South Carolina Visits Mississippi State in Regular Season Finale

No. 17 South Carolina (24-6, 12-5 SEC) visits Mississippi State (19-11, 8-9 SEC) Saturday in each team’s regular season finale.

The Gamecocks can clinch a top-four seed in the SEC Tournament with a win, while the Bulldogs look to snap a three-game losing streak.

https://twitter.com/HailStateMBK/status/1765591346822127681

Gamecocks and Bulldogs Look to Bounce Back After Losses

South Carolina and Mississippi State both come into Saturday’s contest coming off of losses.

The Gamecocks fell at home to No. 4 Tennessee 66-59 on Wednesday, making Tennessee the SEC Regular Season Champions. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs lost 75-69 on the road against Texas A&M Wednesday, marking their third straight loss.

https://twitter.com/GamecockMBB/status/1765542016560349258

After the Bulldogs’ 87-67 win over LSU Feb. 24, they sat at 8-6 in conference play on the back of five straight wins. However, the Bulldogs could be in danger of finishing with a losing record in the SEC with a potential fourth straight loss Saturday against the Gamecocks.

Game Implications

South Carolina is listed as a No. 6 seed and Mississippi State is listed as a No. 9 seed in ESPN’s Joe Lunardi’s latest NCAA Tournament projections.

Furthermore, South Carolina is a lock for the NCAA Tournament and Mississippi State should be in the tournament, according to ESPN’s John Gasaway. However, a fourth straight loss for the Bulldogs wouldn’t help their case.

The SEC implications aren’t nearly as important for Mississippi State compared to South Carolina for this game.

If South Carolina finishes the regular season in the top-four of the SEC standings, it will begin the SEC Tournament with a double-bye and play its first game in the quarterfinals. However, the Bulldogs will be starting the SEC Tournament in the second round of the bracket regardless of what happens Saturday.

Paris for Coach of the Year?

South Carolina head coach Lamont Paris turned the Gamecocks into SEC contenders this season after being voted to finish last in the preseason SEC media poll. Paris, who is in his second season as head coach, has led South Carolina to 24 wins and counting this season. It is already more than double the amount of wins from the Gamecocks’ 2023 season when they went 11-21.

Lotta guys have done great job coaching this year. None better than @GamecockMBB Lamont Paris….SEC Coach of Year and my vote for National COY… picked dead last in a rugged and deep SEC. Playing for regular season title next week.

— Jimmy Dykes (@CoachJimmyDykes) March 2, 2024

Tip-off is at 2:30 p.m. in Starkville.