MSU to test home winning streak against No. 3 Florida

The Nitty Gritty:

What's happening?

Florida is playing Mississippi State in a game of intercollegiate basketball in Starkville, MS.

When is this happening?

This Thursday night at 6 p.m. CST.

How can this event be watched?

The game will be broadcast on ESPN2 and online at watchespn.com. Reece Davis and Bobby Knight will be describing the action for the audience.

I don't believe in basketball until after the Saints are out of the playoffs, so I need to get caught up. Is Florida any good?

Yes. Billy Donovan, now in his 45th (approximate figure) year at the helm, has his Gators ranked No. 3 in the country as they ride an 11-game winning streak. Most recently, the Gators trounced Tennessee 67-41, holding the Vols 33 points below their season average. The Gators have only lost two games, to Wisconsin and UCONN, respectively. They have also defeated Kansas and Memphis, two teams that are pretty good at the roundball. Aside from two matchups with Kentucky, there are not many teams that will stop Florida from cruising straight through the SEC. Although the scores have been close in their road games, the Gators are sitting pretty at 6-0 in conference play. This is easily the best team that will visit Humphrey Coliseum this year. Watch them, enjoy them, and hell, maybe something crazy will happen.

But what has Mississippi State been up to?

Well, Rick Ray exchanged some pleasantries with Marshall Henderson that led to an Instagram screenshot apology (the athletic department DOES pride itself on being social media savvy). Aside from the bad loss last weekend in Oxford, the Bulldogs are doing alright, having already eclipsed and moved beyond last season's win total. The good news for Thursday's game is that the Bulldogs are 3-0 at home in conference play. The downside of that is they are 0-3 on the road in conference play. Commentary from Starkville indicates the Hump is starting to revive some of the old atmosphere that made it such a tough place to play during the peak of the Rick Stansbury years. We at FWtCT do have an alternate theory on why the Bullds are 3-0 at home in SEC play ...

Is the Maroon Memories app the new MSU good luck charm?

It's certainly possible. The Bulldogs have not lost a home game since the app, which allows fans to purchase upgrades and other 'memories', was introduced before the start of the home SEC slate. It may not be a coincidence that the Bulldogs are 3-0 since the app was introduced. Preliminary investigations indicate, unfortunately, that fans cannot purchase a picnic in Humphrey Coliseum with the Stansbury family.

I don't want to buy a $4 hotdog for dinner at the game. Where should I eat?

Venture out a little bit and try one of Starkville's new Thai or Indian restaurants. Thai Siam is located on Highway 182, as is Bombay Spice Kitchen. Curry is a fantastic cold-weather dish, and it's nice to see Starkville branch out beyond the usual fare. So go support one of these local businesses instead of handing Aramark a few more dollars for a humpdog. You'll be glad you did.