Georgia @ Mississippi State preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 20, 2019 ) Mississippi State 68, Georgia 67

Mississippi State continues getting strong performances from Reggie Perry, and now looks to build off its first SEC victory of the season when it hosts Georgia on Saturday. After dropping the first three conference contests, the Bulldogs broke loose against Missouri on Tuesday while racing to a 72-45 home victory as Perry scored 23 points - his career high in a league game - and the sophomore forward finished with 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double in the past six games.

“It was a really big win after that start we had in the SEC,” Perry told reporters after his ninth double-double of the season. “I felt like we played really well, and we have a lot of confidence in ourselves. The biggest thing is we wanted to be patient.” Georgia also registered its first league victory of the season after losses to Kentucky and Auburn, dominating Tennessee in an 80-63 home triumph on Wednesday. Freshman guard Anthony Edwards and junior forward/center Rayshaun Hammonds combined for 47 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 8-for-13 from 3-point range. “To get on a winning streak, we have to win one game at a time,” Edwards told reporters postgame. “We have to go on the road and get another one.”

TIME: 8:30 p.m. ET. TV: SEC Network

ABOUT GEORGIA (11-5, 1-2 SEC): Edwards leads all freshmen nationally in scoring at 19.1 points, finishing 7-for-17 from the field, 5-for-10 from 3-point range and 7-for-8 the free-throw line against Tennessee. Hammonds averages 14.1 points and 8.5 rebounds, helping the Bulldogs beat Tennessee 37-34 on the glass and improve to 8-2 this season when winning the rebounding advantage. Freshman forward Toumani Camara has averaged 8.3 points and 6.2 rebounds across his past six games, shooting 61.1 percent from the field in that span.

ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE (10-6, 1-3): Perry leads the SEC in rebounding entering the weekend at 10 per game, and the active leader among SEC players in career double-doubles (18) averages 16 points on 50.3 percent shooting from the field. Senior guard Tyson Carter averages 13.6 points, finishing with 15 to go along with seven assists and three steals against Missouri. The Bulldogs finished with 10 offensive rebounds Tuesday and leads the SEC (ranking eighth nationally) with 13.75 per game overall.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Georgia freshman G Sahvir Wheeler, who leads the Bulldogs in assists (4.9), injured his right ankle in the second half Wednesday.

2. Mississippi State junior G Nick Weatherspoon is averaging 13.5 points through his first six games, reaching double figures in his past five contests.

3. Georgia is 7-3 in the past 10 games in the series, but Mississippi State has won the past two meetings.

PREDICTION: Georgia 76, Mississippi State 68