Mississippi State set for rematch with Georgia Tech in SEC-ACC Challenge

Georgia Tech currently leads the all-time series 17-13, with a 7-5 edge in home games. The Yellow Jackets also defeated Mississippi State 67-59 in last season’s SEC/ACC Challenge.

"We didn’t execute in the half-court the way we needed down the stretch," State coach Chris Jans said later. "We have to learn from this and keep moving forward."

That loss still stings for the Bulldogs. The rematch offers a chance for redemption.

The SEC/ACC Challenge, which replaced the old SEC/Big 12 Challenge, features headline matchups across the college basketball landscape.

This year’s schedule also includes Florida at Duke, North Carolina at Kentucky, and Virginia at Texas.

The Mississippi State vs. Georgia Tech pairing might not attract the national spotlight like Duke or Kentucky, but it carries major NCAA Tournament implications for both programs.

Mississippi State is coming off a 21-13 season, including an 8-10 record in SEC play.

The Bulldogs reached their third consecutive NCAA Tournament under Chris Jans, narrowly losing to Baylor 75-72 in the first round.

Jans joined an elite group, becoming just the fourth coach in SEC history to win at least 21 games and secure an NCAA berth in each of his first three years.

"We want to be a program that expects to play in March," Jans said this spring. "Our non-conference schedule is built to test us early and get us ready for SEC play."

That schedule is no slouch.

The Bulldogs will open the season against Iowa State on November 10 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D., a neutral site game against an NCAA Tournament team.

Home non-conference games include Southeastern Louisiana (Nov. 15), New Orleans (Nov. 24), SMU (Nov. 28), and Long Island (Dec. 16). Mississippi State will also compete in the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City on Nov. 20-21, facing a field that includes Kansas State, Nebraska, and New Mexico.

The rematch with Georgia Tech lands squarely in the middle of this challenging stretch.

For the Bulldogs, a road win would boost their NCAA resume and help erase the memory of last year’s defeat.

For the Yellow Jackets, it’s a chance to defend their home court and extend their historical series lead.

Georgia Tech is coming off a rebuilding year under coach Damon Stoudamire and will look to use the Challenge as a springboard for a return to ACC relevance.

"We’re excited for the opportunity to compete against a tough SEC opponent," Stoudamire said last year. "These are the kinds of games that show where you stand early in the season."

Mississippi State’s returning core, led by top scorer Josh Hubbard and veteran forward Tolu Smith, will need to be locked in.

Hubbard averaged 17.1 points per game as a freshman and was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team.

Smith, a fifth-year senior, has anchored the Bulldogs’ frontcourt for multiple seasons.

With a non-conference schedule stacked with NCAA Tournament teams and high-profile road tests, State’s path to March will be anything but easy.

"We embrace the challenge," Jans said. "It’s why you come to play in the SEC."