Five Things To Know: State vs. Kentucky

Saturday, January 10

Lexington, Ky.

7:30 p.m.

Mississippi State

Kentucky

Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics

Five Things To Know: State vs. Kentucky

January 08, 2026 | Men's Basketball

WATCH: State at UK [SECN]LISTEN: State Radio Network - Powered by Learfield Live Stats Notes (PDF)

by Matt Dunaway, Director/Communications

LEXINGTON, Kentucky – Mississippi State men's basketball hits the road for another NCAA NET Quad 1 opportunity as the Bulldogs meet Kentucky for a Saturday night matchup at Rupp Arena.

The Bulldogs (10-5, 2-0 SEC) have won six straight games and seven of their last eight games since the start of December. State has overcome a second-half deficit to win on seven occasions this season, the latest coming during a 72-53 romp over Oklahoma on Jan. 7.

Kentucky (9-6, 0-2 SEC) has dropped its first two SEC outings, most recently a 73-68 decision to Missouri. The Wildcats have three players averaging in double figures ignited by Otega Oweh (15.1 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.9 SPG), Mouhamed Dioubate (11.2 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.3 SPG) and Denzel Aberdeen (11.0 PPG, 3.1 APG).

As a program, Mississippi State secured its third straight NCAA Tournament bid for the third time in program history during the 2024-25 season. The last time the Bulldogs accomplished the feat was in 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05.

This season, State is looking to connect four consecutive NCAA Tournament trips for the 2nd time in program history. The previous 4-year run went from 2001-02 to 2004-05 under Rick Stansbury.

The Bulldogs are one of seven SEC teams and one of 25 schools nationally with an active streak of at least three consecutive NCAA Tournament trips.

Humphrey Coliseum has been one of the nation's most electric atmospheres during the Chris Jans era where the Bulldogs posted two of the program's top six program average attendance marks in 2023-24 and 2024-25. The Hump celebrated the 50th anniversary of opening its doors on Dec. 1.

Fans can purchase single game tickets for the program's remaining non-conference home games through Mississippi State's Athletic Ticket Office at www.HailState.com/tickets or by calling (662) 325-2600 / (888) 463-2947 (GO DAWGS).

SERIES HISTORY
The Wildcats have won the last five in the series to claim to a 104-21 series advantage. State's last win the regular season was a 66-57 decision in Lexington on Feb. 3, 2009. Eight of the last nine meetings have been decided by single digits.

The Matchup: Mississippi State (10-5, 2-0 SEC) vs. Kentucky (9-6, 0-2 SEC)
Where: Lexington, Kentucky – Rupp Arena
When: Saturday, January 10, 7:31 p.m. CT
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast (https://hailst.at/3L4F9fH)

TV/Online: SEC Network, ESPN app, www.ESPN.com/watch (Subscription Required)
Channels: Ch. 611 DirecTV • Ch. 404/408 • Dish • Ch. 1026 MaxxSouth • Ch. 220 C-Spire
Direct Link: https://hailst.at/3YCcwcZ
Talent: Matt Schumacker, Richard Hendrix

Radio: Mississippi State Sports Network – Powered by Learfield
Talent: Neil Price, Richard Williams
Affiliate: WZLA-FM 96.1 Lazer – Your Greatest Hits
Free Online Audio: Hail State and The Varsity Network Apps
Direct Link: https://hailst.at/48dsO1w

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT STATE
1. Chris Jans, one of the nation's premier bench bosses, is in his fourth season of leading the State program. He is assisted by George Brooks, David Anwar, Patrice Days, Scott Padgett and Dillon Elder.

Jans, a three-time WAC Coach of the Year during his tenure at New Mexico State, owns an impressive .708 winning percentage (216-89) in his 10th season as a NCAA Division I head coach. He earned his 200th career victory against No. 21 Ole Miss (01/18/2025).

Jans is 7th among NCAA active coaches with the aforementioned .708 winning percentage. He sits behind Mark Few (Gonzaga), Bill Self (Kansas), John Calipari (Arkansas), Randy Bennett (Saint Mary's), Rick Pitino (St. John's) and Tom Izzo (Michigan State) among coaches with at least 10 seasons of NCAA Division I experience.

In his four seasons at State, Jans has amassed 73 victories which trails only Florida's Todd Golden among the six, SEC fourth-year coaches. He is the only active SEC coach at his respective school to post a trio of 20-plus win seasons during his first three seasons inside the league.

Jans remains in the elite company of Calipari (Kentucky – 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12), Bruce Pearl (Tennessee – 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08) and Tubby Smith (Kentucky – 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000) as only four out of 175 coaches in SEC history to take their squads to three straight NCAA Tournaments with at least 21 wins during their first three seasons inside the league.

