Texas A&M vs Mississippi State Odds
| Texas A&M Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -110 | 124.5 -115o / -105u | +102 |
| Mississippi State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -110 | 124.5 -115o / -105u | -122 |
In a game between two programs battling for postseason invites, No. 25 Texas A&M hits the road to play Mississippi State at the Humphrey Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.
The Aggies are one of the hottest teams in the country. They've won six straight and enter this contest within one game of No. 2 Alabama in the SEC standings.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs are on the bubble and in desperate need of a Quad 1 victory as they are 18-10 and 6-9 in the SEC.
We have two squads that play great defense and will be pushing for a win. So, this should be a great battle in one of the more important games of the day in a full college basketball slate.
Texas A&M Aggies
Nobody was expecting A&M to have an opportunity to win a regular season title after posting an 8-5 mark in non-conference play, but coach Buzz Williams’ team has turned it around in SEC play.
The Aggies need to be taken seriously after this great run, which includes wins over projected NCAA Tournament teams Auburn, Arkansas, Missouri and No. 11 Tennessee. The Aggies have also been a very profitable squad at the betting window.
Since entering conference play, Texas A&M has covered the spread in 11 of 15 games, including all six during this winning streak.
With the Crimson Tide coming to College Station, Texas, for the last game of the regular season, the Aggies have a great opportunity to win the SEC regular season title.
Mississippi State Bulldogs
After winning just one of their first seven conference matchups, the Bulldogs have also had a resurgence under first-year coach Chris Jans. The recent string of wins has Jans’ team listed as the last team in the field in ESPN’s recent Bracketology.
With South Carolina and Vanderbilt remaining after this one, this is the last opportunity for Mississippi State to add to its resume before the SEC Tournament.
All of Mississippi State’s success starts on the defensive end of the floor. The Bulldogs rank inside the top 25 in multiple categories, including AdjD (7th), EFG% (12th), forcing turnovers (22nd) and defending 2-point (21st) and 3-point (22nd) shots, according to barttorvik.com.
They are able to do this all without fouling, ranking 62nd in opponents’ free-throw rate. Conference opponents are also only averaging 62.7 points per game in Starkville, Mississippi, which will need to be the goal to pick up this crucial victory.
Texas A&M vs Mississippi State Betting Pick
I like the improvements I have seen from MSU over the past month, but I’m not ready to back them as a favorite over a Top 25 team.
So, my best bet is to back the Aggies on the moneyline at -120 or better.
For starters, this is a difficult scheduling spot for the Bulldogs, who are coming off consecutive road games that both went to overtime. A&M's other key advantage comes on the offensive end of the floor.
Yes, both teams are elite defensively, but I will take my chances with the visitors to score more. The Aggies are ranked inside the top 20 in AdjO, while Mississippi State is 196th nationally.
This is also the same Bulldogs’ squad that is outside the top 300 in EFG% (317th), free-throw shooting (347th) and 3-point percentage (359th).
As long as A&M can keep MSU off the offensive glass, it should be able to pick up a victory and stay in the hunt for the SEC regular season title.
