketball in league's bottom-half

The Bulldogs are being overlooked by the media once again.

By Andrew Miller

Mar 15, 2024; Nashville, TN, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs guard Josh Hubbard (13) dribbles against the Tennessee Volunteers during the first half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Mar 15, 2024; Nashville, TN, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs guard Josh Hubbard (13) dribbles against the Tennessee Volunteers during the first half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
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Basketball season is right around the corner, and Mississippi State basketball fans are expecting a big year. But do the SEC media agree? On Monday, the preseason media poll for the conference was released. Where did they slot the Bulldogs?

Mississippi State basketball picked 10th in SEC media poll

While expectations are sky-high for Bulldog fans entering the year, the SEC media have a lower opinion of their squad. The Bulldogs were picked to finish 10th in the league in the preseason SEC media poll. State has finished 9th in the final SEC standings each of the last two seasons under Chris Jans. Here's a look a the full SEC media poll...

1. Alabama Crimson Tide

2. Auburn Tigers

3. Tennessee Volunteers

4. Arkansas Razorbacks

5. Texas A&M Aggies

6. Florida Gators

7. Texas Longhorns

8. Kentucky Wildcats

9. Ole Miss Rebels

10. Mississippi State Bulldogs

11. South Carolina Gamecocks

12. Georgia Bulldogs

13. Missouri Tigers

14. LSU Tigers

15. Oklahoma Sooners

16. Vanderbilt Commodores

The preseason SEC media poll bears resemblance to the preseason AP Top 25. The top nine teams in the predicted SEC standings were all ranked in the Top 25 in a fairly similar order. Mississippi State was the lone SEC team to receive votes for the Top 25, putting them 10th in the league which is exactly where they are in the media poll.

Bulldogs' preseason standing a reflection of SEC's strength

I'd imagine the majority of State fans are baffled to see their team so low in the media poll (or not considering how the media generally views MSU in all sports...), but it's a direct reflection of how strong the SEC currently is and is expected to be this season.

As mentioned, the SEC had nine teams ranked in the preseason AP poll. This has been one of college basketball's top conferences in recent years, and it may be stronger than ever in 2024-2025. Some really good teams are going to finish in the bottom-half of the SEC, so State being 10th isn't necessarily an indicator that the media believes them to be a bad team. They just don't have their roster ahead of the others at this time, which is justifiable.

Ultimately, I wouldn't worry about rankings or conference standings for the Bulldogs. Neither impacts making the NCAA Tournament, and Mississippi State absolutely has a roster good enough to not only get to the Dance but also win multiple games there.

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