STARKVILLE, Miss. (Interstat) — A surging Vanderbilt squad aims to steady itself against a struggling Mississippi State team in a Southeastern Conference men’s basketball matchup Saturday at Humphrey Coliseum.

The No. 15-ranked Commodores (16-3, 4-2 SEC) travel to face the Bulldogs (8-9, 1-5) in a 7:30 p.m. EST tip-off. Vanderbilt brings a strong overall record but seeks to halt a three-game skid following consecutive road losses at Texas and Arkansas and a narrow home defeat to Florida.

Mississippi State has lost four of its last five, including a 20-point defeat at Texas A&M on Wednesday. The Bulldogs’ lone conference win came in a thrilling overtime victory at Texas on Jan. 3.

Vanderbilt’s success this season has been fueled by standout guard Tyler Tanner. The sophomore is averaging 21.4 points and 7.1 assists over his last seven games, including a 29-point, 7-assist performance in a win over Alabama and a 19-point, 14-assist outing at South Carolina. Despite the team’s recent losses, Tanner has remained productive, scoring 20 points against Florida and 17 at Texas.

For Mississippi State, freshman guard King Grace has seen fluctuating minutes. He provided a bright spot with 13 points in 21 minutes off the bench at Texas A&M but played only seven minutes in the prior game against Alabama. The Bulldogs will need more consistent production as they face a Vanderbilt defense allowing just 71.2 points per game.

In their last outing, Vanderbilt fell 93-68 at Arkansas. Tanner had 11 points and six assists, while Tyler Nickel led the Commodores with 17 points. Mississippi State, in its loss to the Aggies, was led by Brandon Walker’s 16 points. Josh Hubbard added 12, and Grace contributed 13.

The Bulldogs will look to leverage their home court, where they are 6-3 this season. Vanderbilt, however, has proven capable on the road with wins at South Carolina, Memphis, and Wake Forest.

This game opens a critical stretch for both teams. Vanderbilt faces a quick turnaround with Kentucky visiting next Tuesday. Mississippi State begins a two-game road trip at LSU next Wednesday.