Despite its under .500 record, Mississippi State can still be a dangerous matchup on any given night. That's because of star guard Josh Hubbard, who is one of the leading scorers in the SEC at 22 points per game.
Hubbard has the tendency to shoot the Bulldogs out of a few games, as he did during Saturday's loss to South Carolina. He went just 4-of-20 from the field in State's eight-point loss. But he's just as liable to pop off for a monster night.
A week ago, Hubbard dropped 46 points on Auburn, which included 35 first-half points as the Bulldogs took down the Tigers.
This will be the second time Alabama has faced Hubbard this year. In Starkville last month, the Crimson Tide pulled out a 15-point win, but Hubbard still managed to score 23 points. Hubbard dropped 38 points in Tuscaloosa a year ago and nearly led Mississippi State to a shocking road upset.
Oats will be looking to do what he can to make life difficult on Hubbard, and that includes the apparent use of a little-used transfer guard.
Both on his radio show on Monday night and during his press conference on Tuesday, Oats praised sophomore Jalil Bethea for his positive attitude despite his struggles to get on the court, and mentioned Bethea as a prime candidate to match up with Hubbard.
“His attitude has been great," Oats said of Beteha. ..."He missed so many reps in the offseason, he’s getting better, he’s playing super hard, he needs to stay locked in on the scouting report so he’s not making mistakes defensively… I think he can help us make a run in March.”
Oats went on to mention that he thought Bethea would be a "great matchup" for Hubbard:
Nate Oats thinks that Jalil Bethea could be a "great matchup" for Josh Hubbard and noted that he has the size and length to guard him.
— Emilee Smarr (@emilee_smarr) February 24, 2026
Definitely expecting more minutes for Bethea tomorrow with how Oats is talking today.@tuscaloosanews
Nate Oats thinks Jalil Bethea could be a 'great matchup' against Josh Hubbard
This feels like Oats issuing a challenge to Bethea; one final shot for the Miami (FL) transfer to earn a spot in the rotation before March Madness.
Bethea is an incredibly skilled player, but his defensive lapses have made it difficult to justify many minutes for him.
Bethea is athletic enough to stick with Hubbard, and Oats clearly believes putting length on him defensively can cause him to struggle. Hubbard is a bucket, but he's only 6-foot-0. Bethea is 6-foot-5 with a big wingspan and should be able to contest shots even if he isn't well-positioned.
With Labaron Philon's status up in the air, Alabama may be forced to rely on Bethea for a bigger role than normal.
It'll be a spotlight game for the sophomore. Oats will have him under the microscope in hopes that he can finally deliver on preseason promise and carve out a role.