Mississippi State to Face No. 5 Florida in Gainesville
Gainesville, Florida — Mississippi State men’s basketball travels to No. 5 Florida on Tuesday for the final road game of its Southeastern Conference schedule. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Exactech Arena inside the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, with live coverage on the SEC Network and the ESPN app.
The Bulldogs (13-16, 5-11 SEC) aim to break a four-game losing streak against the Gators (23-6, 14-2 SEC), who have won nine straight games and clinched a share of the SEC regular-season title with a 111-77 victory over Arkansas last Saturday. Florida features six players averaging in double figures, led by Thomas Haugh (17.1 points per game) and Alex Condon (14.4 points), with contributions from Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee.
Mississippi State is seeking its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, a feat last achieved in 2002-05. The Bulldogs have secured three straight NCAA bids for only the third time in program history. The team has also posted strong attendance figures at Humphrey Coliseum this season, including celebrating the arena’s 50th anniversary in December.
Florida holds a 69-53 series advantage over Mississippi State, winning four of the last five meetings. The last Bulldogs victory in Gainesville was a 78-71 win during the 2019-20 season, led by Reggie Perry’s 27 points and eight rebounds.
Mississippi State’s leading scorer, Josh Hubbard, has been a standout this season. The junior guard is a two-time All-SEC Second-Team selection and ranks among the SEC’s top scorers. Hubbard scored 46 points against Auburn on Feb. 18, setting a program SEC record and coming close to the school’s single-game scoring record of 47 points.
Head coach Chris Jans, now in his fourth season leading the Bulldogs, has compiled a 76-43 record at Mississippi State. Jans, recognized as one of the nation’s top coaches, has led the team to three NCAA Tournament appearances in his tenure and maintains a winning percentage of .687 over his 10-year coaching career.
The game will be broadcast on the radio via the Mississippi State Sports Network, with Neil Price calling the action. Fans can also stream the game online through the ESPN app or watch on the SEC Network.
Source: Original Article
