Kentucky vs Mississippi State Basketball 2015: Live Radio Broadcast, Preview: Wildcats' Countdown at 4
ByThe Mississippi State Bulldogs do not appear likely to stop the Kentucky Wildcats (1) from staying unbeaten, but on their home court they will feel like they are playing for something more.
Mississippi State is 5-9 in the SEC and 12-15 overall as they host Kentucky (27-0) Wednesday night. With just four more games to play, the Wildcats could complete the first perfect regular season in school history.
CLICK HERE to listen to the game live via TuneIn. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET in Starkville, Miss.
Kentucky knows that all their opponents from here on out will be playing them like it is the NCAA Tournament, and that intensity will only increase in the postseason. But they still have been able to play smothering defense with an unselfish and highly athletic, physical offense on the other end of the court.
Coach John Calipari's offensive approach has garnered a lot of attention for how he manages to get shots for all his players. His two leading scorers are each averaging 11 points per game, followed by two with around nine and three more with at least seven.
"Wait a minute, why aren't they playing for themselves? They are playing for each other," Calipari said in a press conference ahead of the game, according to ESPN. "They all got each other's back, and the reason they can do that is because they know we have their back individually. I got you; just be about each other. And it's been fun."
Kentucky visited Starkville last season and won 69-59 and they have beaten Mississippi State seven times in a row.
"Kentucky is obviously a daunting task," Bulldogs coach Rick Ray said ahead of the contest. "I look at some of their defensive statistics and they are really elite in that regard. In order for us to have any kind of success against a team like Kentucky or anybody in the SEC, we've got to secure the basketball."