Dogs Back Home Against Vols Looking For First SEC Win
January 15, 2016 | Men's Basketball
Matt Stewart and John Pelphrey will provide the SEC Network broadcast commentary, while Jim Ellis and Richard Williams will have the call on the MSU Radio Network.
It will be a special day at the Hump, as all former players will be recognized prior to tip, while the 1991 SEC Championship team will be honored at the half.
“Coach (Richard) Williams and I have talked about the team on numerous occasions, and I know how special these guys are to him,” MSU coach Ben Howland said. “It was their first championship team since 1963, and it's the one that got the program turned around to where NCAA Tournament bids were common.”
In the Bulldogs' last outing, Craig Sword led Mississippi State (7-8, 0-3) with 20 points in an 80-74 setback at No. 13 Kentucky. Malik Newman and Gavin Ware added 14 and 11 points, respectively. Ware, who is shooting a league-best .650, has eclipsed the double-digit scoring mark in 15-straight games, the most since Tony Watts scored 10+ in 28 straight games in 1992-93.
The Volunteers (8-8, 1-3) lead the all-time series 79-42. Mississippi State won last year's meeting 71-66 in Knoxville. Tennessee is in search of its first road win of the season, while Mississippi State's lone two losses at home have been decided by a combined five points.
First-year head coach Rick Barnes is 3-0 all-time against Mississippi State and holds a 3-1 coaching record against MSU's Ben Howland. Howland has faced Tennessee just once, a 76-50 loss in his first season with Pittsburgh in 1999.
Kevin Punter and Detrick Mostella paced the Volunteers in their last game with 16 points each in an 81-72 loss at Georgia. Punter ranks second in the SEC and 11th nationally with 22.4 points per game. Armani Moore leads Tennessee with 7.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.
Following Saturday's matchup, the Bulldogs return to the road for a 6 p.m. Tuesday tip against Florida.
Saturday's Promotions
-FREE Bully's Kidz Kourt opens at 1 p.m. in Mize practice gym
-FREE pizza for MSU students with valid ID while supplies last
-Halftime: Campus Bookstore FREE semester of books giveaway (Tic Tac Toe Basketball)
