Missouri Looks to Bounce Back at Home Against Mississippi State

The Tigers hope to regain their shooting touch after a blowout loss on the road.

Jan. 31, 2026 at 12:15am

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Missouri will host Mississippi State on Saturday afternoon, looking to bounce back from a 90-64 loss at Alabama earlier this week. The Tigers have been strong at home this season, going 12-1, and will try to exploit that home-court advantage against the Bulldogs. Missouri struggled mightily from the free-throw line and 3-point range in the loss to Alabama, and coach Dennis Gates is hoping his team can rediscover its shooting touch in practice. Mississippi State, meanwhile, is coming off an 80-66 win at LSU that snapped a five-game losing streak.

Why it matters

This game is an important conference matchup between two SEC teams looking to improve their conference standing. Missouri is trying to regain its footing after a disappointing loss, while Mississippi State is hoping to build on its recent victory and continue its momentum.

The details

Missouri forward Mark Mitchell had a particularly tough game against Alabama, missing 7 of 8 free throws and both of his 3-point attempts. As a team, the Tigers missed 15 of 23 free throws and 17 of 21 shots from beyond the arc. Coach Gates is confident his team will shoot better at home, where they have been dominant this season. Mississippi State, led by guards Josh Hubbard and Jayden Epps, is coming off a strong rebounding performance in its win over LSU, outrebounding the Tigers 43-24.

  • Missouri hosts Mississippi State on Saturday afternoon.
  • Missouri lost 90-64 at Alabama on Tuesday night.

The players

Mark Mitchell

Missouri forward who had a tough shooting night against Alabama, missing 7 of 8 free throws and both of his 3-point attempts.

Dennis Gates

Missouri's head coach, who is confident his team will shoot better at home after their struggles on the road.

Josh Hubbard

Mississippi State's leading scorer, averaging 20.7 points per game.

Jayden Epps

Mississippi State's starting guard, averaging 14.8 points per game.

Chris Jans

Mississippi State's head coach, who was pleased with his team's rebounding effort in their win over LSU.

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What they’re saying

“You can't go on the road and go 8-for-23 from the free-throw line. Mark Mitchell is not a 1-8 guy. But ultimately, that's where it was in those percentages. You gotta be able to execute, especially early, from that free throw line.”

— Dennis Gates, Missouri Head Coach

“We felt good, we got off to a great start, the energy was good at shootaround, the focus was good, we kept it simple with the goals of just competing. No matter what it looks like, just compete harder.”

— Chris Jans, Mississippi State Head Coach

What’s next

The winner of this game will take a step forward in the SEC standings, while the loser will need to regroup and try to bounce back in their next conference matchup.

The takeaway

This game will be a test of Missouri's ability to bounce back at home after a disappointing road loss, while Mississippi State looks to build on its recent victory and continue its climb in the SEC. The outcome could have significant implications for both teams' conference tournament seeding.