Men’s Hoops Unveils Remaining 2020-21 Schedule
November 06, 2020 | Men's Basketball
by Matt Dunaway, Associate Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – The Mississippi State men's basketball program and sixth-year head coach Ben Howland revealed its 2020-21 schedule headlined by its 18-game SEC slate on Friday.
All game times and TV network assignments in addition to Humphrey Coliseum seating capacity and ticket information will be released at a later date.
The 18-game SEC schedule features at least one matchup versus all 13 league teams. The Bulldogs have home-and-home dates with five opponents, which include Alabama, Ole Miss and South Carolina for the sixth consecutive season. Mississippi State also will face Texas A&M and Vanderbilt twice in 2020-21.
The Bulldogs will play five of their first seven SEC games at Humphrey Coliseum, which balances out with seven of their last 11 SEC contests on the road.
Mississippi State welcomes defending SEC regular season champion Kentucky (Jan. 2) for its SEC home opener at the Hump. The Bulldogs have split their previous four SEC home openers against the Wildcats. Last time, MSU erased an 18-point second half deficit to emerge with a 74-69 overtime decision over then No. 5 Kentucky, behind a 32-point performance from Mario Austin in 2001-02.
Mississippi State travels to Georgia (Dec. 30) to begin SEC play for only the second time in program history. The only other time the two sets of Bulldogs have met in Athens to start SEC action was during the 1954-55 season. The SEC opener on Dec. 30 is the earliest for State since defeating Vanderbilt, 74-71, on Dec. 19, 1991.
After a trip to the Music City to face Vanderbilt (Jan. 9), Mississippi State meets Texas A&M (Jan. 13), Florida (Jan. 16) and Ole Miss (Jan. 19) as part of a three-game homestand. The Bulldogs complete January with road tilts at Alabama (Jan. 23) and Tennessee (Jan. 26) before playing host to Iowa State (Jan. 30) for the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
February's home schedule is highlighted by Saturday home dates against Vanderbilt (Feb. 13) and Alabama (Feb. 27), coupled with Wednesday matchups versus LSU (Feb. 10) and South Carolina (Feb. 24). February road dates for MSU include a pair of back-to-back games at Arkansas (Feb. 2) and South Carolina (Feb. 6), followed by Auburn (Feb. 16) and Ole Miss (Feb. 20).
The Bulldogs wrap up with regular season at Texas A&M (March 3). The SEC Tournament is scheduled for March 10-14 at Bridgestone Arena, home of NHL's Nashville Predators.
Mississippi State's non-conference home schedule is completed by Texas State (Nov. 30), North Texas (Dec. 4), Jackson State (Dec. 8) and Central Arkansas (Dec. 16). Texas State and North Texas are coming off 20-win campaigns, while North Texas is the defending Conference USA regular season champion.
The Bulldogs have previously announced it will open the season against Clemson at the Cancun Challenge hosted by Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne, Florida (Nov. 25-26). MSU also has a pair of neutral site matchups slated with Dayton (Dec. 12) in Atlanta, Georgia and Utah State (Dec. 21) in Panama City Beach, Florida. The previously announced home-and-home series with Minnesota has been mutually agreed upon to be pushed back to the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons by the two programs.
Mississippi State won 11 of its last 15 SEC games to earn a top four finish in the conference standings last season, the program's highest overall regular season finish since 2010-11. The Bulldogs have tucked away three consecutive 20-plus win seasons under sixth-year coach Ben Howland. The last time the program accomplished that feat was the 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons. The 68 victories also are the fourth-highest total in program history for a three-year span.
