Mississippi

Will Kentucky basketball beat Mississippi State today? Our prediction

Published

2 months ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Will Kentucky basketball beat Mississippi State today? Our prediction

Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard leads the SEC in scoring, averaging 23 points per game.
Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope praised Hubbard as an electric scorer and the team’s leading playmaker.
Kentucky is looking for its first SEC win after an 0-2 start, while Mississippi State is on a six-game winning streak.

LEXINGTON — So much of the focus on Josh Hubbard is his scoring ability.

And rightly so.

Hubbard, a junior guard for Mississippi State, is averaging an SEC-best 23 points per game, which is tied for fifth nationally. But Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope said Hubbard isn’t simply a scorer.

“He’s their leading assist guy by far,” said Pope, alluding to Hubbard’s 3.7 assists per game, more than twice as many as his closest teammate.

Stream Kentucky vs. Mississippi State

Pope and the Wildcats will try to do their best to keep Hubbard in check tonight as they host the Bulldogs at Rupp Arena.

Hubbard is fresh off scoring 30 points in a home win over Oklahoma. He has two other 30-plus-point efforts this season, while he’s scored 20 or more 10 times. Hubbard has reached double figures in every game but one in 2025-26; he played just two minutes before exiting with an injury versus San Francisco last month.

“So he’s an electric scorer,” Pope said. “He’s their best playmaker, their best assist guy … and he’s bringing it on the defensive end right now. He’s (got) a full, complete game. He’s a little bit undersized (but) he’s got a real physicality to him. He’s got an unbelievable cleverness to his game. Clearly, he shoots it incredibly well.”

Can Kentucky (9-6, 0-2 SEC) stop the bleeding and avoid its third straight loss to start conference play? Or will Mississippi State (10-5, 2-0) pick up its seventh straight victory and remain unbeated versus league foes?

Here’s what to know about the Wildcats’ battle with the Bulldogs tonight in Lexington:

UK and Mississippi State are slated to tip off at 8:30 p.m. today at Rupp Arena.

Oct. 17: Blue-White game (Click here to read takeaways from the intrasquad scrimmage.)
Oct. 24: exhibition vs. Purdue (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 78, Purdue 65
Oct. 30: exhibition vs. Georgetown University (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Georgetown 84, Kentucky 70
Nov. 4: Nicholls (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 77, Nicholls 51
Nov. 7: Valparaiso (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 107, Valparaiso 59
Nov. 11: at Louisville (KFC Yum! Center) | SCORE: Louisville 96, Kentucky 88
Nov. 14: Eastern Illinois (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 99, Eastern Illinois 53
Nov. 18: vs. Michigan State (Champions Classic; Madison Square Garden, New York) | SCORE: Michigan State 83, Kentucky 66
Nov. 21: Loyola University Maryland (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 88, Loyola Maryland 46
Nov. 26: Tennessee Tech (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 104, Tennessee Tech 54
Dec. 2: North Carolina (Rupp Arena; ACC/SEC Challenge) | SCORE: North Carolina 67, Kentucky 64
Dec. 5: vs. Gonzaga (Bridgestone Arena; Nashville) | SCORE: Gonzaga 94, Kentucky 59
Dec. 9: North Carolina Central (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 103, North Carolina Central 67
Dec. 13: Indiana (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 72, Indiana 60
Dec. 20: vs. St. John’s (CBS Sports Classic; State Farm Arena, Atlanta) | SCORE: Kentucky 78, St. John’s 66
Dec. 23: Bellarmine (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 99, Bellarmine 85
Jan. 3: at Alabama | SCORE: Alabama 89, Kentucky 74
Jan. 7: Missouri (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Missouri 73, Kentucky 68
Jan. 10: Mississippi State (Rupp Arena), 8:30 p.m.
Jan. 14: at LSU, 7 p.m.
Jan. 17: at Tennessee, noon
Jan. 21: Texas (Rupp Arena), 7 p.m.
Jan. 24: Ole Miss (Rupp Arena), noon
Jan. 27: at Vanderbilt, 9 p.m.
Jan. 31: at Arkansas, 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 4: Oklahoma (Rupp Arena), 9 p.m.
Feb. 7: Tennessee (Rupp Arena), 8:30 p.m.
Feb. 14: at Florida, 3 p.m.
Feb. 17: Georgia (Rupp Arena), 9 p.m.
Feb. 21: at Auburn, 8:30 p.m.
Feb. 24: at South Carolina, 7 p.m.
Feb. 28: Vanderbilt (Rupp Arena), 2 p.m.
March 3: at Texas A&M, 7 p.m.
March 7: Florida (Rupp Arena), 4 p.m.

