Mississippi State @ Mississippi preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 12, 2019 ) Mississippi 81, Mississippi State 77

Mississippi State will have revenge on its mind when it visits Ole Miss on Saturday, but the No. 21 Bulldogs will likely do so without one of their key cogs. Sophomore guard Nick Weatherspoon suffered a knee injury after landing awkwardly following a dunk attempt during Tuesday's 83-79 loss at Alabama but an MRI taken Wednesday revealed no structural damage or tear.

"When he landed on that, you could see it kind of buckle,” Mississippi State coach Ben Howland told reporters. “... We’re hoping that it’s not a huge, serious thing that’s going to keep him out for an extended period of time.” The Rebels - like the Bulldogs - are trying to maintain relevancy in the SEC standings as the teams sit tied for fifth and tied for eighth, respectively. Ole Miss fell out of the Top 25 on Monday before losing 90-86 in overtime at Florida on Wednesday for its third straight setback. The Rebels defeated Mississippi State 81-77 on Jan. 12 for their ninth victory in the last 11 meetings behind a career-high 26 points from freshman Blake Hinson, who has scored 28 points in five games since.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network

ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE (15-5, 3-4 SEC): Senior guard Quinndary Weatherspoon paces the team with 17.2 points - 17.0 in SEC games - after scoring 14 versus Alabama and also contributes 5.6 rebounds. Junior guard Lamont Peters (13.1 points, 5.8 assists) continues to climb up the school charts in assists as he is eighth all-time and 33 away from seventh-place I.J. Ready. Senior forward Aric Holman (11.5 points, club-high 7.7 rebounds) is 60 points shy of 1,000 after recording 12 points and eight rebounds Tuesday.

ABOUT OLE MISS (14-6, 4-3): Junior guard Breein Tyree (team-high 17.4 points) and senior guard Terence Davis (16.4 points, 6.2 rebounds) combine for 43.2 percent of the club's points after teaming up for 46 versus Florida. Sophomore Devontae Shuler (9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists) recorded nine points and a career-high nine rebounds Wednesday while Hinson raised his average to 8.7 points. Freshman forward KJ Buffen (6.5 points, 4.6 rebounds) scored a career-high 17 points against Florida for his fourth double-digit scoring game.

TIP-INS

1. Tyree has averaged 16.2 points and shoots 54.7 percent from the field in five games versus the Bulldogs.

2. Mississippi State has won 13 straight games when Quinndary Weatherspoon scores 20 points with Weatherspoon recording that many seven times this season.

3. Ole Miss last enjoyed a stretch such as the one it has now against the Bulldogs when it won nine of 11 from 1978-83.

PREDICTION: Mississippi State 81, Ole Miss 77