Mississippi State Men’s Basketball to Face Houston in Exhibition Matchup
Photo credit: MSU Athletics
STARKVILLE, Miss. — The Mississippi State men’s basketball team will take on the University of Houston in an exhibition game, “The Preview College Basketball Exhibition,” announced Thursday. The highly anticipated preseason matchup is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 26, at the Fort Bend Epicenter in Rosenberg, Texas, a suburb of Houston. Tip-off time will be announced at a later date.
The exhibition provides an early test for the Bulldogs against one of the nation’s most successful programs. The Cougars, led by head coach Kelvin Sampson, have averaged 30.4 wins since the 2017-18 season, including six consecutive trips to the NCAA Sweet 16. Houston is coming off a 35-5 season where it finished as the 2025 NCAA National Runner-Up.
Under head coach Chris Jans, the Mississippi State Bulldogs have consistently found success, with Jans being one of only four SEC coaches to achieve at least 21 wins and secure an NCAA Tournament berth in each of his first three seasons.
The Bulldogs’ 2025-26 season officially begins Nov. 5 against North Alabama at Humphrey Coliseum. The non-conference home schedule also includes a Nov. 28 Black Friday doubleheader with SMU and a Dec. 20 pre-holiday showcase game against Memphis. Other home games include Southeastern Louisiana (Nov. 15), New Orleans (Nov. 24), Long Island (Dec. 16), and Alabama State (Dec. 29).
Mississippi State will host a challenging SEC schedule, with all nine home opponents having played in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. This includes Auburn, a 2025 NCAA Final Four participant, as well as Elite Eight teams Alabama and Tennessee.
