No. 22 Mississippi State will look to keep away from a 3rd straight loss on Saturday because it hits the highway for a matchup in opposition to Georgia in a battle of Bulldogs in Athens, Ga.
Mississippi State (16-6, 4-5 SEC) has dropped 5 of its final six video games to fall under .500 in convention play. The Bulldogs began the season 12-1 in nonconference play earlier than successful their first two SEC matchups to open 14-1.
Since then, they’ve struggled in opposition to the SEC’s gauntlet of groups. All 5 of Mississippi State’s losses in convention play have come in opposition to ranked opponents, with 4 of these ranked within the prime six on the time.
“On this league the place there is a very, very small margin of error, you are taking your foot off the gasoline and all people’s going to benefit from it,” Mississippi State coach Chris Jans stated. “We have been in a position to try this to different groups, too, however we have simply obtained to know that we’ve got a margin of error that is small.”
MSU guard Josh Hubbard is tied for fifth within the SEC with 17.6 factors per recreation. He has been one of many few vibrant spots within the final two defeats, scoring 38 factors in an 88-84 loss to then-No. 4 Alabama on Jan. 29 earlier than dropping 24 in an 88-61 loss to No. 20 Missouri final Saturday.
KeShawn Murphy and Claudell Harris Jr. are the one different Mississippi State gamers who common double figures in scoring. Murphy averages 11.0 factors and a team-high 7.2 rebounds per recreation, whereas Harris averages 10.4 factors.
The group mascots aren’t the one similarity within the matchup. The trajectory of Georgia’s season has been almost equivalent to Mississippi State’s, with these Bulldogs have additionally falling sufferer to a rugged SEC schedule after going 12-1 in nonconference play.
Issues seemed promising for Georgia (16-7, 4-6) after incomes back-to-back ranked wins over Kentucky and Oklahoma to start out 2-1 in SEC play. That did not final lengthy, as coach Mike White’s group has since misplaced 5 of its final seven video games.
Georgia is led by prime NBA draft prospect Asa Newell, who leads the group with 15.3 factors and 6.9 rebounds. Silas Demary Jr. can also be a key contributor, averaging 11.0 factors, 4.0 rebounds and three.0 assists per recreation.
Georgia is coming off an 81-62 win over struggling LSU led by 17 factors from Newell and a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double by Blue Cain.
Nonetheless, it has been Georgia’s protection that has been the distinction maker in all of its key wins this season.
“In lots of our massive wins, groups had been within the 60s,” White stated. “That is simpler to manage than whether or not or not photographs are falling. Guys have embraced enjoying with each other they usually let the protection dictate who’s capturing the ball.
“You possibly can’t simply put your head down in opposition to an SEC protection, go full pace and hope all of it works out. The size, the self-discipline, the general means that the defenses (current) on this league will expose you till you are prepared.”
–Area Stage Media
