The Mississippi State Bulldogs meet the the Kentucky Wildcats on Wednesday in Lexington in a SEC basketball matchup. Look inside for a preview of the game, including key players, a statistical comparison, team schedules, injury reports, game TV information and a final score prediction.
John H. Sanford, 14Powers SEC Basketball
Follow @14powerscom
Venue
Rupp Arena. Capacity: 20,545.
Game Date/Time
Wednesday, 1/17/2024, 7:00 PM ET
Team Statistical Comparison
| Statistic | Team | National Rank | Conference Rank | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assist/Turnover Ratio (351 ranked) | Kentucky Mississippi St. | 3 166 | 1 11 | 1.88 1.13 |
| Assists Per Game (351 ranked) | Kentucky Mississippi St. | 12 104 | 2 7 | 18.3 14.8 |
| Bench Points per game (351 ranked) | Mississippi St. Kentucky | 13 29 | 3 6 | 32.44 29.07 |
| Blocks Per Game (351 ranked) | Kentucky Mississippi St. | 15 104 | 5 10 | 5.5 4.0 |
| Effective FG pct (351 ranked) | Kentucky Mississippi St. | 14 155 | 2 8 | 0.570 0.517 |
| Fastbreak Points (351 ranked) | Kentucky Mississippi St. | 6 201 | 1 11 | 17.20 9.56 |
| Field Goal Percentage (351 ranked) | Kentucky Mississippi St. | 17 156 | 1 8 | 49.3 45.2 |
| Field Goal Percentage Defense (351 ranked) | Mississippi St. Kentucky | 29 89 | 3 9 | 39.5 41.4 |
| Fouls Per Game (351 ranked) | Kentucky Mississippi St. | 103 152 | 4 6 | 15.9 16.6 |
| Free Throw Attempts Per Game (351 ranked) | Mississippi St. Kentucky | 53 151 | 7 11 | 22.4 20.1 |
| Free Throw Percentage (351 ranked) | Kentucky Mississippi St. | 85 182 | 6 11 | 73.8 71.0 |
| Free Throws Made Per Game (351 ranked) | Mississippi St. Kentucky | 59 126 | 8 11 | 15.9 14.8 |
| Rebound Margin (351 ranked) | Mississippi St. Kentucky | 35 161 | 3 8 | 6.4 1.7 |
| Rebounds (Defensive) Per Game (351 ranked) | Kentucky Mississippi St. | 25 76 | 2 8 | 28.93 27.31 |
| Rebounds (Offensive) Per Game (351 ranked) | Mississippi St. Kentucky | 113 217 | 7 10 | 11.50 10.20 |
| Rebounds Per Game (351 ranked) | Kentucky Mississippi St. | 63 74 | 6 7 | 39.13 38.81 |
| Scoring Defense (351 ranked) | Mississippi St. Kentucky | 37 283 | 2 12 | 64.8 76.0 |
| Scoring Margin (351 ranked) | Kentucky Mississippi St. | 21 57 | 3 5 | 14.8 10.4 |
| Scoring Offense (351 ranked) | Kentucky Mississippi St. | 3 165 | 1 11 | 90.8 75.3 |
| Steals Per Game (351 ranked) | Mississippi St. Kentucky | 39 57 | 2 5 | 8.8 8.4 |
| Three Point Attempts Per Game (351 ranked) | Kentucky Mississippi St. | 47 132 | 4 10 | 25.8 23.3 |
| Three Point Percentage (351 ranked) | Kentucky Mississippi St. | 8 256 | 2 12 | 39.8 32.0 |
| Three Point Percentage Defense (351 ranked) | Mississippi St. Kentucky | 12 88 | 1 7 | 27.7 31.3 |
| Three Pointers Per Game (351 ranked) | Kentucky Mississippi St. | 13 187 | 2 10 | 10.3 7.4 |
| Turnover Margin (351 ranked) | Kentucky Mississippi St. | 37 197 | 2 11 | 3.7 0.2 |
| Turnovers Forced Per Game (351 ranked) | Kentucky Mississippi St. | 102 105 | 4 6 | 13.40 13.31 |
