Mississippi State Aims to Regain Momentum Against LSU

Mississippi State appeared to be hitting its stride after securing back-to-back double-digit wins over ranked opponents, but their recent road struggles have put them in a tough position. The Bulldogs now return home to Starkville on Saturday, looking to get back on track against LSU in a pivotal SEC matchup.

Bulldogs Need a Bounce-Back Performance

Mississippi State (19-9, 7-8 SEC) looked like a team peaking at the right time after beating then-No. 19 Ole Miss 81-71 on February 15 and dominating then-No. 7 Texas A&M 70-54 three days later.

Head coach Chris Jans believed his team was starting to figure things out.

“We felt like we were hitting our stride and that we had kind of figured it out,” Jans said.

However, the momentum quickly disappeared after a 93-87 loss at unranked Oklahoma followed by a 111-73 blowout loss at No. 6 Alabama. The Bulldogs’ defense, which had been a strength, was torched by Alabama’s fast-paced offense, leaving Mississippi State searching for answers.

RJ Melendez acknowledged that the team may have gotten too comfortable after its two biggest wins of the season.

“We got too comfortable with those two wins,” Melendez said. “I feel like our connection hasn’t been as strong the last two games as it had been. We’ve got to move on to the next one and focus on LSU because every single game matters at this point.”

Mississippi State has now lost five of its last eight games, though six of its SEC losses have come against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 10 at the time of the matchup.

With the SEC tournament approaching, Jans emphasized the importance of handling adversity.

“You have to take care of the opportunities that you get,” Jans said. “You’ve got to be able to pull your person off the ground and regroup. You can’t let that turn into a snowball effect.”

NCAAB Data That Matters

Start Winning Today

Get Free Trial

LSU Looking to End Losing Streak

LSU (14-14, 6-9 SEC) is also dealing with its own struggles, having lost consecutive games to No. 5 Tennessee (65-59) and No. 2 Florida (79-65).

The Tigers’ biggest issue in both losses was their inability to convert from three-point range and prevent second-chance opportunities for their opponents.

Against Tennessee, LSU shot 7 of 27 from beyond the arc and was outscored 27-8 in second-chance points. Against Florida, the Tigers made 9 of 31 from three and allowed 17 second-chance points.

Head coach Matt McMahon believes those two factors made the difference in both losses.

“Our field-goal defense was certainly good enough to give us a chance,” McMahon said. “But when you’re playing against a team that’ll contend to go to the Final Four, you can’t give up that many second opportunities.”

LSU showed fight late against Tennessee, cutting a 15-point deficit to just four in the final minutes before running out of time.

Cam Carter admitted that the Tigers have been making too many avoidable mistakes.

“I think we do it to ourselves a lot of times,” Carter said. “We’re just going to take these mistakes and then fix them and carry them onto the next game and just keep getting better.”

Key Factors to Watch

• Mississippi State’s Defensive Response – The Bulldogs allowed 111 points against Alabama, their worst defensive effort of the season. Can they tighten up against LSU?
• LSU’s Rebounding and Second-Chance Points – The Tigers have been dominated on the glass in back-to-back losses. Can they keep Mississippi State from capitalizing on extra opportunities?
• Bulldogs’ Mindset After Two Losses – Mississippi State looked like an SEC contender two weeks ago. Will they find their form again, or will their struggles continue?
• Three-Point Shooting – LSU has been ice-cold from deep in recent games. If they don’t improve, they could struggle to keep up with the Bulldogs.
• Home-Court Advantage for Mississippi State – The Bulldogs have been tough to beat in Starkville this season. Will the home crowd help them regain confidence?

🏀 Who’s Covering the Spread? Get insider predictions & expert picks before placing your bets! 🔥 Find Out Now"

Final Thoughts

Mississippi State is desperate to stop its recent slide and regain the form that led to big wins over ranked opponents. Meanwhile, LSU is trying to fix its offensive inefficiencies and rebound from back-to-back losses against top-tier competition.

With both teams needing a win to build momentum for the postseason, expect a hard-fought SEC battle. Will Mississippi State bounce back at home, or can LSU break through on the road? The answer will come Saturday in Starkville.