The 16th-ranked Kentucky men (16-7, 6-3) begin their final weekend of regular-season play Friday when the Cats welcome Mississippi State to Lexington. The match is set for 5 p.m. EDT at UK?s Boone Tennis Complex.

The Cats enter this weekend?s competition in a three-way tie for first with Florida and Georgia for the SEC East lead. Victories Friday over Mississippi State and Sunday against Ole Miss would give Kentucky a share of the SEC regular-season title.

Mississippi State features one of the SEC?s top singles players in Romain Ambert, who figures to battle UK?s Jesse Witten, the ITA?s eighth-ranked student-athlete, Friday at No. 1 singles. Kentucky defeated Mississippi State by a 4-3 count a year ago in Starkville, Miss.