It’s the calm before the storm for Mississippi State men’s basketball.

It’s a top 20-caliber team in a conference loaded with ranked powerhouses, and it’s all going to get going next with the lighter portion of the program with South Carolina and at Vanderbilt in the first week of the new year.

This is the last non-conference game of the regular season, which makes this the last tune-up.

Bethune-Cookman should be a light scrimmage if all goes according to plan. The Wildcats pulled off a stunner a few weeks ago against USF, but they lost five of their last six and now get their sixth straight road trip before they jump into the SWAC season.

Date: Monday, December 30, 20244
Game Time: 9:00 pm ET
How To Watch: SEC Network
Venue: Humphrey Coliseum, Starkville, MS
Teams: Mississippi State (11-1), Bethune-Cookman (3-9)
Fiu Bluesky 

Why Bethune-Cookman Will Win

There’s a little bit of size, but not much.

This is a guard-oriented team with experience, quickness and the ability to force plenty of mistakes. They have to catch Mississippi State napping and need a sloppy effort.

Out of Bethune-Cookman’s three wins, two of them game when forcing 15 turnovers or more, and the third was a WAY too tight loss to Nebraska. It’s not bad in turning takeaways into easy points, the defense isn’t bad, and …

Why Mississippi State Will Win

Bethune-Cookman doesn’t crank up the O at all.

It’s bad at making that extra pass, worse from three, and there’s next to nothing on the boards. Those turnovers it needs won’t come against a Mississippi State offense that’s been relatively air-tight. Even worse, the Bulldogs are even better at forcing mistakes.

Mississippi State vs Bethune-Cookman: Who Will Win?

How look will Miss State push things before taking the foot off the gas?

There were a few issues with a far stronger opponent in McNeese State a few weeks ago – focus on a non-conference game that should be an easy win shouldn’t be a problem – and it’s been nine days since the great win over Memphis.

The Bulldogs will live off of takeaway enough to get out to a fast start, but the last ten minutes should be relatively eve. Bethune-Cookman doesn’t do enough from three to make this a fight.

Mississippi State vs Bethune-Cookman Prediction, Betting Lines

Prediction: Mississippi State 89, Bethune-Cookman 60
Line: Mississippi State -29.5, o/u: 145.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 1.5
Must See Rating: 1.5