Tenn-Martin @ Mississippi State preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 28, 2015 ) Tenn-Martin 51, Mississippi State 76

After seeing the perfect start to the season come to an end, Mississippi State looks to keep its perfect home record intact when the Bulldogs host Tennessee-Martin on Saturday. Mississippi State has started the season with eight consecutive victories in Starkville.

The Bulldogs are coming off their worst performance of the season, scoring just 50 points in a loss to Cincinnati on Tuesday. Mississippi State is averaging 78.8 points at home and will face a Tennessee-Martin team that gives up 76.6 points per game. The Bulldogs hope that leads to better looks at the basket after shooting just 30.2 percent overall and making 6-of-21 from 3-point range against Cincinnati. Aric Holman and Nick Weatherspoon combined to go 13-of-23 for Mississippi State while the rest of the team went 6-of-40.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, SEC Network Plus

ABOUT TENNESSEE MARTIN (3-7): The Skyhawks have won consecutive games for the first time this season and hope to gain more confidence with Ohio Valley Conference play just around the corner. Fatodd Lewis is leading the way after putting up the seventh triple-double performance in Division I this season, posting 34 points, 16 rebounds and 12 assists in a victory against UC Clermont. Freshman Parrish Hewitt added 29 points, six rebounds, six assists, four steals and three blocks as he and Lewis became the first pair of UT-Martin teammates to record at least 25 points in a game since March 4, 2008.

ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE (8-1): The Bulldogs own the top scoring defense in the SEC, allowing just 62.2 points per game. Mississippi State has held four of nine opponents under 60 points on the season and six of nine at 65 or fewer points. Only two opponents have shot better than 40 percent from the floor against the Bulldogs - Dayton (45.7) and Cincinnati (40.7).

TIP-INS

1. Mississippi State has been at or above 50 percent shooting from the floor four times in nine games.

2. Bulldogs' leading scorer Tyson Carter (13.3) has scored 20 or more points three times but has been held to eight or fewer points four times.

3. Tennessee-Martin is 1-40 all-time against SEC opponents, with the only victory coming against Mississippi State on Dec. 12, 1981, and the Skyhawks lost to LSU on Nov. 29.

PREDICTION: Mississippi State 91, Tennessee-Martin 77