A top-25 Magnolia State matchup will be on the docket this weekend as No. 15 Mississippi State is set to welcome No. 21 Ole Miss for what is expected to be a must-watch battle on the hardwood.
The Bulldogs (14-3, 2-2 SEC) will enter the contest on a two-game losing streak and look to feed off of their home crowd when the red-hot Rebels (15-2, 4-0 SEC) head into Starkville. This will be the first time in history that both opponents will be ranked when the game begins.
Mississippi State opened up conference play looking like a juggernaut, ousting South Carolina by 35 and walking away a double-digit road victor over Vanderbilt. The successful run was cut short when then-No. 6 Kentucky walked into Humphrey Coliseum this past Saturday and gave the Bulldogs their first conference loss. Mississippi State then took on top-ranked Auburn, which lacked star big man Jonhi Broome, on the road and was defeated by 22 points.
Ole Miss began SEC action with a chip on its shoulder after being bullied by Memphis, a team Mississippi State handled with relative ease earlier this season, in FedEx Forum. Since then, the Rebels have handled business, winning three of their last four contests by double figures. The most recent victory took place at No. 4 Alabama, who hold the nation’s top offense, with the Rebels earning their first-ever road win over a top-five opponent.
Last season, the teams split the two scheduled matchups against one another — with home-court advantage proving to be effective. Ole Miss overcame the Bulldogs 86-82 in front of a record-breaking crowd at the SJB Pavilion last January, whereas Mississippi State pummeled the Rebels 83-71 in Starkville a few weeks later. This year, the pair of programs have continued to improve as formidable forces in what has become arguably the best conference in the sport.
Previewing the in-state rivalry game
Both programs will be led by strong defensive efforts and a bevy of stars whose presence is made known on the scoreboard. Ole Miss and Mississippi State are both projected to be featured in the NCAA Tournament as high seeds.
For Mississippi State, standout sharp-shooter Josh Hubbard has been Chris Jans’ go-to guy for offensive production. Hubbard, who has been in a bit of a shooting slump of late, still averages 17 points per game and will use Saturday’s outing as an opportunity to get back on track.
Jans also leans on Claudell Harris, Jr., a viable weapon from deep, to bolster the offense with his consistency from behind the arc. KeyShawn Murphy, the team’s rebound leader, and utility player Cam Matthews serve as agents of toughness for a team that has stifled opponents this year. Riley Kugel and RJ Melendez have also been strong assets from the portal who have demonstrated an ability to take over games when called upon.
Rebel frontman Chris Beard stresses stalwart defense and protecting the basketball. Ole Miss has one of the best assist-to-turnover ratios in the nation (1.74) and most recently forced the best offense in the country to cough the ball up 21 times.
Sean Pedulla and Matthew Murrell have led the defensive efforts, forcing an average of more than two steals per game apiece. Pedulla is also the team’s leading scorer, averaging 13.9 points per game. However, the main character of late has been Malik Dia. Over the last three games, Dia put 63 points on the board while securing a combined 34 rebounds.
In their last two games, the Bulldogs have shot a startling 21% from the three-point line. For Mississippi State to emerge victorious, shots from deep will have to fall, and Hubbard will likely have to work his way back into being one of the SEC’s top scorers. Production from Harris, Murphy, and Matthews would also prove beneficial for the maroon and white.
Defensively, Mississippi State will benefit from beating Ole Miss at the Rebels’ game — forcing turnovers. Ole Miss has started games off slowly and relied on second-half rallies to emerge victorious. If the Bulldogs can punch early and often, leaning on stifling defense to produce points off of turnovers, a successful outing is possibly in store.
Ole Miss will have a successful outing if the team makes its opponent uncomfortable from tip-off to the final buzzer. The Rebels will have to prevent open looks from behind the arc, especially by Hubbard and Harris, while also effectively keeping Mississippi State off the offensive glass. Pedulla and Murrell will need to be on the same page defensively.
Dia’s presence down low could be the difference in the contest. Recently, he has proven to be the most effective big man on the court in both scoring and rebounding. But Dia cannot do everything. Beard will need his cornucopia of veterans to step up and knock down shots. A strong offensive showing off the bench from Jaylen Murray could ultimately lead the Rebels to a road win.
Both programs have been bitten by the injury bug this year. Mississippi State has lacked Penn State transfer Kanye Clary for the better part of the season. Riley Kugel, who has been one of the Bulldogs’ top performers, missed the Auburn game, but is currently expected to return to action on Saturday. Ole Miss has lacked forward Mikeal Brown-Jones since its conference debut against Georgia. Brown-Jones has been in concussion protocol, but could also return this weekend.
Mississippi State is currently listed as a 4.5-point favorite in the rivalry game, but Ole Miss has yet to shy away from winning as a road underdog in January.
How to watch
Where: Humphrey Coliseum, Starkville
When: Saturday at 5 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN2
Radio: Participating SuperTalk Mississippi stations
Action will continue in the Hump on Sunday with the Mississippi State and Ole Miss women’s basketball teams facing off. The game will begin at 2 p.m. CT and be aired on the SEC Network.
