Gameday: Five Things to Know about MSU-Mississippi Valley State

Monday, December 21

Starkville

7:00 PM

Mississippi State

Mississippi Valley State

Gameday: Five Things to Know about MSU-Mississippi Valley State

December 20, 2020 | Men's Basketball

WATCH: SEC Network Game Notes (PDF)LISTEN: Hail State Plus Live Stats Gameday Info

by Matt Dunaway, Associate Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State concludes the December portion of its non-conference schedule when the Bulldogs face off with Mississippi Valley State on Monday at Humphrey Coliseum.

Mississippi State (4-3) possesses the SEC's longest active home winning streak at 12 consecutive games dating back to 01/04/2020. The 12-game streak for the Bulldogs also sits tied for third among Power 5 schools with Kansas and Louisville. Only Oregon and Wisconsin have longer home winning streaks at 26 and 14 games, respectively, in the Power 5.

State has won all four of its home games to begin the 2020-21 season by an average 15.5 points per game. The Bulldogs have amassed a 71-19 home record and garnered wins during 41 of their 45 non-conference games under sixth-year coach Ben Howland.

Last time out, Jalen Johnson delivered a spark with a season's best 15 points during his first start in Maroon and White during an 81-65 win over Central Arkansas (12/16).

MSU-MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE HARDWOOD SERIES
Monday's matchup is the sixth between these two Magnolia state programs on the hardwood. Mississippi State has won all five previous meetings by an average of 25.0 points per contest.

The most recent was an 89-68 decision on 11/17/2014 where all five starters reached double figures for the Bulldogs. Roquez Johnson (20 PTS) and Gavin Ware (19 PTS) headlined the attack with 39 combined points on an efficient 18-of-21 shooting clip.

The Matchup: Mississippi State (4-3, 0-0 SEC) vs. Mississippi Valley State (0-7, 0-0 SWAC)
Where: Starkville, Mississippi – Humphrey Coliseum
When: Monday, December 21, 7:00 p.m. CT
Live Stats: StatBroadcast (https://hailst.at/MBKLiveStats)

TV: SEC Network
Talent: Paul Sunderland, Mark Wise
DirecTV: Ch. 611, Dish: Ch. 404/408, AT&T U-Verse: Ch. 1607, MaxxSouth: Ch. 1026, C Spire: Ch. 220
Online: Watch ESPN app & Watch ESPN online (Cable Subscription Required)
(https://hailst.at/MVSTvsMSU122120)
Radio: Mississippi State Sports Network – Powered by Learfield IMG College
Talent: Neil Price
Affiliates: WKBB-FM 100.9 Starkville/West Point (Full List: https://hailst.at/MBKAffiliates)
Free Online Audio: Hail State Plus (https://hailst.at/MBKListen); Tune-In Radio App (https://hailst.at/MBKTuneIn)
Sirius/XM: Ch. 191 (XM), Ch. 962 (Internet)

MASKS/METAL DETECTORS/CLEAR BAGS
Mississippi State Athletics has received capacity guidelines and designed a socially distanced seating plan to host fans in the healthiest manner possible for the 2020-21 season.

The plan is focused on the recommended health and safety protocols put in place by health officials from the Mississippi State Department of Health, Mississippi State University, the city of Starkville, the Southeastern Conference and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to protect the well-being of all student-athletes, fans and staff.

Capacity at Humphrey Coliseum for the 2020-21 season will be 10 percent as determined by the Governor's most recent Executive Order.

All fans will be required to wear a face covering, face shield or mask, over the nose and mouth during all times except when actively eating or drinking while inside Humphrey Coliseum.

In an effort to continue Mississippi State's long-standing commitment to provide a safe and secure environment for all fans, coaches and student-athletes, walk-through metal detectors have been implemented at all entrances of Humphrey Coliseum on basketball gamedays.

Fans will be asked to follow the instructions of the security screening staff and place large metal objects such as phones, keys and cameras in containers or in their clear bag on screening tables before passing through the walk-through metal detectors.

Fans will not be required to remove belts, watches, wallets, jewelry, shoes, jackets, coins or other small objects. The metal detectors and clear bag policies provide a safer atmosphere and speed up the entry process into The Hump.

