Alabama hosts Mississippi State

After consecutive SEC losses to Vanderbilt, Arkansas and Tennessee, it doesn’t get easier for Alabama today when Mississippi State visits Coleman Coliseum for an 11 a.m. tipoff on CBS.

The No. 23 Bulldogs (15-3, 3-0 SEC) have been off since they edged Georgia last Saturday. Alabama (11-7, 1-3 SEC) is 1-3 against ranked opponents this season, with a victory over Michigan and losses to Purdue, Kansas State and Tennessee.

Alabama coach Anthony Grant noted that conference teams have seen enough of the Crimson Tide to put pressure on their first and second options.

In Tennessee’s 63-56 victory, the Vols made a point to force Mikhail Torrance to give the ball up. Torrance was held to just three points — 13 below his team-leading average.

“We really just wanted to send him to the left and keep the ball out of his strong hand,” UT guard Scotty Hopson said. “He’s really the life of their offense. He gets them going, so I knew that it was important to get him out of his rhythm.”

As a result, Alabama will likely be forced to look elsewhere, Grant said.

The coach repeated the phrase he used to describe his team at the outset of the season — “undersized and underskilled.”

“We’ve got to continue to develop our team individually and collectively to go out there and make some plays,” the coach said.

Tony Mitchell, looking recovered after missing several games over the holidays with mononucleosis, injected energy and athleticism against the Vols. Chris Hines came off the bench and played well in 14 minutes.

But guards Senario Hillman and Anthony Brock struggled from the perimeter, as did Justin Knox inside. Three-point shooter Charvez Davis has shown flashes of production, but has been inconsistent.

JaMychal Green is the Tide’s most consistent player — if he stays out of the foul trouble.

Green will likely have his hands full today against Mississippi State’s Jarvis Varnado, who averages 14.1 points, 11.2 rebounds and 5.3 blocks per game. Varnado needs just 45 more blocked shots to become the NCAA’s all-time leader.

State also boasts the SEC’s top 3-point shooting team, led by Ravern Johnson, who is hitting almost half his attempts. Point guard Dee Bost directs the Bulldogs’ attack.

The Bulldogs lead the SEC in scoring defense and in field goal percentage defense. Teams are shooting just 36 percent against them.

Grant sounded a lot like a certain football coach when talking about his team.

“I understand what it takes to win in the SEC. The thing I tell our guys, this is a process — not something that will happen immediately,” Grant said. “We have to learn how to win. We have to learn how to prepare to win.”

Alabama will next wrap up its three-game homestand on Wednesday night against LSU at 7 p.m.