#25 Alabama vs Mississippi State Game Thread

Big game tonight in Tuscaloosa as the 25th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide looks to continue building some momentum as we inch closer to March. The bubbly Bulldogs of Mississippi State come into this game in desperate need of a win, so expect Ben Howland’s group to hit the ground running from the opening tip. State’s sense of urgency will be turned up to 100, so Alabama needs to match that level of play from the jump.

The Tide, of course, will be looking to avenge its 78-76 loss in Starkville back in January. That was the end of an ugly three-game losing streak, so hopefully there will be a nice mirror in tonight’s victory being the third straight Alabama win.

With the Bulldogs being as big as they are, I’d expect to see Charles Bediako and Noah Gurley both get the start alongside Jahvon Quinerly, Jaden Shackelford, and Keon Ellis. Mississippi State will likely counter with Iverson Molinar, Shakeel Moore, D.J. Jeffries, Garrison Brooks, and Tolu Smith.

Tonight’s game tips at 6:00 PM CT and will be televised on ESPN2.