ESPN BPI Predicts SEC Showdown Between No. 4 Alabama and No. 14 Mississippi State

Two teams with huge expectations meet Wednesday night with much on the line in Starkville
Jan 18, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs forward KeShawn Murphy (3) reacts with guard Josh Hubbard (12) during the first half against the Mississippi Rebels at Humphrey Coliseum.
Jan 18, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs forward KeShawn Murphy (3) reacts with guard Josh Hubbard (12) during the first half against the Mississippi Rebels at Humphrey Coliseum. / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

A pivotal SEC game between a couple of top 15 teams takes place Wednesday night in Starkville.

No. 14 Mississippi State (16-4, 4-3) hosts No. 4 Alabama (17-3, 6-1) in a battle of SEC positioning. Alabama is currently just one-half game behind Auburn atop the SEC standings while Mississippi is in a logjam of five teams currently 2.5 games off the pace.

Mark Sears leads Alabama with 18.1 points nearly five assists per game.

Josh Hubbard leads Mississippi State with 16.3 points per game forwards KeShawn Murphy and Cameron Matthews both average seven rebounds per game.

Miss. State vs. Alabama: ESPN BPI Projections

ESPN's computer model Basketball Power Index (BPI) has this game being nearly a coin toss, giving Alabama a very slight edge over the Bulldogs.

BPI Chances of Alabama Victory: 53.7%
BPI Chances of Mississippi State Victory: 46.3%

Miss. State vs. Alabama: How to Watch

Location: Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, Miss.

Time: 8:00 p.m. CT

TV: SEC Network

Miss. State vs. Alabama: Betting Information

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Nick Shepkowski
NICK SHEPKOWSKI

Managing Editor for Notre Dame On SI. Started covering Chicago sports teams for WSCR the Score, and over the years worked with CBS Radio, Audacy, NBC Sports, and FOX Sports as a contributor before running the Notre Dame wire site for USA TODAY