| Turnovers Per Game (351 ranked) | Kentucky Mississippi St. | 22 255 | 1 12 | 9.7 13.1 |
| Winning Percentage (350 ranked) | Kentucky Mississippi St. | 34 45 | 4 5 | 80.0 75.0 |
College Basketball Ratings
| Rating | Mississippi State | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| ESPN BPI | 36 | 19 |
| Sagarin | 55 | 21 |
| Massey Composite | 32 | 18 |
Mississippi State vs. Kentucky Basketball Series History
Kentucky leads 100-21
Mississippi State Roster/Stats Leaders
| Player | # | Class | Pos | Height | Weight | Hometown | High School | RSCI Top 100 | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Hubbard | 13 | FR | G | 5-10 | 185 | Madison MS | Madison-Ridgeland Academy (MS) | 15.1 Pts 2.2 Reb 1.4 Ast | |
| Cameron Matthews | 4 | SR | F | 6-7 | 220 | Olive Branch MS | Olive Branch HS | 9.4 Pts 6.2 Reb 2.9 Ast | |
| Jimmy Bell | 15 | SR | F | 6-10 | 270 | Saginaw MI | Bella Vista Prep | 8.2 Pts 7.9 Reb 0.9 Ast | |
| Dashawn Davis | 10 | SR | G | 6-2 | 185 | Bronx NY | Our Saviour Lutheran HS | 7.6 Pts 2.0 Reb 3.4 Ast | |
| Shakeel Moore | 3 | SR | G | 6-1 | 180 | Greensboro NC | Moravian Prep | 8.0 Pts 2.5 Reb 1.7 Ast | |
| D.J. Jeffries | 0 | SR | F | 6-7 | 215 | Olive Branch MS | Olive Branch HS | 45 (2019) | 6.9 Pts 6.1 Reb 2.0 Ast |
| Shawn Jones | 5 | SO | G | 6-5 | 200 | Houston TX | Shadow Creek (TX) | 4.9 Pts 1.8 Reb 0.8 Ast | |
| Trey Fort | 11 | JR | G | 6-4 | 195 | Jackson MS | DME Sports Academy | 5.6 Pts 2.2 Reb 0.5 Ast | |
| Tolu Smith | 1 | SR | F | 6-10 | 245 | Bay St. Louis MS | Kahuku HS | 16.8 Pts 6.8 Reb 1.0 Ast | |
| KeShawn Murphy | 12 | SO | F | 6-10 | 245 | Birmingham AL | Ramsay HS | 5.4 Pts 2.1 Reb 0.8 Ast | |
| Gai Chol | 34 | FR | C | 6-11 | 245 | Juba South Sudan | Greenforest Mccalep Christian (GA) | 2.9 Pts 2.0 Reb 0.0 Ast | |
| Andrew Taylor | 23 | SR | G | 6-3 | 188 | Corbin KY | Corbin HS | 3.9 Pts 1.4 Reb 1.3 Ast | |
| Jaquan Scott | 22 | JR | F | 6-8 | 230 | Dallas TX | Mansfield Timberview (TX); Universal Academy (TX); TLAP Sports Academy (FL) | 1.5 Pts 1.8 Reb 0.4 Ast | |
| Adrian Myers | 2 | FR | G | 6-6 | 205 | Stephens City VA | Massanutten Military Academy (VA) | 0.8 Pts 0.7 Reb 0.0 Ast | |
| Isaac Stansbury | 25 | SR | G | 6-1 | 160 | Bowling Green KY | Greenwood HS | 0.0 Pts 0.3 Reb 0.2 Ast | |
| Harrison Alexander | 20 | FR | G | 6-4 | |||||
| Trey Jackson III | 40 | JR | G | 6-2 | |||||
| Martavious Russell | 21 | SO | G | 6-2 |
Kentucky Roster
| Player | # | Class | Pos | Height | Weight | Hometown | High School | RSCI Top 100 | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antonio Reeves | 12 | SR | G | 6-4 | 185 | Chicago IL | Simeon HS | 18.9 Pts 4.4 Reb 1.4 Ast | |
| Rob Dillingham | 0 | FR | G | 6-2 | 170 | Hickory NC | Combine Academy (NC); Donda Academy (CA) | 16 (2023) | 14.4 Pts 3.3 Reb 4.1 Ast |
| Tre Mitchell | 4 | SR | C | 6-9 | 240 | Pittsburgh PA | Woodstock Academy | 86 (2019) | 12.9 Pts 8.1 Reb 3.4 Ast |
