Welcome to the A Sea of Blue open game thread for the Kentucky Wildcats at Mississippi St. Bulldogs basketball game tonight in Starkville, Mississippi. Game particulars are as follows, courtesy of UKAthletics.com:
| Kentucky @ Mississippi St. |
|---|
| Kentucky at Mississippi State Tues., Feb. 21 - 9:00 p.m. ET Starkville, Miss. Game Notes: UK  | MSU |
| Coverage |
| TV: ESPN Radio: UK IMG  Live Video via WatchESPN Live Audio Text Updates |
This is one of those games that Kentucky could easily drop if they don't bring their A-game. Mississippi St. is a talented team that has largely underachieved this year, particularly the last three games, which have all represented games that they should've won, but didn't. That means they are likely to be hungry for a victory, and it's never a good thing to face a team this talented who also has a lot of motivation.
Kentucky enters this game on a serious roll, having not tasted defeat since early December of last year. Over two months of undefeated basketball and maturation have turned this team into a machine that has only rarely been seriously challenged by anyone.
What Kentucky must do to win tonight:
- Make open shots. MSU will give Kentucky good looks, and they need to knock them down.
- Force MSU to put the ball on the floor. The Bulldogs have very capable 3-point shooters.
- Force the ball out of Dee Bost's hands as soon as possible. The more he touches it, the tougher the Bulldogs can be.
- Get a body on the Bulldog's offensive rebounders. Mississippi St. is pretty long themselves, and even though they aren't known as a great offensive rebounding team, they are capable.
- Keep Anthony Davis in the basketball game.
I don't think the Dawgs can beat Kentucky if we don't give them open looks from three, and make the open looks that UK will get. MSU is just not a great defensive team, but Kentucky has occasionally been the best defender opponents have when they are taking early, quick, challenged shots like they did in the middle of the first half against the Mississippi Rebels Saturday.
Focus, make open shots, and defend their spots. If they do that, this should be a W.