Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scor

GAME NOTES: The Mississippi State Bulldogs welcome the Alabama Crimson Tide to Starkville this evening for a Southeastern Conference affair.

Not much has gone right for Alabama lately, as the team has lost five of its last six games to fall to 4-8 in SEC play, overshadowing a 14-12 overall record. The club dropped to 2-5 in true road games with a 76-70 loss to Georgia on Saturday, and the majority of the team's losses this season have come by a fairly narrow margin.

As for Mississippi State, it has earned wins in three of the last four outings to strengthen its prospects for a bid to the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs are now 19-8 overall, including 7-5 in SEC action, and reaching the 20-win plateau tonight would certainly help matters. Saturday's 60-59 over LSU was certainly exciting, but it is important to keep in mind that the Tigers are the worst team in the conference.

Alabama beat Mississippi State by a 62-57 final last month, and the Crimson Tide own a 112-71 series lead over the Bulldogs.

Mikhail Torrance and JaMychal Green are counted on to be productive at the offensive end every time Alabama takes the court. Torrance is scoring 15.0 ppg to go along with 137 assists, and Green checks in with 14.9 ppg and 7.3 rpg while shooting 50.5 percent from the floor. The Crimson Tide are generating 67.9 ppg while allowing only 63.7 ppg to foes, but that positive scoring differential is more a reflection of the club's play against non-conference foes than its performance in SEC games. In the six-point loss to Georgia last time out, Torrance scored 20 points, while Green added 16 points and 11 rebounds. The Tide struggled defensively, permitting the Bulldogs to shoot 54.7 percent from the floor. A 39-27 rebounding disadvantage also hurt the cause.

Ravern Johnson continues to lead Mississippi State in scoring with 13.8 ppg, and he is shooting 50 percent from the floor. Johnson is often overshadowed by teammate Jarvis Varnado, however, as the big man is the first player in NCAA history to post at least 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 blocked shots in a career. He is just eight blocks shy of setting the NCAA's all-time record for rejections, and so far this season he is averaging 13.2 ppg, 10.9 rpg and 5.0 bpg. Dee Bost checks in with 12.2 ppg and 142 assists, while Barry Stewart rounds out a foursome of double-digit scorers with 11.3 ppg. MSU is generating 72.9 ppg while holding opponents to 63.1 ppg on 37.2 percent shooting. Phil Turner was the hero for MSU against LSU last time out, as his 25-foot three- pointer with seven seconds remaining proved to be the difference. Johnson scored a team-high 16 points in that affair.

MSU is deadlocked with Arkansas atop the standings in the parity-stricken SEC West. Expect the Bulldogs to get the job done tonight at home.