Missouri Tigers basketball at Mississippi State: Prediction, lineups, TV, bet line
THE DETAILS
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Humphrey Coliseum, Starkville, Mississippi
TV: SEC Network
Betting line: Missouri by 3
Radio: KMBZ (98.1 FM)
PROJECTED LINEUPS
P | No. | Mississippi State | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 24 | Abdul Ado | 6-11 | R-Sr. | 5.3 |
F | 35 | Tolu Smith | 6-10 | R-So. | 12.5 |
G | 0 | Jalen Johnson | 6-6 | R-Sr. | 8.2 |
G | 3 | DJ Stewart | 6-6 | R-So. | 18.3 |
G | 1 | Iverson Molinar | 6-3 | So. | 18.4 |
P | No. | Missouri | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 23 | Jeremiah Tilmon | 6-10 | Sr. | 10.4 |
F | 24 | Kobe Brown | 6-7 | So. | 6.5 |
G | 13 | Mark Smith | 6-5 | Sr. | 12.5 |
G | 1 | Xavier Pinson | 6-2 | Jr. | 15.0 |
G | 12 | Dru Smith | 6-3 | R-Sr. | 11.4 |
PREDICTION
About Mississippi State (6-4, 1-1 SEC): The Bulldogs lost a double-overtime thriller against Kentucky last time out. There weren’t very high expectations of Mississippi State after losing forward Reggie Perry to the NBA, but it’s an older team that has some experience behind it. Guard Iverson Molinar and DJ Stewart have given the team a scoring punch. Forwards Abdul Ado and Tolu Smith are also key parts of the Bulldogs’ game. KenPom has them No. 75.
About No. 13 Missouri (7-1, 1-1 SEC): The Tigers had an impressive bounce back performance, defeating Arkansas 81-68 on the road. There were some concerns after the Tennessee blowout loss, but Mizzou didn’t dwell on their performance. Guard Xavier Pinson and forward Jeremiah Tilmon found a connection that allowed them to thrive against the Hogs. Look for guards Mark Smith and Dru Smith to show some life after some lackluster performances. KenPom ranks them No. 41.
Prediction: It’s not a normal year, of course, as crowds are sparse and socially-distanced. But Mizzou matched its SEC road win total from last year, already showing it can get work done on the road.
Mississippi State has some length, which could be bothersome. The Bulldogs are one of the best teams in the nation at blocking shots and collecting offensive rebounds. The rebounding margin is always an emphasis for MU coach Cuonzo Martin’s team and will be a factor Tuesday.
The Tigers will need more from Mark Smith and Dru Smith if they plan to continue their winning ways. The two starting guards had a hot start to the season, but it’s been much quieter lately for two of Mizzou’s best players. The three-point shooting, much like last season, will also need to pick up as the Tigers are shooting just 27.2%, 310th in the nation.
We’ll say Mizzou gets out to a comfortable lead, one that is improbably boosted by a couple early three-pointers. The Tigers find Mark Smith open a couple times, which helps his confidence and allowing him to thrive. The Bulldogs will attempt to grind their way back into the game, but the comeback attempt will fall short.
Missouri 78, Mississippi State 70