Utah presents first major test for Mississippi State basketball

Mississippi State basketball is off to a 3-0 start to the season, having handled lesser opponents with ease to this point. They're about to see a big step-up in competition on Sunday when they face Utah in Southaven.

Utah was solid last season, but after losing the majority of their lineup and entering the daunting Big 12, expectations weren't high for this group. But a strong group of transfers has this team rolling. They're 3-0, winning games by an average margin of 98-62. Their competition has admittedly been bad, but they've been impressive regardless.

Let's take a closer look at the Runnin' Utes...

Utah is an elite 3-point shooting team

There's no question what Utah's offensive identity is. This is a team that loves to spread the floor and take shots from beyond the arc. They're attempting over 39 threes per game, and they lead the nation in 3-point makes at 17.3 per game. As a team, they're shooting an absurd 44% from distance. And it's not just a couple players pulling that average up. Of their eight players averaging at least 19 minutes per game, seven are shooting at least 41% from three.

Senior guard Gabe Madsen leads this group with over 25 PPG. Wing Mike averages 14 points, 5.7 boards, and a team-leading six assists. And while it's not the strength, they get enough production out of their post players to make you respect it. They're a pain to defend.

The Runnin' Utes have been strong on the defensive end as well

It's not just the offense from Utah that makes them tough to deal with. They've played great defense so far this season too. Teams are shooting just 34% against them. They've been great on the boards and have averaged 10 teams per game. Utah's size is a big reason why they're effective. They're entire starting lineup stands at least 6-4, and the average height of their main rotation is 6-6.5. It's certainly possible their success so far is a product of their competition, but they look the part of a strong team.

How Mississippi State handles Utah's size-advantage will determine the game

This could be a tricky matchup for Mississippi State. Utah has a noticeable size advantage over the Bulldogs, and how they handle that will likely be the determining factor in this game. How well does the Bulldog backcourt defend Utah's shooting with some smaller builds on the court? On the flipside, is State as effective offensively against a team with Utah's length? How well do the Bulldogs rebound in this game? Rebounding has been an issue so far, and Utah has done well in that category. I trust Mississippi State overall and think they're good enough to get the win here, but we'll learn a lot about this squad in this game.