Texas A&M has the Bulldogs right where it wants them -- on Mississippi State's home court. The host has dropped three in a row outright in friendly confines, an oddity given that it has taken three straight on the road. The Aggies have torn through their last five foes. Their No. 8 ranking is rooted in stellar defense, and the offense can make hay against an opponent that has yielded nearly 80 ppg in the past 10 games. Missy State has failed to cover in five consecutive home dates yet is giving points here. The line has dropped a point but remains attractive, especially at +102.

Chris Jans was happy with how Mississippi State tightened up defensively in a rivalry win over the weekend against Ole Miss but against Texas A&M I think the Bulldogs are going to some offense they just haven't shown in SEC play. We know Josh Hubbard and Claudell Harris are capable three-point shooters, but as a team Mississippi State ranks last in the SEC with 28.5% three-point shooting in conference play. I see a lot of missed shots in this game for both teams, so there's an edge for the best rebounding team in the SEC (Texas A&M) and fading a Mississippi State squad that is 1-5 against the spread and 2-4 straight at home in SEC play.