MSU looks for win over ranked opponent

By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
Jan. 19, 2004
Mississippi State University will attempt to do something the basketball team has been unable to accomplish in its last six games versus ranked opponents this week win.
The No. 20 Bulldogs (14-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) lost their sixth consecutive game to a top 25 team last Tuesday against No. 5 Kentucky.
MSU will be trying to halt those struggles against the No. 15-ranked Florida Gators (11-3, 2-1 SEC) on Wednesday.
The Bulldogs, whose current losing streak to ranked teams was started by the Gators on Jan. 7, 2003, are set to tip off against Florida at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville.
MSU has lost to Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Kentucky during its current losing streak to top-25 teams. The Wildcats have defeated the Bulldogs three times during the span.
The Bulldogs enter Wednesday's contest against the Gators coming off a 65-54 road win over LSU (12-2, 2-1 SEC).
The victory over the Tigers snapped LSU's 13-game home winning streak and helped ease the pain of the Bulldogs' loss in the final second against the Wildcats.
Florida is coming off an 86-72 loss to No. 23 Vanderbilt (13-2, 2-2 SEC).
MSU returns home for a Saturday contest against the Georgia Bulldogs (8-5, 1-2 SEC), after playing Florida.
Georgia shocked Kentucky last Saturday picking up a 65-57 win in Lexington, Ky.
Georgia has dropped four games by at least 20 points, including an embarrassing home loss to Winthrop, but its surprising win over Kentucky was no unprecedented. Georgia knocked off then-No. 3 Georgia Tech earlier in the season.
MSU is set to tip off against Georgia at noon in Humphrey Coliseum for the weekend contest.
Ole Miss will continue its search for the team's first conference win this week with a pair of home games.
The Rebels (8-6, 0-3 SEC), who fell to the Arkansas Razorbacks (9-6, 1-3 SEC) on road last Saturday, host LSU at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Ole Miss will entertain Alabama (10-4, 2-1 SEC) in a 5 p.m. contest on Saturday.
The University of Southern Mississippi enters the week coming off an 83-61 win over No. 21 Marquette (11-4, 2-2 Conference USA) last Friday.
USM athletic officials sold their home game against Marquette to an independent promoter for $100,000, who brought the game to the Resch Center in Green Bay.
The Golden Eagles (9-6, 2-2 C-USA) will have a full week to prepare for their next opponent, the No. 10 Cincinnati Bearcats (13-0, 4-0 C-USA). The game will be played on USM's true home court, the Reed Green Coliseum. USM is set to host Cincinnati at 1 p.m. Saturday.