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Kentucky vs. Mississippi State: Storylines to watch in the SEC matchup

By Jason Burgess

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - JANUARY 26: John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats gives instructions to Ashton Hagans #2 against the Kansas Jayhawks at Rupp Arena on January 26, 2019 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - JANUARY 26: John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats gives instructions to Ashton Hagans #2 against the Kansas Jayhawks at Rupp Arena on January 26, 2019 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY – JANUARY 22: Robert Woodard II #12 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs shoots the ball against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena on January 22, 2019 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY – JANUARY 22: Robert Woodard II #12 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs shoots the ball against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena on January 22, 2019 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Mississippi State hosts Kentucky in a matchup where one team looks to keep rolling and the other is hoping to not fall further behind in the SEC.

The Kentucky Wildcats were considered by many to be the best team in the country entering the season, but after getting blown out by Duke in the Champions Classic and getting beat by Seton Hall in overtime, those lofty expectations were being questioned. Now that we are in February and the Wildcats are playing their best basketball of the season, perhaps those initial perceptions were correct. They are now at 19-3 and have won nine in a row.

The Mississippi State Bulldogs, on the other hand, have fallen out of the top-25 after splitting with Alabama and Ole Miss over the last week. Ben Howland’s squad, which is at 16-6 and 4-5 in the SEC, is still in a good position for an NCAA Tournament bid, though that position is a little more precarious after losing to LSU on Wednesday. So far this season, the Bulldogs have lost just twice at home this season, to rival Mississippi, but being able to split this two-game homestand with LSU and Kentucky will be vital to the Bulldogs’ at-large hopes.

On Saturday, they play host to the No. 5 Wildcats in a key SEC battle that is key for both teams. The Wildcats will be looking to keep the pressure on No. 1 Tennessee as we head towards the end of the season and Mississippi State will be looking to solidify their tournament resume by knocking off Kentucky. Here are some storylines to watch for in this contest.

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