Mississippi State will look to punch its return ticket to March Madness in 2020-21 led by returnees Abdul Ado, Iverson Molinar and D.J. Stewart Jr. The trio will be joined by talented transfers in Javian Davis, Jalen Johnson and Tolu Smith along with a skillful freshmen class headed by Derek Fountain, Andersson Garcia, Cameron Matthews, Keondre Montgomery and Deivon Smith.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the men's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets by searching 'HailStateMBK' on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
2020-21 Mississippi State Men's Basketball Schedule
November – Day, Date, Opponent
Wed., Nov. 25, vs. Clemson [1]
Thur. Nov. 26, vs. TBA [1]
Mon., Nov. 30, Texas State
December – Day, Date, Opponent
Fri., Dec. 4, North Texas
Tue., Dec. 8, Jackson State
Sat., Dec. 12, vs. Dayton [2]
Wed., Dec. 16, Central Arkansas
Mon., Dec. 21, vs. Utah State [3]
Wed., Dec. 30, at Georgia [SEC]
January – Day, Date, Opponent
Sat., Jan. 2, Kentucky [SEC]
Tue., Jan. 5, Missouri [SEC]
Sat., Jan. 9, at Vanderbilt [SEC]
Wed., Jan. 13, Texas A&M [SEC]
Sat., Jan. 16, Florida [SEC]
Tue., Jan. 19, Ole Miss [SEC]
Sat., Jan. 23, at Alabama [SEC]
Tue., Jan. 26, at Tennessee [SEC]
Sat., Jan. 30, Iowa State [4]
February – Day, Date, Opponent
Tue., Feb. 2, at Arkansas [SEC]
Sat., Feb. 6, at South Carolina [SEC]
Wed., Feb. 10, LSU [SEC]
Sat., Feb. 13, Vanderbilt [SEC]
Tue., Feb. 16, at Auburn [SEC]
Sat., Feb. 20, at Ole Miss [SEC]
Wed., Feb. 24, South Carolina [SEC]
Sat., Feb. 27, Alabama [SEC]
March – Day, Date, Opponent
Wed., March 3, at Texas A&M [SEC]
Wed., March 10-Sun., March 14 – SEC Tournament [5]
Notes
Home games are bolded and played at Humphrey Coliseum
[1] Cancun Challenge [Melbourne, Florida]
[2] Holiday Hoopsgiving [Atlanta, Georgia]
[3] Game played at Gulf Coast State College [Panama City Beach, Florida]
[4] SEC/Big 12 Challenge
[5] SEC Tournament [Nashville, Tennessee]
[SEC] Southeastern Conference game
STARKVILLE – The Mississippi State men's basketball program and sixth-year head coach Ben Howland revealed its 2020-21 schedule headlined by its 18-game SEC slate on Friday.
All game times and TV network assignments in addition to Humphrey Coliseum seating capacity and ticket information will be released at a later date.
The 18-game SEC schedule features at least one matchup versus all 13 league teams. The Bulldogs have home-and-home dates with five opponents, which include Alabama, Ole Miss and South Carolina for the sixth consecutive season. Mississippi State also will face Texas A&M and Vanderbilt twice in 2020-21.
The Bulldogs will play five of their first seven SEC games at Humphrey Coliseum, which balances out with seven of their last 11 SEC contests on the road.
Mississippi State welcomes defending SEC regular season champion Kentucky (Jan. 2) for its SEC home opener at the Hump. The Bulldogs have split their previous four SEC home openers against the Wildcats. Last time, MSU erased an 18-point second half deficit to emerge with a 74-69 overtime decision over then No. 5 Kentucky, behind a 32-point performance from Mario Austin in 2001-02.
Mississippi State travels to Georgia (Dec. 30) to begin SEC play for only the second time in program history. The only other time the two sets of Bulldogs have met in Athens to start SEC action was during the 1954-55 season. The SEC opener on Dec. 30 is the earliest for State since defeating Vanderbilt, 74-71, on Dec. 19, 1991.
After a trip to the Music City to face Vanderbilt (Jan. 9), Mississippi State meets Texas A&M (Jan. 13), Florida (Jan. 16) and Ole Miss (Jan. 19) as part of a three-game homestand. The Bulldogs complete January with road tilts at Alabama (Jan. 23) and Tennessee (Jan. 26) before playing host to Iowa State (Jan. 30) for the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
February's home schedule is highlighted by Saturday home dates against Vanderbilt (Feb. 13) and Alabama (Feb. 27), coupled with Wednesday matchups versus LSU (Feb. 10) and South Carolina (Feb. 24). February road dates for MSU include a pair of back-to-back games at Arkansas (Feb. 2) and South Carolina (Feb. 6), followed by Auburn (Feb. 16) and Ole Miss (Feb. 20).
