A tough test.
After a really impressive win over previously undefeated Ole Miss, Tennessee will keep the early conference season Mississippi theme alive with a trip to Starkville tonight. The Volunteers, still ranked No. 5 in the country, will head to ‘The Hump’ for what’s always a tough test.
Mississippi State is 11-3 on the year, coming off of a loss to South Carolina. The Bulldogs are currently hanging on as one of the last four teams in the NCAA Tournament, per ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. It’s still early, but a win over Tennessee would look pretty good for Chris Jans in a couple of months.
Jans just recently got his star big man Tolu Smith back from a foot injury suffered back in October. The timing of his return couldn’t be any better, with the schedule really ramping up for conference play. In Smith’s absence, it’s been guard Josh Hubbard leading the way, averaging over 14 points per game.
KenPom ranks Mississippi State 28th overall, while Tennessee remains in the No. 5 spot. The metric projects a two-point Tennessee win, which is right in line with the odds coming out of Vegas (-2.5).
How to watch Tennessee vs. Mississippi State
Location: Starkville, Mississippi
Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV Channel: SEC Network
Streaming: Watch ESPN, ESPN App