Doors to Humphrey Coliseum open 60 minutes prior to tipoff. For more gameday information, fans are encouraged to visit: https://hailst.at/MBKGameday

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE
1. Mississippi State has piled up three consecutive 20-plus win seasons and 72 total victories since the start of 2017-18. The 72 wins are the fourth-highest total in the SEC and only trail Auburn, Kentucky and Tennessee since the start of the 2017-18 season.

Mississippi State's coaching staff led by Ben Howland along with assistant coaches George Brooks, Korey McCray and Ernie Zeigler, who are in their sixth season together in Starkville during the 2020-21 season.

The Bulldogs coaching quartet of head coach and three assistants is one of eight staffs in the country to remain together at the same school for the last six seasons. The other staffs include Michigan State (11th) led by Tom Izzo, West Virginia (9th) led by Bob Huggins, UAlbany (9th) led by Will Brown, Kansas (7th) led by Bill Self, Oregon (7th) led by Dana Altman, Vermont (7th) led by John Becker and Bradley (6th) led by Brian Wardle.

Howland collected his 500th career victory during a 68-51 win over Texas State (11/30) and secured his 100th win at Mississippi State as part of 69-63 victory over North Texas (12/04).

2. Iverson Molinar, Tolu Smith and D.J. Stewart Jr. are etching their names among the notable freshmen-to-sophomore jumps at Mississippi State, under Ben Howland and the SEC.

Stewart Jr. (18.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.4 APG) has amassed five of his top eight career scoring performances during the young season. He exploded for a career-high and SEC season's best 32 points on 13-of-22 shooting versus Dayton (12/12). Stewart Jr. is the fifth sophomore during the 2000s, and the 13th sophomore overall to notch 30-plus points in a game dating back to the 1954-55 season. The list features nine 1,000 point scorers and are the most points for a MSU player in a game since former teammate Tyson Carter (2017-18-19-20) piled up 35 points against North Dakota State (11/30/2017). Stewart Jr.'s 18.7 points per game are fourth on the SEC leaderboard. Stewart Jr. is joined by LSU's Cameron Thomas, Texas A&M's Emanuel Miller and Vanderbilt's Scotty Pippen Jr. to have three games of 20-plus points in the SEC this season.

Molinar (17.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.5 SPG) came away with 20 points and distributed a career-high seven assists versus Dayton (12/12). He and Stewart Jr. are two of nine players in program history to score at least 20-plus points as a freshmen or sophomore during two of his first three games of a season since 1956-57. Prior to Molinar and Stewart Jr., the last freshmen or sophomore to accomplish the feat was Quinndary Weatherspoon in 2016-17. Molinar's current freshman-sophomore jump of 12.6 points per game is behind only Terence Davis of Ole Miss in 2016-17 of any SEC player over the last decade. He has garnered four of his top seven career scoring efforts in 2020-21 highlighted by a career-high 21 points against Jackson State (12/08). His 17.5 points per game would be sixth in the SEC rankings if he qualified. Stewart Jr. and Molinar have combined for five games of 20-plus points on the season. The duo is tied with Thomas and Trendon Watford of LSU for the SEC lead. The Bulldogs are 8-1 during Molinar's career when he provides double figures.

Smith (14.0 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.0 BPG) has joined Stewart Jr. in double figures during each of MSU's first seven games. Prior to MSU, his previous career-high was nine points against West Virginia (11/16/2018) while at Western Kentucky. Smith and Stewart Jr. are the third set of teammates to be sophomore or younger and the 12th set of teammates overall to secure double figures over their first seven games of a season. The last MSU pair to have a seven-game run to start the season in double figures was Timmy Bowers and Michal Ignerski in 2002-03, while the last duo to accomplish the feat as sophomores or younger are top 10 scorers Rickey Brown and Ray White in 1976-77. The Bay St. Louis product is one of three SEC players to secure multiple double-doubles on the season and is joined by Texas A&M's Emanuel Miller and Georgia's Sahvir Wheeler. Smith's 8.4 rebounds are fourth, his 56.5 field goal percentage is sixth and his 1.0 blocks are tied for 14th among the SEC leaders.

3. Abdul Ado (5.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.6 BPG), the SEC's active leader in blocks and rebounds, is scheduled to make his 105th career start during Monday's Mississippi Valley State game. The 105 starts is good enough for sole possession of sixth place going back to the 1986-87 season. He ranks fourth overall among NCAA active players in blocks and 12th among active Power 5 players in rebounds.

