As the 2024 regular season begins its final descension, teams within the SEC are starting to return to their seats, fasten their seatbelts, store away tray tables and jockey for position as they approach the runway of the impending conference tournament that is just over the horizon.
For Mike White and Georgia basketball, Saturday’s match-up against No. 22 Mississippi State is giving off serious must win vibes. A feeling that Georgia is starting to become all too familiar with of late.
The Georgia Bulldogs (16-7, 4-6 SEC) face off against No. 22 Mississippi State Bulldogs (16-6, 4-5 SEC) at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, GA, in another critical conference matchup that could have SEC tournament seeding implications, as well. Both teams come into this contest with a lot to play for and will be highly motivated, so expect a dogfight for 40 minutes.
Injury Report
Georgia - No injuries reported.
Mississippi State - Junior guard Kanye Clary will be out with a leg injury.
Georgia vs. Mississippi State Final Odds
Even with Georgia’s empty injury report and impressive 13-1 home record staring them in the face, FanDuel Sportsbook gives the slight nod to UGA as they favor the Bulldogs by 1.5 points. They also have the over-under for this game set at 141.5 points.
In recent weeks, there have been signs that Vegas’ confidence in Georgia is waning. This contest is a great opportunity for Georgia to get a critical win against a high-quality conference opponent and restore some of that trust.
Georgia vs. Mississippi State Prediction
As stated before, Georgia is starting to find itself more often in these must win matchups. Maybe it is due to the regular season coming to an end or the fact that SEC basketball has been at an all-time high in 2024, but whatever the reasoning is Georgia needs to keep their foot on the accelerator and pressure Mississippi State.
If Georgia is able to replicate their LSU performance against Mississippi State, they stand a great chance to pull off the upset.
Prediction: Georgia wins 69-64.