The Bulldogs wrap up with regular season at Texas A&M (March 3). The SEC Tournament is scheduled for March 10-14 at Bridgestone Arena, home of NHL's Nashville Predators.
Mississippi State's non-conference home schedule is completed by Texas State (Nov. 30), North Texas (Dec. 4), Jackson State (Dec. 8) and Central Arkansas (Dec. 16). Texas State and North Texas are coming off 20-win campaigns, while North Texas is the defending Conference USA regular season champion.
The Bulldogs have previously announced it will open the season against Clemson at the Cancun Challenge hosted by Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne, Florida (Nov. 25-26). MSU also has a pair of neutral site matchups slated with Dayton (Dec. 12) in Atlanta, Georgia and Utah State (Dec. 21) in Panama City Beach, Florida. The previously announced home-and-home series with Minnesota has been mutually agreed upon to be pushed back to the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons by the two programs.
Mississippi State won 11 of its last 15 SEC games to earn a top four finish in the conference standings last season, the program's highest overall regular season finish since 2010-11. The Bulldogs have tucked away three consecutive 20-plus win seasons under sixth-year coach Ben Howland. The last time the program accomplished that feat was the 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons. The 68 victories also are the fourth-highest total in program history for a three-year span.
Mississippi State will look to punch its return ticket to March Madness in 2020-21 led by returnees Abdul Ado, Iverson Molinar and D.J. Stewart Jr. The trio will be joined by talented transfers in Javian Davis, Jalen Johnson and Tolu Smith along with a skillful freshmen class headed by Derek Fountain, Andersson Garcia, Cameron Matthews, Keondre Montgomery and Deivon Smith.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the men's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets by searching 'HailStateMBK' on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
2020-21 Mississippi State Men's Basketball Schedule
November – Day, Date, Opponent
Wed., Nov. 25, vs. Clemson [1]
Thur. Nov. 26, vs. TBA [1]
Mon., Nov. 30, Texas State
December – Day, Date, Opponent
Fri., Dec. 4, North Texas
Tue., Dec. 8, Jackson State
Sat., Dec. 12, vs. Dayton [2]
Wed., Dec. 16, Central Arkansas
Mon., Dec. 21, vs. Utah State [3]
Wed., Dec. 30, at Georgia [SEC]
January – Day, Date, Opponent
Sat., Jan. 2, Kentucky [SEC]
Tue., Jan. 5, Missouri [SEC]
Sat., Jan. 9, at Vanderbilt [SEC]
Wed., Jan. 13, Texas A&M [SEC]
Sat., Jan. 16, Florida [SEC]
Tue., Jan. 19, Ole Miss [SEC]
Sat., Jan. 23, at Alabama [SEC]
Tue., Jan. 26, at Tennessee [SEC]
Sat., Jan. 30, Iowa State [4]
February – Day, Date, Opponent
Tue., Feb. 2, at Arkansas [SEC]
Sat., Feb. 6, at South Carolina [SEC]
Wed., Feb. 10, LSU [SEC]
Sat., Feb. 13, Vanderbilt [SEC]
Tue., Feb. 16, at Auburn [SEC]
Sat., Feb. 20, at Ole Miss [SEC]
Wed., Feb. 24, South Carolina [SEC]
Sat., Feb. 27, Alabama [SEC]
March – Day, Date, Opponent
Wed., March 3, at Texas A&M [SEC]
Wed., March 10-Sun., March 14 – SEC Tournament [5]
Notes
Home games are bolded and played at Humphrey Coliseum
[1] Cancun Challenge [Melbourne, Florida]
[2] Holiday Hoopsgiving [Atlanta, Georgia]
[3] Game played at Gulf Coast State College [Panama City Beach, Florida]
[4] SEC/Big 12 Challenge
[5] SEC Tournament [Nashville, Tennessee]
[SEC] Southeastern Conference game