STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State men’s basketball opens its 2026-27 season Monday night in Starkville, Miss., hosting Tennessee Tech at Humphrey Coliseum with tipoff set for 6:30 p.m. Central.
It is the start of a three-game homestand for the Bulldogs, who play their first three games of the year in the Hump. Monday also marks only the fifth time the two programs have met. Tennessee Tech, based in Cookeville, Tenn., is in the Southern Conference and is making the trip to open its own schedule.
Coach Chris Jans and his staff have a clear target for the winter. A trip to the NCAA Tournament this season would give State four bids in a five-year stretch, something the program has managed only twice before in its history.
Much of that hope rides on Josh Hubbard. The guard comes into the season with 1,947 career points, fourth-most in program history and fourth-most among SEC players through their junior year. He already owns the school record for three-pointers with 311, a total that is tied for ninth on the league’s career list.
The Bulldogs need a reset after last winter. Mississippi State finished 13-19 in 2025-26 and could only split its home games, going 8-8 in Starkville. Scoring was not the main problem: the team put up 77.6 points a night, hit 45.0% of its shots from the floor and made 32.4% of its tries from three-point range.
The visitors arrive with a similar record and a rough road history. Tennessee Tech went 13-18 a season ago and won just five of its 17 games away from home, finishing 5-12 on the road. Its defense gave up 74.5 points per game, while the Golden Eagles shot 43.9% from the field.
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