19. Mississippi State (7-1)
With the SEC absolutely packed with talent, Mississippi State is doing their best to prove that they belong in those conversations. The Bulldogs likely would have been ranked last week before a tough loss against Butler undermined their early success. Clearly, Mississippi State put that defeat behind them because they’re coming off their best performance of the season this past week.
Bouncing back very nicely, the Bulldogs hosted Pittsburgh as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge and really delivered, getting a 90-57 win over a ranked Panthers squad. Mississippi State had their best offensive and defensive showing of the season, owning the interior with significant success. KeShawn Murphy had 20 points and 7 rebounds off the bench while Michael Nwoko had 18 points and 11 rebounds, as the team shot 58% from the field in the 33-point win.
One concern for the Bulldogs is that this team hasn’t had a ton of success from outside the arc, but they’re finding ways to beat solid opposition without needing those shots to fall. They blew out the Panthers and also have solid wins over SMU, UNLV, and Utah on their early resume. If they can continue to play efficiently on offense, then they don’t need those shots, and they certainly shouldn’t in a Sunday laugher against Prairie View A&M.