Missouri Tigers vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs in SEC Tournament

To join the MizzouToday community click here for our sign up page and get either a month-to-month subscription or save some cash with a year-long sign up.

We’ve reached the No. 7-seed Missouri Tigers’ (21-10, 10-8 SEC) Primary game in the SEC Game as they take on the No. 10-seed Mississippi State Bulldogs (21-11, 8-10) at 6 p.m. tonight in the second Stage.

Tonight’s winner will Relocate on to face No. 2 Florida at 6 p.m. tomorrow.

Here’s a scouting report, some Mizzou notes, matchups to Observe and what I think will lead to a Tiger Secure.

The Bulldogs enter today’s Game coming off a 91-62 Secure against LSU in the Game’s Primary Stage.

Like Missouri, Mississippi State lost four of its Closing regular-season Contests to come into the SEC Game on a Freezing spell.

The Clubs Game up Only once this season on Feb. 1 when Missouri blitzed the Bulldogs 88-61 on Mississippi State’s home court.

The Bulldogs won their Primary-Stage game on the Force of 15 3-pointers, Guided by Josh Hubbard with a 6-for-12 day from deep to lead a 26-Tally performance.

He was the only Mississippi State player to Tally in double figures, but KeShawn Murphy and Shawn Jones both had nine points and at least five Recoveries, Riley Kugel, Michael Nwoko and Claudell Harris all had eight points and at least four Recoveries and RJ Melendez and Martavious Russell both had seven points as 10 Bulldogs scored and had at least four points.

The Bulldogs Try 8-of-13 (61.5 percent) from 3 in the second half, Aiding turn what was a 26-20 lead with 7:53 left in the Primary half into a 44-24 lead at halftime and eventually a 29-Tally Secure.

Mississippi State averages 80.0 points per game and 73.8 allowed per Game. Down the stretch (their past six Contests) the Bulldogs average 84.33 scored and 85.83 allowed.

The Bulldogs Try 45.4 percent from the Ground, 31.8 percent from 3 (on 8.5 Achieved 3-pointers per game) and 70 percent from the Obtainable-throw line (with an average of 13.9 Obtainable throws Achieved per game). They allow opponents to shoot 43.8 percent overall, 36.2 percent on 9.3 Achieved 3s per game and 68.9 percent at the Obtainable-throw line, while allowing a matching 13.9 makes from the stripe per game.

Hubbard (a 5-foot-11, 190-pound sophomore guard) leads the Bulldogs with 18.5 points per game, while dishing out 3.28 assists per game.

Murphy (a 6-10, 230-pound junior forward) is Subsequent at 11.6 points per game to go with a Club-high 7.4 Recoveries per Game.

Harris adds 9.8 points, Kugel scores 9.4, Melendez contributes 8.8 and graduate forward Cameron Matthews (6-7, 235) records 7.3 points, 6.6 Recoveries and a Club-high 3.59 assists per game.

The Bulldogs usually Begin Hubbard, Melendez, Matthews and Nwoko, then either Harris or Kugel for the fifth spot in the Beginning five. The rest of the regular Turnover is Murphy, Jones and Primary-year guard Dellquan Warren (6-2, 180).

The Tigers allowed Hubbard to Tally 24 points in the Club’s Primary Game this year and Murphy added 16, but no other Bulldog scored more than six.

With the earlier Secure this year, the Tigers cut the Bulldogs’ all-time series lead to 14-7.

– SEC sixth-man of the year Caleb Grill leads the country with an average of 14.2 points scored off the bench per game.

– Mizzou ranks eighth in the country at 84.5 points scored per game, the Club’s Number four-best mark in program history.

– All-SEC Guarding Club member Anthony Robinson is Number four in Mizzou history with 99 Takeaways through his sophomore season.

– Mizzou is 6-2 all time as the higher seed in SEC Game Relocate.

– This will be the Tigers’ Primary Game with the Bulldogs in the SEC Game.

Mississippi State’s Nos. 3-6 players vs. Mizzou’s Guarding

Hubbard is going to do what he’s going to do. The Tigers allowed him to get his points in the last Game, but dominated because they kept the Bulldogs from having Achievement spreading the Assault around.

If Mississippi State is able to put up a similar offensive game to what it did against LSU, the Tigers will be in trouble. But if Missouri can make the Bulldogs a one- or two-man show with Hubbard and Murphy, like it did in the Primary Game this year, I think the Tigers will be well set.

Outside shooting

We’ve talked so much about the Tigers’ interior Guarding the past few weeks because it has been such a Significant issue.

But against Kentucky, Missouri showed some marked improvement. But that Arrived with a decline in Guarding around the 3-Tally line.

Mississippi State hit 15 3-pointers Wednesday, the Tigers are going to have to keep them uncomfortable on the outside, which is what Missouri had done so well for much of the SEC regular-season schedule.

I’m interested to see how Mississippi State gameplans for this Game. Do the Bulldogs stick with what they’re Excellent at and let this game turn into a Game of Clubs gunning for double-digit 3-Tally totals? Or do they, like Oklahoma, Charge the inside repeatedly Timely on to try to pull the Tiger Guarding down to the basket?

Tigers in transition

Missouri dominated points off turnovers for so much of the regular season, but have lost the battle in All of the four losses the Tigers suffered down the stretch.

They Kept a 17-14 Benefit in points off turnovers last time these Clubs matched up, so that wasn’t the Significant difference, but I think getting back to forcing turnovers and Competing a little more chaos basketball in transition will be a Excellent way for the Tigers to get back on track in Game time.

Stay up to date on all the Mizzou news with your premium subscription.

Talk about this Narrative in the Narrative thread and discuss so much more in The Tiger Walk.

Make sure you’re caught up on all the Tiger news and headlines.