Record: 9-6 (0-2 SEC)

Betting odds: Kentucky is a 10⅟₂-point favorite (-102) on DraftKings, which set the over/under at 152 ⅟₂ points (-105).

Kentucky 77, Mississippi State 75: According to KenPom.com, the Wildcats have a 79% chance to best the Bulldogs. But that’s almost the exact percentage (80) the site listed for Kentucky to top Missouri on Wednesday. (You don’t need to remind UK fans how that one turned out.) The situation is becoming increasingly dire for Kentucky, which is 0-2 in SEC play for the first time since 2005-06. It’s 2-5 in Quad 1 games this season. And has had multiple embarrassing performances in marquee matchups (Louisville, Gonzaga and Michigan State spring to mind.) Tonight is a contest UK can’t afford to lose. And it won’t. But the Wildcats will keep their anxious fans biting their nails until the final possession, when Hubbard’s 3 clanks off the rim to help the hosts escape with a two-point win.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.

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Mississippi

Mississippi House of Representatives passes bill to make NIL earnings non-taxable

Published

5 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Mississippi House of Representatives passes bill to make NIL earnings non-taxable

NIL money comes with a price. More specifically, a tax bill.

The Mississippi legislature is trying to reduce that burden for college athletes who play there.

Via Bea Anhuci of the Mississippi Clarion Ledger, the Mississippi House of Representatives has passed a bill that would exempt NIL earnings from state income tax.

It’s a recruiting tool for Ole Miss and Mississippi State, one that would put the Mississippi schools on equal footing with other states that host SEC universities. Florida, Tennessee, and Texas have no state income tax, and Arkansas carved out NIL earnings from the state’s income tax burden in 2025.

Mississippi currently charges a four-percent tax on anyone making more than $10,000 per year.

NIL earnings remain subject to federal income tax.

The bill will have to also pass the Mississippi Senate, and the governor would then be required to sign it into law.

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Mississippi

Why Rebels are keeping pace for Mississippi State CB commit Brandon Allen Jr

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Why Rebels are keeping pace for Mississippi State CB commit Brandon Allen Jr

Ole Miss is working to eventually flip Mississippi State cornerback commit Brandon Allen Jr. (Atlanta, Ga.). Ahead of a packed spring travel schedule, visiting multiple programs, Allen speaks on his current recruitment with Rebels247.com.

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Mississippi

Carpenter Pole and Piling invests $5M in Mississippi, creating 10 jobs

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Carpenter Pole and Piling invests M in Mississippi, creating 10 jobs

Staff
| Mississippi Clarion Ledger

A Mississippi wood products manufacturer is investing nearly $5 million in an expansion.
Carpenter Pole and Piling’s project is expected to create 10 new jobs in Wiggins.
The expansion includes a new treatment plant and an additional 20 acres for storage.
Construction is anticipated to be completed by September 2026.

A wood products manufacturer is set to create new jobs as part of a major expansion.

Carpenter Pole and Piling is investing nearly $5 million into its Wiggins, Mississippi, operation.

The expansion will add 10 new positions and support long-term growth in the region.

“Carpenter Pole and Piling is a true Mississippi success story, and we’re proud to see the company continue investing right here at home,” Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said.

“This expansion in Stone County is creating new opportunities for hardworking Mississippians while strengthening a company that has long contributed to our state’s economy,” Reeves said. “When Mississippi businesses grow, our communities grow with them, and we remain committed to fostering a business environment where companies can thrive.”

Carpenter Pole and Piling produces utility poles and pilings for marine and foundation use.

The project includes construction of a new treatment plant, investment in a 2,600-cubic-foot autoclave and an alternative treatment option to improve production capacity.

The company is also clearing and preparing an additional 20 acres for a new pole storage yard.

Stone County is also contributing to the project.

The company expects to complete construction by September 2026.

The new roles are expected to be filled by January 2027.

Carpenter Pole and Piling specializes in the production of utility poles. It also manufactures foundation and marine pilings.

The new autoclave will increase production and add an alternative treatment option.

This story was created by business and development writer Ross Reily, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more.

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