Preview: Mississippi State at South Carolina COLUMBIA, S.C. (Interstat) — Two men’s basketball teams seeking momentum for the stretch run will meet Saturday when the Mississippi State Bulldogs visit the South Carolina Gamecocks in a Southeastern Conference matchup. The game at Colonial Life Arena will feature teams with identical struggles this season. Mississippi State (11-13) and South Carolina (11-15) have both found wins difficult to secure in a rugged SEC schedule. The Bulldogs, however, enter with a measure of confidence after a 91-85 home victory over Auburn on Wednesday. That win snapped a two-game skid and was powered by a spectacular performance from sophomore guard Josh Hubbard, who poured in 46 points. Hubbard has been one of the conference’s most dynamic scorers. Over his last five games, he is averaging 31.2 points, including a 32-point effort in a win at Mississippi on Feb. 14. Containing him will be the primary focus for the Gamecocks’ defense. South Carolina arrives home mired in a six-game losing streak, most recently a 76-62 defeat at Florida on Tuesday. The Gamecocks have lost nine of their last ten contests. Senior guard Meechie Johnson has been a bright spot during the difficult stretch, averaging 21.7 points over his last seven games. He scored a season-high 35 points in a close loss at Texas on Feb. 3 and had 22 in the loss to Florida. The matchup pits two of the league’s premier guards against one another, with Hubbard’s explosive scoring facing Johnson’s all-around playmaking. The team that can get a complementary performance from its supporting cast may find a crucial conference win. Mississippi State won the season’s first meeting, 74-68, in Starkville on Jan. 3. Saturday’s rematch in Columbia is scheduled for a 6 p.m. Eastern tipoff.