The clock is ticking metaphorically and figuratively for the Texas Longhorns and head coach Rodney Terry late this regular season in SEC play. Not only has Texas been in freefall in the SEC conference standings over the past three or four weeks, but Terry's squad has also squandered some great performances on the offensive end from star freshman guard Tre Johnson.
Johnson, the SEC's leading scorer, has scored in double figures in every SEC game for the Longhorns, including a freshman Texas program record 39 points in an overtime loss vs. Arkansas this past week.
There are only a couple of more games this regular season for Johnson, a generational talented scorer, for the Longhorns this March before the postseason.
The No. 25 Mississippi State Bulldogs can secure a middle single-digit seed for the NCAA Tournament this postseason with another Quad 1/2 win to close out this regular season in the SEC. Mississippi State has won two SEC games in a row at home in Starkville, including a double-digit bludgeoning of the No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies a couple of weeks ago.
How to watch Texas vs Mississippi State
- Date: Tuesday, March 4
- Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Humphrey Coliseum, Starkville, MS
- How to Watch (TV): SEC Network
- Streaming: fubo TV
- Texas record: 16-13 (5-11 SEC)
- Mississippi State record: 20-9 (8-8 SEC)
Texas vs Mississippi State odds, spread and total
Odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook
Moneyline
- Texas +240
- Mississippi State -300
Spread
- Texas +7.5 (-118)
- Mississippi State -7.5 (-104)
Total
- 150.5 (over -110/under -110)
Texas injury report
- Chendall Weaver, G: Out (hip)
- Tramon Mark, G: Questionable (undisclosed)
Mississippi State injury report
- Kanye Clary, G: Out (leg)
Texas and Mississippi State series history
- Texas all-time record vs. Mississippi State: 5-3 (.625 winning percentage)
Texas vs Mississippi State prediction
Texas and Mississippi State boast two of the best scoring guards in the SEC this season. Sophomore All-SEC guard Josh Hubbard stars for Mississippi State's vastly improved offense that ranks in the top 75th percentile in the nation in offensive rating (113.1).
The guard matchup in this game between Johnson for the Longhorns and Hubbard for Mississippi St should be very memorable tonight. Hubbard scored a game-high 30 points in Mississippi State's double-digit win over the LSU Tigers this past week.
If the Longhorns can get in an offensive rhythm early on, that could be the key to upsetting the Bulldogs on the road. Mississippi State has allowed over 90 points defensively in two of the past three games, including 111 points to the No. 6 Alabama Crimson Tide last Tuesday night.
Mississippi State's physicality sets it apart as one of the tougher frontcourts in the SEC. Junior big man KeShawn Murphy and senior forward Cameron Matthews have combined for nearly 15 rebounds per game and double-digit points in the paint for the Bulldogs.
Prediction: Mississippi State-88, Texas-75