The South Carolina Gamecocks (24-6, 12-5 SEC) are set to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs (19-11, 8-9 SEC) in the final game before the conference tournament starts. The Bulldogs enter the game on a three-game losing streak. This is the second meeting between the two teams, with the Gamecocks squeaking out a 68-62 victory in early January. South Carolina is one of four teams sitting at 12-5 in the conference, so this game could have massive seeding implications for the conference tournament.
Can the Gamecocks get a top seed in the SEC tournament, or will the Bulldogs snap their losing streak and play spoiler?
South Carolina vs. Mississippi State Betting Odds
| Team | Spread | Total | MoneyLine |
| South Carolina | +4.5
-108 |
O 133.5
-108 |
+180 |
| Mississippi State | -4.5
-112 |
U 133.5
-112 |
-218 |
| **Odds Courtesy of DraftKings** | |||
South Carolina vs. Mississippi State Game Details
- Fixture: South Carolina @ Mississippi State
- Date and Time: March 9, 2024 @ 2:30 pm EST
- Location: Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, MS
Apex Tale of the Tape
|
South Carolina |
vs. |
Mississippi State |
| 24-6 | Record | 19-11 |
| 71.6 | Points Per Game | 74.8 |
| 43.9 | FG% | 45.3 |
| 34.0 | 3PT% | 32.7 |
| 36.0 | Rebounds Per Game | 38.7 |
| 65.6 | Points Allowed Per Game | 68.9 |
| 41.9 | Defensive FG% | 41.6 |
| 33.1 | Defensive 3PT% | 29.3 |
| 74.6 | Defensive FT% | 73.2 |
| 32.4 | Defensive Rebounds Per Game | 32.6 |
| 3-2 | Last 5 W-L | 2-3 |
Key Stats
South Carolina Gamecocks
The Gamecocks are 21-9 against the spread this season and have seen over half their games go under. Meechie Johnson provides most of the offensive spark, leading the team with 14.5 points per game. He also adds in a steal-a-game on the defensive end. South Carolina has the best defense in the SEC in terms of points per game. They have held opponents to under 70 points 23 times this season, which is one of the top five in the nation.
This team gets up for big games. They are one of 18 teams to have multiple top-ten victories this season. However, they have played down to opponents at times and often struggle to find a rhythm on offense.
Mississippi State Bulldogs
The Bulldogs are fighting for their tournament lives. They are on the bubble in most tournament projections, and they need another quality win to punch their ticket. This is the perfect opportunity for the team at home. Freshman Josh Hubbard will look to have a huge game as he leads the SEC in three-pointers made per game (3.1).
Defensively, the Bulldogs hold their opponents to under 30% from three-point range. Cameron Matthews averages 2.1 steals per game, which helps create turnovers and extra possessions. Mississippi State should be able to shut down the Gamecocks but need Hubbard to carry the scoring.
Game Prediction
This is a tough one to call. Both teams have a lot to play for. The Gamecocks want to get the double-bye in the SEC tournament, and the Bulldogs simply want to be in the Big Dance. Mississippi State has more to play for. The Gamecocks are in the tournament regardless of what happens in the next week. While seeding is on the line, we have seen that in recent years, seeding hasn’t been as important as it used to be.
The Bulldogs ride the wave of their home crowd and pick up a huge win. In their last matchup, they only lost by six on the road. It will stay close throughout, but Hubbard’s huge games propel the Bulldogs to victory.
One piece of intrigue here. If you completely disagree and love the Gamecocks in this one, getting plus-odds on the moneyline isn’t bad at all.
Final Pick
Mississippi State -4.5 and Under 133.5
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Matt has been following sports since he was a kid. While football is his primary focus, Matt can talk about any sport anytime. He is a banker in Wisconsin and hosts two podcasts, Beers and Ears & Discontinued on Display.
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