Mississippi State preparing for Kentucky’s must-win approach

It’s not hyperbole to say this can be a must-win sport for Kentucky vs. Mississippi State down in Starkville. Struggling back-to-back losses vs. Arkansas and at Georgia, the Wildcats now sit at 16-9 on the yr and No. 46 total within the NET. With a resume that features only one Quad 1 victory (in eight makes an attempt) and a Quad 4 loss, UK is now firmly outdoors the NCAA Match subject amongst at-large groups.

However, 4 Quad 1 alternatives stay out of six whole video games. As inconceivable because it feels contemplating how the Wildcats carried out final week, it’s nonetheless doable to salvage the season and earn a bid. And it begins with a win towards the Bulldogs, a group who has received 5 straight, together with a highway victory at Arkansas.

“I feel that the elephant within the room is there,” Kentucky assistant coach Chin Coleman mentioned Tuesday. “We all know that this season is coming to an finish. We’ve received six video games left. … I feel our guys’ mindset is, they’ve a way of urgency. I feel they know that. We’ve received to get ourselves collectively once more, proper now.”

As issues stand at this time, Mississippi State (No. 40 within the NET) is projected to make the NCAA Match whereas Kentucky is just not. The Wildcats don’t have any alternative however to play with starvation, perhaps even a little bit of desperation. At minimal, they’ve received to deliver the battle, one thing they didn’t do towards the Razorbacks and Bulldogs final week.

And this totally different model of the Bulldogs understands that.

“I imply, it’s Kentucky. Actually everybody in faculty basketball is aware of what meaning when it comes to their program and their success,” Mississippi State head coach Chris Jans mentioned main as much as the matchup. “I do know they’ll be hungry. I do know they’ll are available in right here with the angle that it’s a must-win they usually received to have it. That shall be talked about a lot in our locker room.”

Kentucky shall be moving into one more hostile setting, one other Tremendous Bowl for the opposing crowd. Mississippi State has already introduced it is going to be a white-out inside Humphrey Coliseum, with the varsity rapidly approaching a sell-out. As rowdy as the gang is anticipated to be, Jans is aware of the Wildcats are ready for a troublesome setting.

“These video games, they’re so used to it and it brings out the perfect within the opposing crowds,” he mentioned. “They’re used to it, even the brand new gamers now that they’ve gone via the vast majority of the season. It received’t part them strolling right into a sold-out enviornment.”

Being prepared for that sort of setting isn’t simple for the house group, both. There’s a little bit of strain that comes with being the group on a five-game profitable streak making an attempt to carry off a gaggle determined for a victory.

The Bulldogs are getting ready for that second main as much as tip-off.

“I’m not nervous about that. These children have confirmed to me that they’re working, they get it,” Jans mentioned. “They perceive that’s going to be there Wednesday night time and we have to do what we have to do main as much as the sport to verify we’re mentally and bodily ready.

“I’ve had questions like that earlier within the season about totally different video games and I at all times felt like they had been business-like of their strategy, understanding the significance of the preparation and the movie and on the ground. That’s only a constructive, to know we’re going to have an electrical crowd and our children clearly know that. To me, it simply makes extra sense to lock in much more to verify we’re able to go.”

Mississippi State shall be locked in, that’s clear. What’s Kentucky anticipating from a personnel standpoint?

“I feel the place they’re distinctive is, they pressure loads of turnovers and rating off of turnovers at a excessive price,” Coleman mentioned. “They’re rebounding at a excessive price offensively. And utilizing their protection to trigger offense, they try this at a excessive price. Ball toughness, limiting our turnovers and profitable the struggle on the boards. That can pose some problem for us.”

The battle is about to happen in Starkville at 8:30 p.m. ET, dwell on SEC Community.