This Week's Battle vs Ole Miss Is Not Just For Rivalry, But for Seeding
The stage is set for Wednesday night, when Mississippi State basketball hosts Ole Miss in a showdown between two in-state rivals.
As both teams prepare to go toe-to-toe with each other, this edition of the matchup is not just for bragging rights, but also for seeding come March.
Mississippi State is currently projected as 9-seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, while Ole Miss is projected to be in the Last Four In field, according to Joe Lunardi's current bracket projections on ESPN.
However, there are still many games to be played this season, and anything can happen between now and Selection Sunday.
The Rebels won the previous meeting, 86-82, in Oxford earlier this season, and a sweep this week might help their chances at a tournament bid. Meanwhile, a loss would certainly hurt the Bulldogs' projections.
It's also not just a matter of what happens on Wednesday, but also afterwards, and the Bulldogs know there’s not a lot of room for error. With just three weeks remaining in the regular season, the SEC Tournament will be here before we know it.
“We got a veteran group with mature guys who have handled these situations all year long like you would expect them to do,” Bulldogs head coach Chris Jans said. “I think it will be the same [this week]. They understand what is at stake. There is a lot at stake in the big picture, not just because of a rivalry game, but with six games left in the season, time is running out and every game matters.”
Head-to-head, Ole Miss has not defeated a ranked opponent this season, and is 3-5 in Quad 1 matchups. On the other hand, the Bulldogs are 3-6 in Quad 1 matchups, but have two wins against ranked opponents, taking down Tennessee and Auburn at home, both of which are ranked in the AP Top 25.
This is something the selection committee will definitely take into account when comparing resumes, along with head-to-head.
After struggling against an Arkansas team that was outside top 130 in NET rankings, Jans has heavily implied that the Bulldogs are in win-now mode from that point forward.
“I can’t sit here and lie to you and tell you that I wasn’t aware that. […] we couldn’t afford to lose this one,” Jans said after the Bulldogs won 71-67 over the Razorbacks. “I told my friends and family that going into the game. That’s just the way it is. We didn’t talk about it as a team, but they know what’s going on. They know where we’re at for the most part. It was crucial."
