Mark Stoops hopes minor changes make big difference at Mississippi State

Chris Rodriguez and the Cats need explosive plays against Mississippi State's defense that were missing at Georgia. (UK Athletics Photo)

Kentucky has not won at Mississippi State since 2008 and coach Mark Stoops has yet to win a game in Starkville. He hopes that changes tonight when the Cats play Mississippi State (7 p.m. on the SEC Network).

He took his team to a movie Friday night — a movie that will not be released to the public for two or three more weeks. The team also spent the night in Starkville rather than staying 90 minutes outside of Starkville like the Cats have in the past.

“Just changing things up a tad,” Stoops said.

What Stoops won’t do is make any drastic changes in the game plan today after spending two weeks putting it together.

“You have to let it go at this point,” Stoops said Thursday. “You don’t want to be counterproductive. It’s about what your players know and can execute. You have to let the dust settle at this point.

“I talked to them about not playing tight. We are going to play aggressively.”

Stoops says mental focus is more important than ever for this game.

“We need to go with a purpose about us. They don’t give away SEC road victories,” Stoops said. “To me, it is about our mentality and the way we play. Any time you go on the road to play an SEC game it is a different mentality. We have got to have a purpose and have an attitude about us because it is not easy.”