The Mississippi State Bulldogs and South Carolina Gamecocks will meet in the 7 vs. 10 matchup in the SEC tournament second round on Thursday. Both teams failed to be above .500 in conference play this season, but have a chance to make it to the quarterfinals with a win here. In our college basketball predictions for Thursday, we look at Mississippi State vs South Carolina and make our prediction for this SEC contest.
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Mississippi State vs South Carolina Betting Pick
This game will be played at Amalie Arena at 6:00 PM ET on Thursday, March 10, 2022.
Why Bet On Mississippi State:
✅ Mississippi State is the better defensive team out of these squads, which will make the difference in this contest. Both teams average a shade over 71 points per game, but the Bulldogs allow 3.5 points per game less than the Gamecocks, which will help them to get through this game as a slight favorite.
✅ Iverson Molinar is going to be the difference in this basketball game for Mississippi State. The Bulldogs guard averages nearly 18 points per game, better than any player on the floor in this contest. Best of all, he makes free throws at an 87% clip, which means he can help the Bulldogs salt this game away from the free throw line down the stretch.
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✅ Neither team is particularly good at shooting the three-point shot, but Mississippi State is a more efficient team from the floor in general. The Bulldogs shoot the ball at a 45% clip from the field, a superior mark to that of the Gamecocks, with their slight edge in offensive efficiency poised to be a difference maker here.
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Mississippi State had a losing record in conference play this season, going 8-10 in SEC play going into the conference tournament. They are a favorite to advance in the SEC tournament despite that, as the Bulldogs look to advance to Friday to take on the Tennessee Volunteeers in the quarterfinals. In order for that to happen, Mississippi State needs to find a way to hit some threes.
The Bulldogs are below 30% from three-point range on the season, with no member of their regular rotation shooting 35% or better from beyond the arc. That is a big time concern, as picking up some extra points from long range would be a huge boost for them. As it stands, they will need to rely on their dynamic duo of Molinar and Tolu Smith to carry the scoring load, presumably from inside the arc.
South Carolina Gamecocks
The South Carolina Gamecocks come into the SEC tournament having won three of their last five games to move to 9-9 in league play on the season. The Gamecocks are the higher seed in this game, having secured the seventh seed in this tournament, but are still the underdogs against Mississippi State. It will take a solid defensive effort to win as the underdog in this matchup despite being the underdog.
This season, South Carolina has allowed just over 70 points per game, which has put them in precarious positions on multiple occasions this season. If the Gamecocks want to win and avoid an early exit in Tampa, they will need to hold Mississippi State under that 70 point mark to maximize their chances.