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

3. P.J. Washington is becoming a real force

One last thing to watch for in this one is sophomore forward P.J. Washington, who has come on strong, becoming the force the Wildcats hope they had coming into the season. The sophomore 6-8 forward from Texas has averaged 13.8 points and 8.3 rebounds on the season, while shooting 50% from the field, 70% from the free throw line, and 41% from three-point land, which is an area he has improved on since his freshman year when he made just five of 21 attempts.

Over the past eight games, Washington has become even more of a force for Kentucky, averaging 17 points and nine rebounds. In that time, he is shooting 49% from the field and has amassed nine of his 25 blocks on the season. He has also led the team in scoring four times in his last eight games and in rebounding in three of them, including recording three straight double-doubles against Kansas, Vanderbilt, and Florida, a feat he had accomplished just four times prior. In the summer, Washington and fellow sophomore Nick Richards were being looked upon for returning leadership, and as the calendar turns to February, Washington is stepping up and giving Kentucky more than intangible leadership.

This game with Kentucky will end a tough three-game stretch for Mississippi State that will have seen them travel to in-state rival Mississippi and then host nationally-ranked LSU and Kentucky in the span of seven days. For Howland’s crew, this stretch is not only important when it comes to their standing in terms of the NCAA Tournament, but it will also be key in preparing them for the two-game road trip they have in March when they travel to Auburn and then Tennessee right before the SEC tournament.