Mississippi State’s growth faces its next test against Oklahoma

The Bulldogs have responded to early struggles with improved play, a big SEC win and growing confidence.

Mississippi State Bulldogs center Quincy Ballard (15) is introduced before the start of the game against the Texas Longhorns at Moody Center. | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

It was almost exactly one month ago Mississippi State hit its lowest point of some early season struggles, losing to San Francisco by three points.

Maybe it was a wake up call or reality check. Whatever it was, the Bulldogs overcame those struggles and have looked much better. They won their fifth-straight game in their SEC opener against Texas and Josh Hubbard was named SEC player of the Week.

“It took us some time to figure out the style of play this team needs to embrace to get the most out of who we are,” Mississippi State coach Chris Jans said about his team’s play the last month. “We’ve changed quite a bit, especially offensively, from the summer to the fall, through the early games and to now. That’s required a lot of unselfishness from a lot of individuals, and it isn’t always perfect. But a big reason we’re playing better is the buy-in we’re getting from our players, particularly on the offensive end.”

Saturday’s overtime win against the Longhorns required a season-high 38 points from Hubbard, but the Bulldogs also got impressive performances from others. One Bulldog who stood out was Quincy Ballard, who had just two points and four rebounds. However what made Ballard’s play impressive was him battling, and winning, against Texas’s 7-foot center Matas Vokietaitis.

“If you just look at his stat line, you might say ‘meh,’,” Jans said. “But if you watch the game, you see him wrestling every possession with Vokietaitis who is a load, a big, nasty human being.”

Vokietaitis, the Longhorns’ leading scorer, had 19 points but made only three field goals. He also had just four rebounds and played with four fouls. At one point he collected three fouls in less than 90 seconds.

“I thought Quincy stood his ground, provided rim presence, altered shots, and ran the floor,” Jans said. “A lot of things he did don’t show up in the stat sheet. We all want more — he wants more, I want more — and there will be games where the numbers are bigger. But Saturday was one of those nights where his impact went beyond the box score.”

Mississippi State will need Ballard, as well as the rest of the Bulldogs, to continue improving because the competition isn’t going to get any easier.

Next up for the Bulldogs is Oklahoma, who won its SEC opener against Ole Miss.

“They’re a really good basketball team. They’re potent offensively with great guard play. (Nigel) Pack and (Xzayvier) Brown are dynamic, experienced players who can really score, both individually and together. But it’s not just them. Analytically, they’re off the charts. Top 25 in effective field goal percentage, fourth in the country in not turning the ball over. They get a shot almost every possession. They spread you out, have multiple shooters, and four or five guys with size and confidence. Their five man has developed nicely and knows his role. I really like their team and how they’re playing with confidence. They’re more than a handful.”

Here's how you can watch the Bulldogs battle the Sooners on Wednesday.

How to Watch: Oklahoma at Mississippi State

• Who: Oklahoma Sooners (11-3, 1-0 SEC) at Mississippi State Bulldogs (9-5, 1-0 SEC)
• When: 6 p.m., Wednesday
• Where: Humphrey Coliseum, Starkville, Miss.
• TV: SEC Network
• Radio: Live Radio
• Stats: Live Stats
• Series History: Mississippi State leads all-time series 3-2
• Last Meeting: Oklahoma 93, Mississippi State 87 (February 22, 2025)
• Last time out, Bulldogs: def. Texas, 101-98 OT
• Last time out, Sooners: def. Ole Miss, 86-70

Mississippi State Top Performers

• Points: Josh Hubbard, 22.5 ppg
• Rebounds: Quincy Ballard, 7.3
• Assists: Josh Hubbard, 53
• Blocks: Quincy Ballard, 17
• Steals: Shawn Jones Jr., 26

Oklahoma Top Performers

• Points: Nigel Pack, 16.2 ppg
• Rebounds: Mahamed Wague, 7.6
• Assists: Xzayvier Brown, 47
• Blocks: Mohamed Wague, 23
• Steals: Xzayvier Brown, 20