Missouri men’s basketball’s prolific offense will clash with another top defensive squad when it travels to face Mississippi State at 5 p.m. Saturday at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, Mississippi.
Mississippi State (14-8, 2-7 SEC) has held teams to 59 points per game, ranking eighth-best in Division I. The Bulldogs allow teams to knock down just 38.7% of field goal attempts and force 9.6 steals per game, ranking ninth in the nation in both categories. Missouri leads the country with 11.0 steals per game.
The toughest defensive test the Tigers (17-5, 5-4) have faced so far this season was an Iowa State team that only conceded 59.5 points per game before facing MU on Saturday. But Missouri managed to drop 78 points during its victory over the Cyclones.
While the Bulldogs are among the nation’s best on the defensive side, they struggle to put points on the board. The team ranks 316th in scoring offense, averaging 65.6 points per contest.
Under first-year head coach Chris Jans, Mississippi State’s season could be told in two different stories. Through their first 11 games, the Bulldogs rolled over opponents on their way to an 11-0 record, including wins against now-ranked Marquette, Minnesota on the road and a Utah team that now has 15 wins and currently sits fourth in the Pac 12.
The Bulldogs rose as high as No. 15 in the AP Top 25 in December before their season took a turn. On Dec. 20 in Lincoln, Nebraska, Drake handed Mississippi State a six-point loss. The Bulldogs went on to lose seven of their next eight matchups before earning a chance to right the ship in a nonconference matchup.
In the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, Mississippi State regained some pride by taking down then-No. 11 TCU in overtime. The Bulldogs started their first winning streak since their 11-0 start with a 66-51 win Tuesday at South Carolina.
Junior guard Shakeel Moore scored 22 points against the Gamecocks to go along with four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Moore ranks second in points per game for MSU with 8.9, trailing only Tolu Smith’s 14.5 per game.
Smith has served as Mississippi State’s version of Kobe Brown, as he also leads the team in rebounds with 8.2 per game. The 6-foot-11 forward also scored 27 in the Bulldogs’ win over TCU before pouring in 15 points and grabbing eight boards against South Carolina. Shutting down Smith will be a focal point for the Tigers on Saturday.
As a Quad 1 win opportunity presents itself for Missouri, it’s not going to come easy. The Bulldogs have lost just three games at home, and the Tigers haven’t won in Starkville, Mississippi, since Feb. 13, 2013.
“There is going to be some tough games in the month of February, there’s no doubt about it,” Dennis Gates said following Missouri’s victory over LSU on Wednesday. “No one is complacent with where they are, but I expect our team to reset and approach it like we’re at 0-0.”
The Tigers are 1-3 on the road in Southeastern Conference play so far this season, scoring under 70 points in all three losses. The Tigers struggled from 3 in those games but recently have hit 43 triples over their three-game winning streak.
Up Next What: Missouri at Mississippi State When: 5 p.m. Saturday Where: Starkville, Mississippi Watch: SEC Network