Paul Jones offers a preview of today's game. The Bulldogs (16-6 overall, 4-3 SEC) look to regain their shooting touch today when they visit Florida (16-6, 5-3). Tipoff is set for 12:30 p.m. on the SEC Network (WCBI).

Click here for a link to Paul's story.

One of the best guys and hardest workers in the sports writing business Adam Gore provides the Know Your Foe. Check out Adam at Goresports.net for sports coverage all over NEMS. Click here to visit.

We'll be back with a game blog later. Here is the Know Your Foe ...

Know Your Foe: Florida Gators

Adam Gore/GoreSports.net

The Florida Gators (16-6, 5-3) rebounded from their heartbreaking 61-60 loss to No. 14 Tennessee with a 66-65 win over Alabama (13-9, 3-5) on Thursday.

Florida led 64-60 with under two minutes left in the contest when Anthony Brock, former ICC Indian, completed a three-point play the old fashion way to pull the Tide within one-point before taking a 65-64 lead on a Mikhali Torrance jumper with 45 seconds left in the game. 

Kenny Boyton grabbed a rebound after a Erving Walker miss and took a quick timeout to save the possession for the Gators.  Walker made the best of his second opportunity by nailing a jumper to retake the lead 66-65 in the final seconds of the game. Bama missed a lay-up and committed a turnover on their final possession of the game allowing Florida to come away with the victory.

Walker scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half while Alex Tyus led the Gators with 19 points and 7 rebounds. Boyton finished with 15 points and 6 rebounds.

Tyus has scored in double figures in 12 straight games. Tyus led Florida in scoring with 23 points in an 87-71 win over Georgia and scored a team-high 18 points against Tennessee. 

Much like the Bulldogs, Walker has cooled down from his red-hot shooting performance from 3-point range hitting on 23 for his previous 37 from beyond the arc. He went just 1-for-6 against Tennessee but showed improvement going 2-for-4 against Bama.

The Bulldogs picked up a crucial 80-71 win over Florida last season to spark an strong close to the season. State went on a 7-0 run to close the first half with a 42-33 lead and would never lose that lead throughout the second half. Ravern Johnson scored 15 points, Jarvis Varnado had 13 and eight rebounds, and Barry Stewart added 12 points. Current Gators Alex Tyus had 16 points and Dan Werner chipped in 10 points for the Gators.

TV: SEC Network, 1:30 p.m. WCBI locally

Radio: MSU Network, XM Radio 200

Last time: MSU 80-71, March 4, 2009

Coaches: MSU: Rick Stansbury (247-134,12th season)

Notes: The Gators are 10-1 when center Vernon Macklin scores in double figures, the lone loss coming last week when Macklin was held to seven points vs. Tennessee… 6-10 sophomore center Kenny Kadji remains out indefinitely with a herniated disc in his lower back…

Varnadao Tracker: Varnado blocked 9 shots (509 career blocks) against Vandy pulling him 26 away from tying the career shot block record currently held by Wojciech Mydra (Louisiana-Monroe 98-02) with 535 career blocks... He also grabbed 14 rebounds to pass Wiley Peck (1976-79) as the third all-time rebounder in MSU history with 974 career rebounds… Rickey Brown (1977-80) is second with 1,092 boards with Bailey Howell (1957-59) leads the pack with 1,277 career rebounds.

Stewart Tracker: Stewart hit a pair of three-pointers in the Vandy game to have 244 career 3-pointers made, 14 behind Darryl Wilson’s (1994-96) mark of 258. He currently holds the record for most three’s attempted in a career with 676 attempts.

Probable Starters:

Mississippi State (16-6, 4-3 SEC)

G - Dee Bost - So. - 6-2 - 11.5 points, 4.6 rebs, 5.2 assist, 71.1% FT

G - Ravern Johnson - Jr. - 6-7 - 13.7 points, 3.5 rebs, 0.6 assist, 58.6% FT

G - Barry Stewart - Sr. - 6-3 - 11.3 points, 2.9 rebs, 2.2 assist, 67.3% FT

F - Kodi Augustus - Jr. - 6-8 - 9.2 points, 5.8 rebs, 0.8 assist, 78.3% FT

F - Jarvis Varnado, Sr. - 6-9 - 13.4 points, 11.2 rebs, 5.2 blocks, 63.4% FT



Top Reserves:

G - Phil Turner - Jr. - 6-3 - 6.2 points, 4.9 rebs, 1.4 assist, 80.3% FT

F - Romero Osby - So. - 6-8 - 4.9 points, 3.0 rebs, 0.6 assist, 63.0% FT

G - Riley Benock - Jr. - 6-4 - 1.8 points, 0.8 rebs, 0.8 assist, none attempted

Probable Starters:

Florida (16-6, 5-3 SEC)

G - Erving Walker - So. - 5-8 - 13.2 points, 3.2 rebs, 5.2 assist, 81.3% FT

G - Kenny Boynton - Fr. - 6-2 - 14.5 points, 3.2 rebs, 3.1 assist, 74.6% FT

F - Alex Tyus - Jr. - 6-8 - 13.0 points, 6.9 rebs, 0.4 assist, 72.9% FT

F - Chandler Parsons - Jr. - 6-9 - 10.6 points, 6.5 rebs, 2.1 assist, 64.4% FT

C - Vernon Macklin - Jr. 6-10 - 9.6 points, 5.1 rebs, 0.9 blocks, 61.9% FT



Top Reserves:



F - Dan Werner - Sr. - 6-8 - 5.2 points, 4.3 rebs, 2.1 assist, 75.0% FT

G - Ray Shipman - So. - 6-5 - 2.6 points, 1.8 rebs, 0.4 assist, 52.9% FT

F - Erik Murphy - Fr. - 6-9 - 3.4 points, 2.6 rebs, 0.3 assist, 80.0% FT

Thanks for joining us,

Todd