No. 5 Florida Seeks SEC Title With Win Over Mississippi State

Gators look to clinch outright conference championship in regular season finale

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The No. 5 Florida Gators will host the struggling Mississippi State Bulldogs on Tuesday night, with a win securing the Gators' first outright SEC regular-season title since 2014. Florida has won nine straight games in February and is led by a balanced scoring attack, while Mississippi State has lost six of its last eight games and has struggled defensively.

Why it matters

This game has major implications for the SEC regular-season title race, as Florida can clinch the outright championship with a victory. The Gators are looking to cap off a successful season and defend their national title, while Mississippi State is hoping to play spoiler and end the year on a high note.

The details

Florida (23-6, 14-2 SEC) is led by a deep and balanced scoring attack, with six players averaging double-figure points. Thomas Haugh leads the way at 17.1 ppg, followed by Alex Condon (14.4 ppg), Boogie Fland (11.6 ppg), Xaivian Lee (11.4 ppg), Rueben Chinyelu (11.3 ppg, 11.7 rpg), and Urban Klavzar (10.2 ppg). The Gators have won nine straight games in February, including a dominant 111-77 victory over Arkansas. Mississippi State (13-16, 5-11 SEC), on the other hand, has lost six of its last eight games and has struggled defensively, allowing at least 85 points in each of its last four contests. The Bulldogs are led by Josh Hubbard, who averages 21.4 ppg, and Jayden Epps (13.7 ppg).

  • The regular-season finale is scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, 2026.

The players

Todd Golden

The head coach of the Florida Gators men's basketball team.

Josh Hubbard

The leading scorer for the Mississippi State Bulldogs, averaging 21.4 points per game.

Chris Jans

The head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“We're getting a lot of great contributions from guys, and when we're able to get rest for starters, those guys can come in and keep the score going the right direction. (Depth is) huge for us, and against a lot of these teams that we play, they're really talented, but they don't have the depth that we do where we're able to wear teams down.”

— Todd Golden, Head Coach, Florida Gators (Field Level Media)

“Yeah, it's tough to even hear that. One of my job responsibilities, 1A, 1B, 1C, somewhere in there, is on game day to get our guys to compete at the highest level. I told them for whatever reason I've failed for the most part most of the games to get them to play to the standard we've created.”

— Chris Jans, Head Coach, Mississippi State Bulldogs (Field Level Media)

What’s next

A Florida win would clinch the Gators' first outright SEC regular-season title since 2014.

The takeaway

This game represents a chance for the defending national champion Florida Gators to solidify their status as the SEC's top team, while Mississippi State looks to play spoiler and end the season on a high note despite its recent struggles.