Ado has ranked among the SEC's top 10 in blocks shots during all four seasons and his 1.6 blocks per game are sixth this season. Overall, Ado has piled up 193 career blocks, which ranks fifth in program history. His 1.84 career blocks per game is third in program history only behind NCAA all-time leader Jarvis Varnado and Erick Dampier. The Nigeria native enters Monday's action three blocks shy of passing former teammate Aric Holman (2016-17-18-19) for fourth place.

Ado is Mississippi State's all-time field goal percentage leader heading into the Mississippi Valley State contest among players with at least 240 baskets made. His 60.4 career shooting clip also checks in tied for fifth among active Power 5 players and is 12th highest overall among the NCAA active players.

4. Mississippi State's roster features a talented group of newcomers. The freshmen class is ignited by Deivon Smith (3.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.3 APG) and Cameron Matthews (3.1 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.3 SPG), who became the first freshmen tandem to start the season opener since Tyson Carter and Mario Kegler during the 2016-17 season.

Smith, the eighth ESPN top 100 signee to play with the Bulldogs under head coach Ben Howland, tallied a solid all-around effort with 10 points, five assists and two steals during the Liberty game (11/26). Over his last five outings, Matthews has dished out 13 assists against five turnovers.

MSU's freshmen class also features Keondre Montgomery and Derek Fountain, who coupled with Matthews, are the state of Mississippi's top three prospects for the Class of 2020. Montgomery and Fountain sank their first career baskets against Texas State (11/30) and Jackson State (12/08), respectively.

5. The Bulldogs also have received solid contributions from Jalen Johnson (6.6 PPG, 2.4 RPG), Javian Davis (4.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG) and Quinten Post (3.5 PPG, 1.8 RPG).

Johnson piled up 1,061 points and 495 rebounds between his three seasons at Saint Louis and Louisiana-Lafayette. He has collected 52 career outings of 10-plus points and 11 outings of 20-plus points. Johnson pumped in a season's best 15 points versus Central Arkansas (12/16) during his first start in Maroon and White. He has tallied at least five points during six of MSU's seven games on the season.

Post provided career-highs with nine points, five rebounds, three assists and two blocks during the Texas State game (11/30). He tacked on six points and a steal against Dayton (12/12) and has scored in eight of his 14 career appearances at Mississippi State.

Davis posted 6.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game over his 31 appearances as a redshirt freshmen at Alabama in 2019-20. His top Bama performance was a 20-point, 10-rebound effort against South Carolina (02/29/2020). Davis has upped his marks to 6.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game over his last five outings. He came away with nine points and eight rebounds against Central Arkansas (12/16).

KNOW YOUR OPPONENT
Mississippi Valley State has already been defeated by SEC opponents Arkansas (142-62 on 11/25) and Vanderbilt (84-41 on 12/13) this season.

The Delta Devils have three players averaging in double figures sparked by Kam'Ron Cunningham (12.9 PPG), Terry Collins (12.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG) and Devin Gordon (11.6 PPG).

Cunningham has a pair of 20-point outbursts fueled by a 24-point, 7-rebound effort at Wyoming on 11/28, while Gordon came away with 21 points at Western Kentucky on 12/06.

Collins has been a DNP during Mississippi Valley State's last three games. Stepping up in his absence has been Treylan Smith (9.7 PPG), who fired in 19 points at Memphis on 12/08.

Alexander Perry (5.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG), the younger brother of former State standout and recent Brooklyn Nets draft selection Reggie Perry, has been the top performer off the bench for the Delta Devils. Alan Perry, Reggie and Alexander's father, is an assistant coach on the Mississippi Valley State coaching staff.

UP NEXT
Mississippi State embarks on its 18-game SEC slate with a trip to Georgia on 12/30. The only other time these two sets of Bulldogs have met in Athens to start SEC action was during the 1954-55 season. The SEC opener on 12/30 is the earliest for State since defeating Vanderbilt, 74-71, on 12/19/1991.

Tip time is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT from Stegeman Coliseum televised by the SEC Network and available online courtesy of the Watch ESPN app.

Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the men's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets by searching 'HailStateMBK' on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.