Mississippi State @ Tennessee preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 9, 2018 ) Mississippi State 59, Tennessee 62

Tennessee appears well on track to set a single-season school record in victories, but it will still need some help if it hopes to win the SEC outright. The fourth-ranked Volunteers hope to keep the pressure on conference co-leader LSU on Tuesday when they host Mississippi State.

A road setback to the 14th-ranked Tigers two weekends ago in the only scheduled meeting between the schools led to a first-place tie between the rivals and opened up a stretch in which Tennessee will face five likely NCAA Tournament teams to end the regular season. The Volunteers, who wrap up their schedule at last season's co-conference champion Auburn this weekend, bounced back from the LSU defeat with a thrilling victory at Ole Miss before drubbing No. 6 Kentucky 71-52 on Saturday to run their home winning streak to 25 games. The Bulldogs, who had dropped four of six from Jan. 22 to Feb. 9, played their way back into consideration as a strong NCAA Tournament at-large candidate by winning five straight before watching their late-season surge come to a halt at Auburn on Saturday after a furious rally from a 19-point deficit fell short. "I do not want to see (Mississippi State) again this year. That is a team that can go in the NCAA Tournament and make some real noise," Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, SEC Network

ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE (21-8, 9-7 SEC): The Bulldogs enjoyed a 41-21 advantage on the boards Saturday, but 18 turnovers and minimal defensive disruption (six combined steals and blocks after averaging 16.6 during the winning streak) proved to be their undoing. Quinndary Weatherspoon (team-high 18.8 points, 5.1 rebounds) moved into third place on the school's all-time scoring list (1,929 points) versus Auburn, finishing with 25 points - his eighth 20-point effort in league play - and 11 boards for his second double-double of the season. Tyson Carter (10.2 points) has recorded his three biggest offensive performances over the last five contests, scoring 18 points on Feb. 16 against Arkansas before topping that mark in each of his last two outings (22 against Missouri last Tuesday and 21 versus Auburn).

ABOUT TENNESSEE (26-3, 14-2): Grant Williams (league-best 19.3 points, 7.6 rebounds) continued his quest to become the first repeat winner of the SEC Player of the Year Award since Arkansas’ Corliss Williamson in 1994 and 1995 on Saturday, tallying 24 points and seven boards. Williams was quick to praise Jordan Bone (13.6 points, conference-high 6.1 assists), however, calling the 6-3 junior "the best point guard in America" after he erupted for 27 points on 11-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-5 beyond the arc, after scoring 11 or fewer points in each of his previous eight home outings. Second-leading scorer Admiral Schofield (16.4 points, 6.4 boards) was held below 10 points for only the third time this season versus the Wildcats, finishing with seven on 3-of-13 shooting, including 0-for-5 from 3-point range.

TIP-INS

1. Tennessee has played only one game closer than 12 points at home while going 17-0 at Thompson-Boling Arena this season.

2. Bulldogs freshman F Reggie Perry (9.8 points, 6.9 rebounds) is averaging 14.2 points and nine boards over his last 11 outings, posting six of his seven double-doubles over that span.

3. Williams has scored 32.2 percent of his points this season from the foul line. His 180 made free throws are 10 shy of breaking the school record for a junior, set by Allan Houston in 1991-92.

PREDICTION: Tennessee 75, Mississippi State 64