Nationally, Jans is joined by Jon Scheyer (Duke) as the only NCAA fourth-year coaches to take their squads to the 2023, 2024 and 2025 NCAA Tournaments, respectively.

As a junior college head coach, Jans won the 1997-98 NJCAA Division II National Championship at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Jans played a vital role as a Wichita State assistant coach which was headed by a 2013 NCAA Final Four run, five NCAA Tournament trips and four Missouri Valley Conference regular season crowns before he won the 2015 Joe B. Hall National Coach of the Year award as Bowling Green's head coach.

Jans ushered in an unprecedented run of success over a five-year span at New Mexico State where he guided the Aggies to a 122-32 record sparked by three NCAA Tournament trips. The program was in-line for a 4th NCAA Tournament appearance before the 2019-20 postseason was canceled.

2. State's returning group is fueled by Josh Hubbard, Shawn Jones Jr. and Dellquan Warren.

Hubbard, a two-time All-SEC Second-Team selection, joined Erick Dampier as the only State players to notch All-SEC status during their freshman and sophomore seasons. He is a consensus All-SEC Preseason First-Team pick this season in addition to being named to the Bob Cousy, John R. Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy and Oscar Robertson Preseason Watch Lists.

Hubbard is joined by Bailey Howell (1957-58-59) and Jamont Gordon (2006-07-08) as the lone State players to rip off back-to-back seasons of 550+ points. His 1585 career points are 10th on State's all-time list and the third-highest point total in program history through 84 games behind Howell and Jim Ashmore (1954-55-56-57).

This season, Hubbard ranks the SEC's top 15 in four categories: points per game (23.00– 1st), three-point field goals made (3.00 – 5th), three-point field goal percentage (35.2 – 7th) and assists per game (3.73 – 11th).

Hubbard, the only major conference player (ACC, BIG EAST, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC) from last season with 600+ points and 100+ assists to return to college basketball in 2025-26, has racked up double figures in 77 of 84 outings fueled by 20 of his 37 efforts of 20+ points versus SEC foes. He has secured 15+ points and 5+ assists in 11 career outings where State has gone 8-3.

Hubbard has sunk multiple triples in 69 of 84 career games and has hit at least one three-pointer in a school-record 62 consecutive games. The Madison native has already buried 261 treys which is already 2nd on the program's all-time list. He is 20 triples away from breaking Barry Stewart's (2007-08-09-10) program mark.

Last season, Hubbard exploded for a career-best 38 points against No. 4 Alabama (01/29/2025). The 38 points are the most for a State player during the 2000s, and the most points in program history versus a ranked opponent. He matched his career-high with 38 points at Texas (01/03).

The Alabama game began a stretch where Hubbard has dialed up 22.8 points per contest sparked by 94 triples over his last 29 games. The junior guard has led the team the Maroon and White in scoring during 44 of his 65 straight starts since the Auburn game (01/28/2024).

Hubbard, a two-time Howell Trophy winner awarded to the state's top collegiate player and ESPN top 100 recruit for the Class of 2023, capped his high school career as Mississippi's all-time leading scorer with 4,367 points. He broke a record that stood for 37 years previously held by Mississippi State's Robert Woodard.

Jones Jr. has started 12 of 15 games in 2025-26 after he made 80 of his first 93 appearances over his first three seasons off the bench. He has improved his scoring average in all four seasons at State headed by a career-best 5.8 points per contest in 2025-26.

Jones Jr. is one of nine players in program history to see action on three NCAA Tournament squads and is the only SEC rotation player in 2025-26 to play all four seasons at the same school. He has collected multiple steals in eight games this season, and his 1.93 steals per game are 5th in the SEC.

Jones Jr. has produced 7 of his top 13 career scoring outings over State's last 21 games dating back to the LSU game (03/01/25-01/07/26). Earlier this season, he fired in a career-best 17 points versus Southeastern Louisiana (11/15) on 7-of-10 shooting fueled by a career-high three treys.

Warren has seen action in 36 games off the bench over the last two seasons. The sophomore guard equaled his career-best with five points versus North Alabama (11/05) to begin the 2025-26 campaign followed by another five-point effort against San Francisco (12/07).

3. State's transfer class includes Achor Achor (Samford • Kansas State), Amier Ali (Arizona State), Quincy Ballard (Florida State • Wichita State), Jayden Epps (Georgetown • Illinois), Sergej Macura (KK Mega Bemax • Serbia) (Ja'Borri McGhee (UAB) Brandon Walker (UT-Arlington • Montana State).

Achor has collected 1082 points over his two junior college seasons and his four seasons at the NCAA Division I level. His best season came in 2023-24 as a Lou Henson Award finalist where he averaged 16.1 points per contest as one of the nation's top mid-major player while at Samford.