| Reed Sheppard | 15 | FR | G | 6-3 | 187 | London KY | North Laurel (KY) | 33 (2023) | 12.0 Pts 4.5 Reb 4.1 Ast |
| D.J. Wagner | 21 | FR | G | 6-3 | 175 | Camden NJ | Camden (NJ) | 6 (2023) | 12.8 Pts 2.1 Reb 3.5 Ast |
| Justin Edwards | 1 | FR | G | 6-8 | 203 | Philadelphia PA | Imhotep Institute Charter (PA) | 3 (2023) | 9.1 Pts 4.2 Reb 0.9 Ast |
| Adou Thiero | 3 | SO | G | 6-6 | 200 | Leetsdale PA | Quaker Valley (PA) | 7.6 Pts 5.6 Reb 0.8 Ast | |
| Aaron Bradshaw | 2 | FR | F | 7-0 | 226 | Roselle NJ | Camden (NJ) | 4 (2023) | 7.0 Pts 4.4 Reb 0.4 Ast |
| Jordan Burks | 23 | FR | F | 6-9 | 202 | Decatur AL | Heritage Christian Academy (AL); Southern California Academy (CA); Hillcrest Prep (AZ) | 1.7 Pts 1.8 Reb 0.4 Ast | |
| Ugonna Onyenso | 33 | SO | F | 6-11 | 225 | Oweri Nigeria | NBA Academy Africa; Putnam Science (CT) | 3.0 Pts 3.8 Reb 0.2 Ast | |
| Joey Hart | 20 | FR | G | 6-5 | 203 | Linton IN | Linton-Stockton (IN) | 0.6 Pts 0.0 Reb 0.0 Ast | |
| Brennan Canada | 14 | SR | F | 6-6 | 198 | Mount Sterling KY | George Rogers Clark HS | 0.0 Pts 0.3 Reb 0.3 Ast | |
| Grant Darbyshire | 13 | SO | G | 6-2 | 190 | Cincinnati OH | Sycamore (OH) | 0.0 Pts 0.0 Reb 0.0 Ast | |
| Walker Horn | 22 | SO | G | 6-1 | 200 | Austin TX | Westlake (TX) | 0.0 Pts 0.0 Reb 0.0 Ast | |
| Kareem Watkins | 25 | SR | G | 5-8 | 145 | Camden NJ | Kingsway (NJ) | 0.0 Pts 0.0 Reb 0.3 Ast | |
| Zvonimir Ivisic | 44 | FR | F | 7-2 |
Mississippi State Schedule/Results
| Date | Visitor | PTs | Home | PTs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 8 | Arizona St | 56 | Mississippi State | 71 | |
| Nov 11 | UT Martin | 63 | Mississippi State | 87 | |
| Nov 14 | North Alabama | 54 | Mississippi State | 81 | |
| Nov 18 | Washington St | 64 | Mississippi State | 76 | |
| Nov 19 | Northwestern | 57 | Mississippi State | 66 | |
| Nov 24 | Nicholls | 61 | Mississippi State | 74 | |
| Nov 28 | Mississippi State | 59 | Georgia Tech | 67 | |
| Dec 3 | Southern | 60 | Mississippi State | 59 | |
| Dec 9 | Tulane | 76 | Mississippi State | 106 | |
| Dec 13 | Murray St | 81 | Mississippi State | 85 | |
| Dec 17 | 4:00 PM ET | North Texas | 54 | Mississippi State | 72 |
| Dec 23 | 12:00 PM ET | Mississippi State | 70 | Rutgers | 60 |
| Dec 31 | 3:00 PM ET | Bethune | 62 | Mississippi State | 85 |
| Jan 6 | 12:00 PM ET | Mississippi State | 62 | South Carolina | 68 |
| Jan 10 | 7:00 PM ET | Tennessee | 72 | Mississippi State | 77 |
| Jan 13 | 8:30 PM ET | Alabama | 82 | Mississippi State | 74 |
| Jan 17 | 7:00 PM ET | Mississippi State | Kentucky | ||
| Jan 20 | 9:00 PM ET | Vanderbilt | Mississippi State | ||
| Jan 24 | 8:30 PM ET | Mississippi State | Florida | ||
| Jan 27 | 3:30 PM ET | Auburn | Mississippi State | ||
| Jan 30 | 8:30 PM ET | Mississippi State | Ole Miss | ||
| Feb 3 | 8:30 PM ET | Mississippi State | Alabama | ||
| Feb 7 | 9:00 PM ET | Georgia | Mississippi State | ||
