At a pivotal point of the season for both Ole Miss and Mississippi State, an upcoming Egg Bowl matchup on the hardwood presents an opportunity for both men’s basketball teams.
For the Rebels (10-7, 2-2 SEC), a road win in Starkville would mark three straight victories versus conference opponents. Ole Miss began SEC play with back-to-back losses, falling to Oklahoma and Arkansas, but Chris Beard’s group has since regrouped with wins over Missouri and No. 21 Georgia.
As for the Bulldogs (10-7, 2-2 SEC), a home win over their bitter in-state rival would both energize the fanbase and restore positive momentum after suffering consecutive double-digit defeats. Chris Jans’ crew began the new year with wins over Texas and Oklahoma, before being dominated by Kentucky and No. 18 Alabama.
Both teams, however, desperately need the win for March Madness purposes. Ole Miss currently ranks No. 81 in the NCAA’s Net rankings, whereas Mississippi State is No. 93. A loss would make the hill to climb to become a more viable tournament team much more daunting, while a victory would ease the path.
Series record
Ole Miss versus Mississippi State is the 12th-most-played rivalry in the history of college basketball, and the Bulldogs have been on the winning side of the column 32 more times than the Rebels. Mississippi State currently boasts an overall record of 152-120 in the series.
The trend of the maroon and white dominating the final scoreboard has even proven true in recent years. Under Jans’ leadership, Mississippi State is 5-1 against Ole Miss. Beard, in his third season with the Rebels, is 1-3 in the rivalry.
Players to watch
Star Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard will be the key to success for the Bulldogs, as has been the case all year. Hubbard, a Madison native, is the SEC’s leading scorer, averaging 22.8 points per game, and has proven to be virtually unstoppable whenever he is shooting at a high clip.
For Ole Miss, AJ Storr could be the difference. Storr, a Kansas transfer, scored an average of 26.5 points in the Rebels’ two most recent wins and was largely the deciding factor in both matchups.
Injury report
An official player-availability report was not released at the time of publication. On the Ole Miss side, the Rebels will enter the contest with a healthy roster, with all primary contributors expected to play. For Mississippi State, guard Jayden Epps and center Jamarion Davis-Fleming exited the game with injuries during Tuesday’s loss against Alabama. Jans did not provide an update about their status for upcoming matchups.
Tipoff time
The game will tip off from Humphrey Coliseum on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. CT.
How to listen
For those tuning in via radio, participating SuperTalk Mississippi stations will air the game. To find a station in your signal range, click here. You can also listen on the SuperTalk app, available on both Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
How to watch
For those looking to tune in via television, the game will air on the SEC Network.