Achor's best effort at State was 11 points versus Alabama State (12/29) followed by 14 rebounds against Oklahoma (01/07). He has secured 8.3 points and 10.0 rebounds per game over his last four outings.

Ali came on strong towards the end of freshmen campaign at Arizona State where he poured in five of his 7 outings in double figures against Big 12 foes. He poured in a season's best 16 points, eight during the extra session, highlighted by the game-winning three-pointer with under two seconds left in overtime versus New Orleans (11/24).

Ballard has started in 80 of his last 82 games for Wichita State and Mississippi State over the last three seasons. He leads all NCAA active players with a 69.9 career field goal percentage. Ballard's 7.07 rebounds per game are tied for 10th, while his 1.20 blocks per game are tied for 14th in the SEC rankings.

On the defensive end, Ballard has racked up 187 career blocks fueled by 50 performances with multiple blocks and six efforts of five-plus rejections. He registered his first double-double in Maroon and White with 12 points and 10 rebounds versus SMU (11/28).

Epps has piled up 1385 career points over his 100 appearances sparked by 72 outings in double figures, 24 performances of 20-plus points and seven efforts of 30 or more points. He has drained 182 career three-pointers highlighted by 49 games with multiple treys.

Epps is complete combo guard with 25 career games with multiple steals and 17 performances with five-plus assists. He has piled up 16.9 points and 2.1 assists per game with 10 of his last 12 outings in double figures. Epps ranks among the SEC's top 15 with 16.00 points per contest (13th) and 2.15 three's made per contest (12th).

Macura's KK Mega Bemax (Serbia) fellow starting five members are all playing major conference basketball this season: Andrija Jelavic (Kentucky), Filip Jovic (Auburn), Timotej Malovec (Miami) and Mihailo Petrovic (Illinois). He represented his native Slovenia at multiple FIBA events and won a silver medal at the 2024 U20 EuroBasket Championships.

Macura provided a season's best 12 points against Long Island (12/16) and grabbed a season-high 12 rebounds versus North Alabama (11/05) during the season opener. He has boosted his averages to 7.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game over his last six outings (12/07-01/03) but missed the Oklahoma game due to injury.

McGhee has ripped off double figures seven times overall in the Maroon and White. State and UAB have won 20 of 28 games over the last two seasons where he scored 10 or more points.

Overall, McGhee has amassed 1,564 career points which also includes two junior college seasons. He exploded for 19 of his career-high 29 points against Utah (12/13) during the second half. The 29 points are tied with Josh Hubbard and Tony Watts for the most scored by a State player off the bench going back to 1989-90.

Walker, a two-time All-Big Sky Honorable Mention pick, has dialed up 51 of his 59 career outings over his last three seasons. Overall, he has produced 1,161 points over his four-year career. Walker's two best scoring efforts for State are 11 points at Georgia Tech (12/03) in addition to 10 points versus No. 16 Iowa State (11/10).

4. State's freshmen class features King Grace, Jamarion Davis-Fleming, Tee Barlett and Cameren Paul were ranked No. 12 nationally and fifth-best among SEC schools by ESPN's Classes for 2025.

Davis-Fleming is consensus four-star prospect as the state of Mississippi's top prospect while playing at Canton High School. He was rated No. 97 in ESPN's Top 100 for the Class of 2025.
The 2024-25 Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year posted 24.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 4.0 blocks per game as the 2024-25 Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Mississippi.

Davis-Fleming has secured a block in 10 games on the defensive end this season. His 1.20 blocks per game are tied for 14th on the SEC leaderboard. Davis-Fleming fired in a season's best 11 points at Georgia Tech (12/03) and nearly compiled his first career double-double with eight points and a season-high 10 rebounds against Oklahoma (01/07).

Grace is another consensus four-star prospect who played his final high school season at Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy based in Dallas, Texas. He ranked No. 75 in ESPN's Top 100 for the Class of 2025 and posted 24.3 points per game as a senior where he helped his team capture the EIBC Championship. Grace's top scoring effort is 14 points against Alabama State (12/29).

Bartlett and Paul haven't for the Bulldogs this season.

5. As a program, State has earned seven straight postseason appearances when postseason tournament has been played (4 NCAA • 3 NIT) and 17 postseason appearances (10 NCAA • 7 NIT) during the 2000s.

The Bulldogs have had to face off against the SEC's elite under Coach Jans. As of 01/10, State has played 27 regular season games against SEC ranked opponents which includes a league-best 16 SEC regular season matchups versus AP Top 10 foes over the last four seasons.

Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the men's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its official social media accounts by searching 'HailStateMBK' on Facebook, X and Instagram.