Mississippi State vs Utah Picks & Prediction for Saturday, December 13, 2025

By: Kim Smith Published 12/13/2025, 02:30 AM ET
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Mississippi State visits Utah in a fascinating late-night matchup where altitude, shot-making, and defensive execution all come into play—exactly the kind of game sharp bettors look at when sorting through free college basketball picks on a packed Saturday board. Both teams can score, but the details of how they do it are quite different.

Mississippi State Bulldogs Preview

Mississippi State sits at 4–5, but they’ve played a rugged schedule and are better than their record suggests. The offense revolves around star guard Josh Hubbard, who averages 21.2 points per game on 43% shooting. He’s a three-level scorer who can pull up from deep, finish through contact, and get to the foul line with regularity, and when he gets rolling, the Bulldogs’ offense flows. As a team, they score 78.3 points per game and rebound fairly well at 44 boards per contest, giving them second-chance scoring opportunities to supplement Hubbard’s offense.

The problem lies on the other side of the floor. Mississippi State concedes 78.6 points per game and has had trouble containing penetrating guards and stretch forwards. Close games against New Mexico and SMU exposed defensive rotations that sometimes drift or over-help, leading to open threes. On the road at altitude against a Utah team that is comfortable in its building and efficient on offense, those lapses become even more dangerous. If the Bulldogs don’t tighten their on-ball defense and defensive glass work, they’re going to be chasing this game.

Utah Utes Preview

Utah enters at 7–3 and is quietly putting together a strong resume. The Utes score 81.4 points per game, led by dynamic scorer T. Brown at 21.6 points per game on 45.7% shooting. Brown’s ability to create off the dribble and manipulate ball screens makes Utah tough to guard in the half court. The Utes rebound well (46 per game), move the ball, and have enough shooting to punish teams that pack the paint to deal with Brown and their bigs.

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Defensively, Utah is not elite statistically—allowing 78.7 points per game—but their home splits are far better than the overall numbers indicate. At the Delta Center, they’re comfortable pushing tempo in spurts, but they can also slow things down and grind, especially if they sense an opponent is wearing out. They’re also opportunistic defensively, doing just enough in the passing lanes and off the ball to turn mistakes into points going the other way. Against Mississippi State, Utah’s ability to throw multiple bodies at Hubbard while still contesting other shooters will be key.

Mississippi State vs Utah Prediction

Mississippi State has the star power to hang in this game and maybe even control parts of it, especially if Hubbard starts hot. But over 40 minutes in Salt Lake City, Utah’s depth, rebounding, and home-court advantage feel decisive. The Utes are more balanced, less reliant on one scorer, and better suited to exploit Mississippi State’s defensive inconsistency. Expect a competitive first half, with Utah gradually pulling away in the second as they win the glass and get more efficient looks. The best sportsbooks are the best way to go when you are betting on Mississippi State. Make sure you know about how the fans are looking on prediction markets for Utah with the Onyx Odds promo code. Getting the most out of your bets on Mississippi State vs Utah can be done by using the Fanatics Sportsbook promo code.

Final Score Prediction: Utah 83, Mississippi State 76

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