Mississippi State hopes a new year will yield a reversal of fortune to the way 2012 ended.

The Bulldogs will try to bounce back from a deflating loss to Alabama A&M last week by hosting New Orleans tonight at 6 p.m.

MSU squandered a 15-point lead against A&M on Sunday afternoon and watched the visiting Bulldogs leave with a 59-57 win inside Humphrey Coliseum, State's only home loss this season. It was their first loss to a SWAC opponent since 1979.

The Bulldogs are 7-1 against New Orleans with the Privateers only win coming in overtime 65-60 in the 1990 NIT. Mississippi State won the last meeting on Dec. 26, 2006 in Jackson 89-63.

Rick Ray's squad is 4-7 on the season and tonight will mark the final non-conference outing of the regular season for the Bulldogs. MSU is hoping to avoid eight losses on their non-conference slate since joining the Southeastern Conference in the 1932-33 season.



...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now for a FREE Trial