Preview: No. 20 Mizzou Looks to Pick Up Massive Road Upset at No. 14 Mississippi State

The road has not been kind to head coach Dennis Gates and the Tigers, as all four of their losses have come away from home. Meanwhile, they remain a perfect 15-0 at Mizzou Arena.

Now, the Tigers travel to Starkville in search of their second road win of the season, facing one of their toughest opponents of the 2024-25 campaign in Mississippi State.

Ranked No. 14 in the latest AP poll released Monday, the Bulldogs have put together an impressive resume, securing key wins while remaining competitive in every game.

Mississippi State sits at 4-4 in SEC play, just behind Missouri’s 5-2 start. Overall, the Bulldogs are 16-5, including an 8-2 record at home, proving they consistently defend their home court.

They currently sit just below Mizzou at ninth overall in the SEC.

Aside from a 10-point upset loss to unranked Butler in late November and a three-point win over unranked McNeese State in December, Mississippi State has dominated nonconference opponents.

They secured wins over No. 24 Vanderbilt, No. 23 Ole Miss, and No. 19 Memphis, which is not in the SEC.

However, the Bulldogs have struggled against ranked SEC opponents, and this season, there have been plenty.

They fell to No. 12 Kentucky, No. 1 Auburn, No. 8 Tennessee, and No. 4 Alabama. Their most recent game, a close loss to the Crimson Tide, was their second home defeat of the season, the other coming against Butler.

Head coach Chris Jans, now leading his third Division I program after stints at Bowling Green and New Mexico State, has found success at every stop in his coaching career.

Jans has led his teams to more than 20 wins in every season except 2020-21, which was shortened due to COVID-19. Nearing that mark again this year, he continues to push each program to new heights, and he is doing the same with the Bulldogs.

Despite winning more than 20 games in each of the past two seasons and making back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, Mississippi State has yet to advance past the first round.

The No. 14 AP ranking is also the highest Mississippi State has reached in the past three seasons.

The last time the Bulldogs reached the second round was in the 2007-08 season, on a team that featured two future NBA players.

When it comes to scoring, the team's primary threat is sophomore Josh Hubbard.

Despite his 5-foot-11, 190-pound frame, he consistently finds ways to score from all areas of the court.

Starting every game in his second collegiate season with the Bulldogs, Hubbard averages more than 17 points per game on 40% shooting from the field. Taking upwards of 14 shots per game, he is a clear focal point of the offense.

In addition, he shoots a respectable 35% from 3-point range and 85% from the free-throw line. He takes care of the ball well while also contributing as a playmaker, averaging three assists per game.

He finds his shot early and often, and when he gets into a rhythm, he becomes a dangerous threat for opposing defenses.

Apart from Hubbard, the only player on the roster averaging more than 30 minutes per game, two defenders have been disrupting opposing offenses all season.

Keshawn Murphy is a versatile player, but he stands out most on the defensive end.

The junior, who logs heavy minutes despite rarely starting, averages more than 10 points per game on 56% shooting, primarily scoring inside the paint. However, he truly shines on defense, averaging seven rebounds, more than a block, and a steal per game.

Alongside Murphy is fifth-year senior Cameron Matthews. Matthews contributes offensively as well, averaging more than seven points and seven rebounds per game.

Mississippi State is solid on both sides of the ball, and that ability has allowed the Bulldogs to win a handful of competitive contests this season.

Mizzou already took down No. 5 Florida on the road in early January, and the Tigers will look to pick up a second SEC road win on Saturday.

Tipoff is set for noon on Saturday in Starkville, Mississippi.