| Feb 10 | 8:30 PM ET | Mississippi State | Missouri | ||
| Feb 17 | 2:00 PM ET | Arkansas | Mississippi State | ||
| Feb 21 | 9:00 PM ET | Ole Miss | Mississippi State | ||
| Feb 24 | 8:30 PM ET | Mississippi State | LSU | ||
| Feb 27 | 7:00 PM ET | Kentucky | Mississippi State | ||
| Mar 2 | 4:00 PM ET | Mississippi State | Auburn | ||
| Mar 6 | 9:00 PM ET | Mississippi State | Texas A&M | ||
| Mar 9 | 2:30 PM ET | South Carolina | Mississippi State | ||
| Mar 13-17 | TBA | SEC Basketball Tournament |
Kentucky Schedule/Results
| Date | Visitor | PTs | Home | PTs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 6 | New Mexico St | 46 | Kentucky | 86 | |
| Nov 10 | Texas A&M-Comm | 81 | Kentucky | 89 | |
| Nov 14 | Kentucky | 84 | Kansas | 89 | |
| Nov 17 | Stonehill | 88 | Kentucky | 96 | |
| Nov 20 | Saint Joseph's | 88 | Kentucky | 96 | |
| Nov 24 | Marshall | 82 | Kentucky | 118 | |
| Nov 28 | Miami | 73 | Kentucky | 95 | |
| Dec 2 | UNC Wilmington | 80 | Kentucky | 73 | |
| Dec 9 | Penn | 66 | Kentucky | 81 | |
| Dec 16 | 5:30 PM ET | North Carolina | 83 | Kentucky | 87 |
| Dec 21 | 6:00 PM ET | Kentucky | 95 | Louisville | 76 |
| Dec 29 | 7:00 PM ET | Illinois St | 70 | Kentucky | 96 |
| Jan 6 | 12:30 PM ET | Kentucky | 87 | Florida | 85 |
| Jan 9 | 7:00 PM ET | Missouri | 77 | Kentucky | 90 |
| Jan 13 | 2:00 PM ET | Kentucky | 92 | Texas A&M | 97 |
| Jan 17 | 7:00 PM ET | Mississippi State | Kentucky | ||
| Jan 20 | 6:00 PM ET | Georgia | Kentucky | ||
| Jan 23 | 7:00 PM ET | Kentucky | South Carolina | ||
| Jan 27 | 6:00 PM ET | Kentucky | Arkansas | ||
| Jan 31 | 8:00 PM ET | Florida | Kentucky | ||
| Feb 3 | 8:30 PM ET | Tennessee | Kentucky | ||
| Feb 6 | 8:30 PM ET | Kentucky | Vanderbilt | ||
| Feb 10 | 4:00 PM ET | Gonzaga | Kentucky | ||
| Feb 13 | 9:00 PM ET | Ole Miss | Kentucky | ||
| Feb 17 | 6:00 PM ET | Kentucky | Auburn | ||
| Feb 21 | 9:00 PM ET | Kentucky | LSU | ||
| Feb 24 | 4:00 PM ET | Alabama | Kentucky | ||
| Feb 27 | 7:00 PM ET | Kentucky | Mississippi State | ||
| Mar 2 | 1:30 PM ET | Arkansas | Kentucky | ||
| Mar 6 | 9:00 PM ET | Vanderbilt | Kentucky | ||
| Mar 9 | 4:00 PM ET | Kentucky | Tennessee | ||
| Mar 13-17 | TBA | SEC Basketball Tournament |
Injuries and Suspensions
Mississippi State
Player POS Status
A. Taylor G Ques Wed – Personal (Sun, Jan 14)
K. Murphy F Ques Wed – Personal (Sun, Jan 14)
Kentucky
Player POS Status
A. Thiero G Ques Wed – Undisclosed (Sat, Jan 13)
Z. Ivisic F Out indefinitely – Eligibility (Wed, Oct 18)
Source: statfox.com
Mississippi State-Kentucky Prediction
Kentucky 89, Mississippi State 76
Score prediction for entertainment purposes only.
Wednesday‘s game tips off at 7:00 PM ET. TV: ESPN2.
SEC Basketball Preview/Prediction: Mississippi State at Kentucky
Preview of SEC basketball game between Mississippi State and Kentucky—Team statistical comparison, key players, injuries, score prediction
