It has been a long time since Kentucky has lost a basketball game in Starkville, Mississippi, but tonight's test against the Mississippi State Bulldogs will be the toughest the Cats have had there in a very long time.
It's a ranked SEC matchup between two of the better teams in the nation to this point in the season and CI contributors are sharing takes and predictions here.
Jeff Drummond: It feels like Kentucky's absurd regular-season win streak over Mississippi State might be due to end on Saturday. The Wildcats haven't lost to the Bulldogs in the last 18 regular-season games dating back to Feb. 3, 2009, in a matchup that featured Billy Gillispie as the UK head coach. There's no doubt that MSU has been hearing this a lot this week, and Humphrey Coliseum will be a madhouse with the No. 6 Cats in town. This is a really talented team with balance on both ends of the floor. State ranks No. 17 in KenPom's offensive efficiency rankings and No. 26 on the defensive side of the court. The Bulldogs have easily handled a pair of quality opponents in Pitt and Memphis this season, and they barely broke a sweat in winning Tuesday night at Vanderbilt. Unless the Cats shoot the ball better from the perimeter than they have in most of their P5 matchups, they are likely in trouble. Cameron Matthews, MSU's version of Draymond Green at the 4, is a matchup problem for UK and my MVP pick. Mississippi State 81, Kentucky 74.
David Sisk: I would a trip to Mississippi State right up there with Duke, Gonzaga, and Florida in regards to quality of opponent. They are 14-1, and they have slaughtered the likes of Pitt and Memphis. The last one was worse than the score. As we have documented this week, it’s the type of team that causes Kentucky problems. They are big, physical, they defend and slow the pace. The Cats have to respond to that type of style and throw the first punches. The ball is going to be in Josh Hubbard’s hands a lot. They can’t let him become Bruce Thornton all over again. On the bright side, Kentucky has played well against the best teams. They are 3-0 in the games I’ve mentioned. Even though I am picking against them, I’m not counting Kentucky out. Mississippi State 74 Kentucky 69.
Justin Rowland: There's no question the Bulldogs are a quality team. They look like a squad that could be a thorn in the side of the very top teams in the SEC, and they're pacing toward a strong tournament seed for themselves as it is. The matchup itself seems to be problematic for Kentucky. Having said that, Kentucky has also tended to play well here and you know there have been many instances when everybody is picking against the Wildcats and they come out and make a statement. In spite of the questions about Andrew Carr's status, the matchup problem, and MSU being undefeated at home, I will pick Kentucky and say the Wildcats dig deep and gut one out on the road. Kentucky 79, Mississippi State 76.
