What's at Stake for Mississippi State in Regular Season Finale vs. Georgia

A disappointing season will soon come to an end for Mississippi State.

The Bulldogs will play their final game at Humphrey Coliseum at 2:30 p.m. Saturday against Georgia (21-9, 9-8 SEC).

Any hopes of reaching the NCAA Tournament now rest entirely on winning the SEC Tournament and grabbing the automatic bid. That would mean four wins in four days, starting with a first‑round game on Wednesday. It’s not impossible, but it would be one of the more surprising runs the league has seen. And at this point, there isn’t much Mississippi State can do to improve its seeding.

With one game left, Mississippi State sits as the No. 13 seed and would face Oklahoma in the first round. A win over Georgia paired with an Oklahoma loss to Texas would bump the Bulldogs up to No. 12, but the matchup wouldn’t change, only the designation of the home team.

A loss, though, could complicate things. If Mississippi State loses and Ole Miss beats South Carolina, the two would finish tied at 5-13 in the SEC and 13-18 overall. That scenario would send the league deep into its tiebreaker system and could even end with a coin flip.

So that’s what’s on the line in the season finale: whether Mississippi State tips off its first‑round game Wednesday at 2 p.m. or at 6 p.m.

“I don't want to be in this position but we are. We don't have a choice,” Mississippi State coach Chris Jans said after a Tuesday night loss to Florida. “Right now the only choice we have is to figure out a way to get these guys off the matt by Thursday get them excited to play another SEC game, play our last game at home."

Josh Hubbard Named to SEC Community Service Team

Mississippi State’s Josh Hubbard has been named to the SEC Community Service Team, adding another honor to a year defined by his impact off the court.

A two‑time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection, Hubbard holds a 3.03 GPA in human development and family science and recently received the 2026 Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup. He was also selected to the 2025‑26 Allstate NABC Good Works Team.

Bulldog great, on and off the court.

We recognized Josh Hubbard as Mississippi State's all-time career three-point leader and recipient of the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup!#HailState | @jhubb_3 pic.twitter.com/X40DDmLSYR
— Mississippi State Men's Basketball (@HailStateMBK) February 28, 2026

Hubbard has used his platform and NIL opportunities to support several community efforts. He created the Josh Hubbard Showcase, a youth basketball camp in his hometown of Madison that has hosted roughly 200 participants and awarded about $40,000 in scholarships over the past two years.

This season, Hubbard partnered with Make‑A‑Wish Mississippi to launch the “Buckets for Wishes” campaign, where each three‑pointer he makes generates donations from sponsors.

The initiative has already funded 11 wishes and raised more than $75,000, including a recent trip to Disney World for a young Mississippi boy.

Hubbard has also given back through personal outreach, delivering nearly 100 gifts to patients at Children’s of Mississippi Hospital in December, the same hospital where he was treated for Kawasaki disease as a child.

Additional efforts include supporting the Ballas Family Community Kitchen and working with Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann on a statewide campaign addressing chronic absenteeism.