Mississippi State is off to its best start in eight seasons and could look even better in its first true road game.
The 17th-ranked Bulldogs should have two key players back as they try to stretch their win streak to 10 games Saturday against Detroit.
Mississippi State (10-1) will play its first game away from home since beating then-No. 15 Texas A&M and then-No. 19 Arizona in New York in November at the 2K Sports Classic. The Bulldogs went 4-5 on the road last season.
"This will be a good test for us," leading scorer Dee Bost told the Bulldogs' official website. "It will be a tough environment. We have to be ready and focused."
The Bulldogs played without starters Brian Bryant and Arnett Moultrie in Tuesday's 75-68 victory over Florida Atlantic. Bryant served the last of a three-game suspension while Moultrie, the SEC's top rebounder with 11.3 per game, was out with knee tendinitis.
Bost helped Mississippi State overcome those absences with 22 points.
"Somebody had to step up and we were without our two main guys," Bost said.
While Bryant is sure to return, there is a strong possibility that Moultrie could play as well. Moultrie averages 17.1 points for the team's second-highest mark behind Bost's 18.5.
While Mississippi State avenged a surprise loss last season to Florida Atlantic in its last game, the Bulldogs are wary of Detroit (5-7) after these teams also met in 2010-11. Bost and starting forward Renardo Sidney were suspended for that 82-76 home win over the Titans.
Detroit returns four players who started in that game. That includes Eli Holman, who has returned from suspension to play the last two contests.
The Titans are playing an SEC foe for the second straight time after falling 62-54 at then-No. 16 Alabama on Sunday.
"They are coming off an eight-point loss at Alabama, and we all know that's not an easy place to play," Bulldogs coach Rick Stansbury said. "And for the first time this year, they have everybody back and healthy. It's going to be a tough test for us."
Mississippi State has held its first 11 opponents to 68 points or less for the first time since 1947-48.
Detroit, meanwhile, allowed Alabama to shoot 48.0 percent and owns the fourth-worst defensive field-goal percentage in the Horizon League at 43.4.
"I mean defense is who we are, and defense is what we stand for," Holman said. "If we can defend, then I believe we can beat anybody in the country."
The Titans are the Horizon's worst 3-point shooting team at 27.5 percent after missing all 12 attempts Sunday. They fell behind by 16 points at halftime and never recovered.
"It took us a while to settle down and find a rhythm," coach Ray McCallum said. "But I think they had a lot to do with that with their length and their ability to speed you up. We got caught up playing their game."
Detroit's three starting guards - Chase Simon, Ray McCallum, Jr. and Jason Calliste - combined for 53 points last season against Mississippi State.
