Mississippi State Basketball: Men’s Hoops in South Carolina Preview
Mississippi (10-9, 4-6 SEC) failed to take care of the ball or take down kicks the last time, resulting in a 16-point loss in Arkansas. Bulldogs will need to have these things fixed on Saturday when they hit the road to face the South Carolina Gamecocks (5-6, 3-4 SEC).
The game is scheduled for 2:30 pm CT and will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
The series was split up a season ago, with the state of Mississippi holding a Gamecock rally late for a 79-76 victory. South Carolina returned the favor in Columbia, an 83-71 final driven by the 20-point performance of former Gamecock Maik Kotsar.
Scouting in South Carolina
The South Carolina season was marked by problems with the COVID-19 and several game cancellations, resulting in weeks off the ground. Gamecocks played an entire game in December before having their next four contests canceled or postponed.
South Carolina was 2 to 2 on the non-conference list with wins over Tulsa and Florida A&M. After starting the SEC game with a resounding 78-54 victory over Texas A&M, the Gamecocks lost four of the next five disputes, with the only home win against Georgia.
South Carolina, however, arrives on Saturday with some momentum after toppling Florida No. 22 72-66 in Gainesville on Wednesday night. The Gamecocks overcame the Gators by 11 in the second half and won the victory.
Junior AJ Lawson is the leader of South Carolina, averaging 17.6 points and 37.3% shooting from outside. The great driver, Keyshawn Bryant, is scoring 14.6 points per game to go along with his 5.6 rebounds.
Playmaker Jermaine Couisnard is contributing 11.8 points and 3.7 assists for the Gamecocks cause. Seventh Woods is earning five points per game in his first season at Columbia after moving from North Carolina.
The front line consists of Justin Minaya and Wildens Leveque. Minaya has the ability to stretch the ground with her external kicks and has an average of 8.5 points and seven rebounds per game. Leveque has an average of 5.4 points and 5.4 boards per game.
Guards Trae Hannibal and TJ Moss will have time to play off the bench of Frank Martin and striker Jalyn McCreary.
Gamecocks are putting 75.1 points per game this season. They shoot 43.4% of the field and 32.8% of the three-point range. Free throws have been a thorn in their side this season, hitting just 63.5% of the line.
Keys to a Bulldog’s Victory
Turnover has been a major problem for the state of Mississippi, especially recently. 26 twists and turns on Tuesday night spoiled any chance of MSU defeating Arkansas. The state of Mississippi must take care of the ball on Saturday to win.
Bulldogs must have four double-digit scorers to win on Saturday. Someone will need to introduce themselves and have a great game alongside Molinar, Stewart and Tolu Smith. Whether Deivon Smith, Cameron Matthews or Jalen Johnson, MSU needs another double-digit scorer to guarantee victory.
Prediction
The state of Mississippi finds a way to win on the road. Iverson Molinar recovered after a disappointing game on Tuesday, leading MSU to victory.
Mississippi state Bulldogs
68
South Carolina Gamecocks
63
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