Mississippi State Basketball Season Preview 2024-25: Biggest games, key players to watch and more

The Mississippi State Bulldogs made it through the 2024 NCAA Tournament despite having a combined 21-13 record in the SEC regular season and the subsequent tournament. However, the No. 8 Bulldogs were eliminated by Michigan State in the first round of the West Regional.

Third-year coach Chris Jans assembled a competitive roster for the 2024-25 college basketball season, intending to surpass last year's performance.

Here's a closer look into Mississippi State's upcoming campaign, from its biggest games to key players to watch out for.

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Mississippi State's biggest games of 2024-25 season

Mississippi State is set for a challenging non-conference schedule, starting with their visit to Dallas, Texas on Nov. 22 to meet SMU. It is part of the home-and-home series between the two teams with the Bulldogs hosting the Mustangs next season at the Humphrey Coliseum.

Their West Coast swing continues with the Arizona Tip-off in Tempe from Nov. 28-29. They will face UNLV on Nov. 28 before taking on either Butler or Northwestern the following day.

Mississippi State will be back at Starkville on Dec. 4 to host an ACC-SEC Challenge matchup against Pittsburgh. It will be the third meeting of the Bulldogs and the Panthers with both teams splitting their previous matchups.

They'll visit McNeese on Dec. 14 as part of the Magnolia Madness event and conclude their non-conference slate with Memphis on Dec. 21.

Mississippi State begins its regular season journey against its conference mates on Jan. 4 with a home game against South Carolina. The Bulldogs have a return game at the Gamecocks' court on Jan. 25.

Aside from South Carolina, Mississippi State plays Ole Miss and Alabama in home and away games while it will host Kentucky, Missouri, Florida, LSU and Texas. The Bulldogs will also visit Vanderbilt, Auburn, Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia and Oklahoma.

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Top Mississippi State players to watch out for in 2024-25 season

#1. Josh Hubbard

Josh Hubbard (Image Source: IMAGN)

Josh Hubbard returns after having an excellent freshman season with Mississippi State. The 5-foot-10 guard was the Bulldogs' top producer, tallying 17.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.

Hubbard shot 38.5% from the field, including 35.5% in 3-pointers. He also made 85.3% of his free throw attempts last year.

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#2. Cameron Matthews

Cameron Matthews (Image Source: IMAGN)

Cameron Matthews is coming off a career season with Mississippi State, where he played and started 35 games, averaging 9.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.9 apg and 2.9 spg. The 6-7 forward shot a sizzling 62.4% from the field to cover up for his pedestrian 55.5% free throw shooting percentage.

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#3. Claudell Harris Jr.

Claudell Harris Jr (Image Source: IMAGN)

Claudell Harris Jr. is an excellent pickup from the transfer portal. The 6-foot-3 incoming senior averaged double-figures in his first three seasons with Charleston Southern and Boston College.

Harris is a great 3-point shooter that should free up the passing lanes for Mississippi State. Last season, he buried 2.5 3-pointers each game and shot 37.0% from long range.

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Mississippi State's 2024-25 season preview

Mississippi State will have two of its top three scorers back in the lineup for another crack at a possible NCAA Tournament appearance. Chris Jans also added a 3-point sniper in Claudell Harris Jr., who will likely help free up the inside lane for Josh Hubbard and Cameron Matthews to operate.

The Bulldogs have a tough slate this season with all SEC teams strengthening their lineups. Expect Mississippi State to win at least 20 games this season and hope the selectors will give them another ticket to the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

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Will Mississippi State make the NCAA Tournament despite the tough competition from its SEC foes? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.