Full Court Press: Mississippi State Hoops through ten games
Where do the Bulldogs stand after the first ten games, and who has been impressive for the Maroon and White?
The Mississippi State men’s basketball program entered the 2018–19 basketball season with tons of hype. After years of mediocrity and disappointment, the program turned the corner in a big way towards the end of last season, getting wins over Texas A&M on the road, an Alabama team led by NBA lottery selection Collin Sexton, and two victories over a talented LSU squad.
State reached the postseason for the first time in a while, as the NIT selected Mississippi State to host Nebraska — a fringe NCAA Tournament bubble team — in the first-round. All that the Bulldogs did was knock off the Huskers at home, beat Baylor on the road in dramatic fashion, and then put a beatdown on Louisville in the Yum! Center. A loss to Penn State in Madison Square Garden hardly ruined any of the excitement that the basketball team generated.
With the core back for another run, combined with a talented recruiting class led by two top-50 players, expectations were high entering the season. Let’s check in on the Bulldogs after the first ten games of the schedule and see where things sit.
Best Win:
Cincinnati, 70–59.
Mississippi State was able to get a statement win this past weekend, knocking off a talented and physical Cincinnati team by double-digits inside The Hump — one of four wins over teams in the KenPom top-100 thus far this season. The Bearcats entered Saturday night on an eight-game winning streak, including a victory over arch-nemesis Xavier, following a loss to top-15 Ohio State to open the season. The Bulldogs, however, had plans to put that to an end.
State proved that they are capable of playing different styles of basketball — running up and down the court, or by grinding things out like the game on Saturday evening. Mick Cronin squads are well-known to be physical, wanting to slow the game down and to force their opponent to take difficult shots. The Bulldogs responded very well, moving the ball around and forcing the Cincy defense to have to defend multiple players on many possessions. Lamar Peters and Nick Weatherspoon found opportunities to push the tempo, the defense on the Bulldogs’ end was sound for the majority of the night, and the three-ball was dropping.
Cincinnati is a tournament-caliber team led by an impressive player in wing Jarron Cumberland. As college basketball insider Jon Rothstein mentioned on Saturday morning, the winner of this game would be waking up with a quadrant-one victory. That team happened to be Mississippi State.
MVP:
Lamar Peters.
It is simple: this team goes as Lamar Peters goes. The junior point guard is a highlight-reel waiting to happen with his deadly handle, impressive court vision, and smooth jumper. He brings a unique energy to the court that the rest of the team feeds off of. Peters is the engine that goes — when he is on, the opponent is in trouble.
Peters is able to play different roles depending on the game and the matchup. Need him to initiate the offense and be more of a passer to set up his teammates? He can do that — dishing out nine dimes versus Cincy. Need Peters to take over a game with his shot? The Louisiana native has proven that he can do that too — snatching the heart of the Clemson basketball team en route to dropping 28 points on 73% from behind the arc.
Number 2 is averaging 14.1 points per game, 6.0 assists, and 2.4 rebounds while shooting 42.9% from three-point land. Quinndary Weatherspoon is the leader and All-SEC performer, but this team will go as far as their talented point guard will take it.
Most Improved Player:
Aric Holman.
This is hard. One could argue that Peters could be the choice here, as his play early this season has been quite impressive; however we will go in a different direction.
The two that standout are senior forward Aric Holman and junior guard Tyson Carter. The former has continued to blossom into a rim protector and stretch-four, while the latter has the potential of getting hot on any given night.
Holman came off the bench in Mississippi State’s NIT run, prompting many to think Howland was preparing the 6-foot-10 big man for a reserve role this season. Holman, however, has been a big time player for the Bulldogs — averaging over ten points, eight boards, and two blocks per contest, all while shooting 35% from three.
While a lot of attention has been towards the backcourt, the Kentucky native has been a big player. If Holman can continue being a presence on the defensive end while being able to hit from deep consistently, this team becomes even more dangerous.
Biggest Addition:
Reggie Perry.
The five-star McDonald’s All-American and top player from the state of Georgia in the class of 2018 has made an immediate impact with the Maroon and White. The Bulldog legacy chose Mississippi State over a host of programs nationwide, and he is already turning into a formidable player for Ben Howland. Perry, a 6-foot-10 and 245-pound forward, has the ability to play down low or spread the floor beyond the perimeter — opening up lanes for Peters and the Weatherspoon brothers.
Perry is beginning to grow up while playing some big minutes for the Bulldogs. The Georgia native is averaging 7.3 PPG and 5.8 RPG while shooting over 53% from the floor. Perry gave the Bulldogs ten big first-half points against Cincinnati, his third game in double figures already this season.
Robert Woodard, the freshman out of Columbus, has been a welcomed addition as well.
Verdict:
This team has what it takes to not only make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009, but to make a run in The Dance. Point guard? Check. Backcourt? Check. Wings? Check? Stretch-four that can protect the rim? Check? Players that know — and excel — in their roles? Check.
You would be hard-pressed to find a better backcourt in the SEC than the one in Starkville. The trio of Lamar Peters and the two Weatherspoon brothers make life hard on opponents on both ends of the court. Peters is coming into his own on the defensive side, and Nick Weatherspoon is regarded as one of the better perimeter defenders in the conference. Add in Tyson Carter off of the bench, and you have a recipe for success. The saying is that guard play wins in March; that’s a good sign for Mississippi State.
In the frontcourt, things are a little bit more tricky. Aric Holman continues to play at a high level for Ben Howland. Abdul Ado, who suffered an ankle injury in the five-point defeat to Arizona State in Las Vegas, has had his troubles in the early stages of this season. The big man can still be a reliable player defensively, but has lacked some offensive skill. Fortunately, the freshmen Perry and Woodard have both been big boosts off of the bench. Don’t be surprised if Perry makes a push to be in the starting lineup — especially in games where State would be better off playing small-ball.
All-in-all, Mississippi State has a team that is capable of at least challenging for a conference title. Tennessee looks to be the best team in the SEC as of December, and the Bulldogs don’t get a chance to host the Vols. The Bulldogs, though, will have home games against Kentucky, Auburn, and LSU that will be key in the SEC race. With wins over three teams in the KenPom top-53 — and games versus two more top-75 opponents in Wofford and BYU — the Bulldogs should be well-prepared for the SEC slate.
