South Bound & Down
Fansided

Alabama vs Mississippi State: 2021-22 SEC Basketball game preview, TV schedule

By Matt Melton

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - JANUARY 22: JD Davison #3 of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks to maneuver the ball by Trevon Brazile #23 of the Missouri Tigers during the first half of play at Coleman Coliseum on January 22, 2022 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - JANUARY 22: JD Davison #3 of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks to maneuver the ball by Trevon Brazile #23 of the Missouri Tigers during the first half of play at Coleman Coliseum on January 22, 2022 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

2021-22 SEC Basketball Game Preview: No. 25 Alabama vs Mississippi State

When: Wednesday, February 16 at 7:00 pm ET on ESPN2

Location: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, AL

Arguably the biggest SEC Basketball game set for Wednesday night comes in Tuscaloosa, as the Crimson Tide are set to host Mississippi State in a rematch from a 78-76 Bulldogs win a month ago in Starkville.

Coming off a 68-67 win at home over Arkansas on Saturday, Alabama has returned to the AP Top 25 after falling out of the rankings a few weeks back. A game in which the Crimson Tide actually led for a majority of the contest, Arkansas was able to make it close late, but Alabama used two late buckets from forward Noah Gurley to secure the win.

Now ranked as the No. 25 team in the country, the Crimson Tide have won two straight to sit at 16-9 overall, as well as 6-6 in SEC play. Averaging 80.4 PPG offensively, Alabama sports the No. 14 team in the country in offensive efficiency (KenPom), but have also struggled at times on defense allowing 75.5 PPG to opponents.

Led by one of the SEC’s better scorers and three-point shooters in guard Jaden Shackelford (17.3 PPG, 37 3P%), Alabama’s backcourt of Jahvon Quinerly, Keon Ellis, and JD Davison has been impressive in recent games. The previously mentioned Gurley and Juwan Gary have also played well alongside freshman center Charles Bediako, while another freshman in Jusaun Holt has also seen increased minutes across the last week.

Mississippi State on the other hand has struggled since that previously mentioned win over the Crimson Tide, winning only two of their eight games since, with five of the losses coming on the road. Having lost three straight as well, the Bulldogs will be looking to get back on their winning ways after dropping their most-recent contest at LSU 69-65, a game that Mississippi State made close late.

Sitting outside the Bubble conversation at the moment, Mississippi State comes to Tuscaloosa with a 14-10 overall record, as well as 5-6 in the SEC. One of the conference’s more-efficient offensive teams, the Bulldogs currently average 72.7 PPG, as well as allowing 66.7 PPG to opponents.

Similar to Alabama previously, Mississippi State is led by one of the SEC’s better scorers in guard Iverson Molinar (18.4 PPG, 24/6/4 vs Alabama previously), as well as a very-good frontcourt of Garrison Brooks, Tolu Smith, and DJ Jeffries. Shakeel Moore is another primary scoring guard for Mississippi State, while others such as Javian Davis, Rocket Watts, Cameron Matthews, and Andersson Garcia all play key roles.

These are two teams that currently appear to be heading in different directions. Alabama appears to have found their groove again, while Mississippi State is on a losing streak, and need wins to stay in NCAA Tournament contention.

Next. Preseason SEC Baseball 2022 power rankings. dark

This road trip to face Alabama does present an opportunity for the Bulldogs to pickup a resume-boosting win in SEC Basketball play, but will it happen? It’s certainly a possibility, and Mississippi State does have the pieces to give Alabama trouble, but I’ll say that the Crimson Tide avenge their loss to the Bulldogs from last month.

Prediction: Alabama 77, Mississippi State 68

Home/SEC Basketball