STARKVILLE, Miss. (Interstat) — A surging Arkansas team looks to rebound from a tough loss when it visits struggling Mississippi State in a Southeastern Conference men’s basketball matchup Saturday at Humphrey Coliseum.

The Razorbacks (16-6) enter having won five of their last seven, but are coming off an 85-77 home loss to Kentucky last Saturday. Arkansas’s success has been fueled by the dynamic play of guard Darius Acuff Jr., who is averaging 21.1 points and 6.1 assists over his last seven games. He dropped 31 points in a win over LSU on Jan. 24 and followed with a 22-point effort against the Wildcats.

Mississippi State (9-11) seeks to halt a prolonged slide, having lost seven of its last eight games. The Bulldogs fell 84-79 at Missouri last Saturday despite 22 points from leading scorer Josh Hubbard. The guard has been a bright spot, averaging 16.4 points in conference play, but the Bulldogs have struggled defensively, allowing 84.5 points per game during their 1-7 stretch.

The contrast in momentum is stark. Arkansas boasts a potent offense that has scored 85 or more points in four of its last five wins. Alongside Acuff, forwards Trevon Brazile and Billy Richmond provide consistent secondary scoring, as each netted 16 and 14 points, respectively, in the Kentucky loss.

Mississippi State’s path to an upset likely requires a standout performance from Hubbard and improved production from its frontcourt to match Arkansas’s athleticism. The Bulldogs’ lone SEC win in this skid was an 80-66 victory at LSU on Jan. 28.

Saturday’s contest is the only scheduled meeting between the teams this season. Arkansas visits LSU next Tuesday, while Mississippi State hosts Tennessee on Wednesday.