Mississippi State Men’s Basketball Continues to Struggle On Both Ends In A Loss against Florida

The struggles on offense continue to be a trend while new defensive struggles have become troubling for the Bulldogs.

Mississippi State basketball struggled to find footing on the road as the Bulldogs lost after a valent comeback late in the second half, 79-70, against Florida.

All night, the Bulldogs seemed out of sorts on both sides of the ball against the Gators. A late 16-3 run got the game close for the State, but some fortunate breaks for Florida (13-6 SEC, 3-3) kept them in control of the game. Josh Hubbard was the only consistent player on the floor, finding his way out of a recent shooting slump by scoring 16 points in the first half and finishing with 23.

Hubbard and Tolu Smith III were the only players that scored in double digits. That should tell you the type of game it was for Mississippi State (13-6, SEC 2-4), as the team finished shooting 38.7 percent from the field and 24.2 percent from 3-point range.

Smith, while in the double digits, was not able to find his footing in the paint because of the constant double teams that Florida was sending him anytime he got into the post. Most times, he did not pick up on them and lost the ball, which amounted to him leading the team in turnovers with four for the game.

He finished the game with 10 points and was only sent to the free-throw line once during the game in which he missed both. Normally he would get to the line at least five times and collect points in that fashion but a thorough game plan by the Gators kept him at bay for the whole game.

On most nights, you can see that State’s offense is not clicking, but the defense was never questioned. On Wednesday night, players seemed lost on rotations, and that has been a recurring issue in recent games.

The Bulldogs have been targeted on the defensive end with different variations of pick and rolls, and it has hindered the quick on-ball defense that has been a notable calling card under current head coach Chris Jans. This was a major missed opportunity in a potential quad-one victory against Florida, as seeding in the NCAA tournament is slowly approaching.

The Bulldogs travel back home to try and bounce back as No. 8 Auburn heads to The Hump on Saturday (2:30 p.m. on SEC Network). 

Live Updates For Mississippi State Men's Basketball At Florida