Tuesday, March 3
Columbia, S.C.
5:30 PM
Mississippi State
at
South Carolina
Gameday: Five Things to Know About MSU-South Carolina
March 02, 2020 | Men's Basketball
by Matt Dunaway, Associate Director/Communications
COLUMBIA, South Carolina – The calendar turns to March and another fellow NCAA Tournament hopeful is on the horizon as Mississippi State travels to South Carolina for a NCAA Quad 1 road opportunity on Tuesday at Colonial Life Arena.
The Bulldogs begin the final week of the regular season in a fourth-place tie with Florida and currently hold the tiebreaker over the Gators for a double bye at next week's SEC Tournament. The two teams trail Auburn and LSU by one game for second place and are one-game ahead of the Gamecocks who sit in sole possession of the sixth spot.
The Matchup: Mississippi State (19-10, 10-6 SEC) vs. South Carolina (17-12, 9-7 SEC)
Where: Columbia, South Carolina – Colonial Life Arena
When: Tuesday, March 3, 5:30 p.m. CT
Live Stats: StatBroadcast (https://hailst.at/MBKLiveStats)
TV: SEC Network
Talent: Tom Hart, Andy Kennedy, Alyssa Lang
DirecTV: Ch. 611, Dish: Ch. 404/408, AT&T U-Verse: Ch. 1607, MaxxSouth: Ch. 1026,
C Spire: Ch. 220-222
Online: WatchESPN App (https://hailst.at/MSUvsSC030320)
Radio: Mississippi State Sports Network – Powered by Learfield IMG College
Talent: Neil Price, Richard Williams
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/Internet: Ch. 380 (XM), Ch. 970 (Internet)
MSU-SOUTH CAROLINA HARDWOOD SERIES
Mississippi State holds a 5-4 edge, and the home team has won seven of the nine meetings since the two teams became home-and-home opponents leading into the 2015-16 season. Six of the last seven outings have been decided by six points or less which includes the Bulldogs 79-76 triumph at The Hump on 02/19. Overall, MSU leads the series by a 23-15 advantage.
Nick Weatherspoon dialed up 18 points and six assists, while D.J. Stewart Jr. and Abdul Ado chipped in 16 and 14 points, respectively. Reggie Perry tucked away a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. State used a 10-2 run late in the second half to build an 11-point lead and converted on 8-of-10 at the foul line to overcome five turnovers during the closing 67 seconds.
TICKETS/PROMOTIONS
General admission tickets for Mississippi State's regular season home finale versus Ole Miss on Saturday, March 7 are available for as low as $12 including fees at www.HailState.com/tickets or in person at the Mississippi State Athletics Ticket Office located on the first floor of the Bryan Building. The Humphrey Coliseum Box Office opens 90 minutes prior to tipoff on gameday.
The Bulldogs will honor Tyson Carter, Tate Clayton, E.J. Datcher, Reggie Miller and Mitchell Storm as part of "Senior Night" festivities during the Ole Miss game. Fans are encouraged to arrive early for the "Senior Night" ceremony which will begin at 5:13 p.m. CT.
Mississippi State is offering a $10 "Super Saturday" ticket for the Ole Miss game which includes general admission to the baseball game versus Quinnipiac at Dudy Noble Field earlier that day. Fans can purchase this special combined ticket offer online only at www.HailState.com/tickets under the multi-sport packages button.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE
1. Tyson Carter, Reggie Perry and Nick Weatherspoon knocked down timely baskets inside the last 10 minutes, while Abdul Ado provided a big block during the final minute to lift Mississippi State to a regular season sweep and a hard-fought 67-63 victory over Missouri last time out. Carter delivered 10 of his team-leading 15 points after halftime and was 6-of-9 shooting. He has reached double figures in 11 of his last 14 games coming off the bench. Perry filled the box score with 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks whereas Weatherspoon also fired in 12 points to go along with two assists. D.J. Stewart Jr. came away with eight points followed by Robert Woodard II's seven points, five rebounds and two blocks. Abdul Ado notched six points, seven rebounds and two blocks. The Ado-Stewart Jr.-Woodard II combo turned in an efficient 9-of-15 effort from the floor. Iverson Molinar and KeyShawn Feazell chipped in five and two points, respectively, as the Bulldogs held a 22-17 advantage in bench points. Mississippi State has put forth a 50 percent shooting clip or better in nine of their 10 SEC wins. State lost the rebounding battle, 36-30, for the first time going back to the Alabama game on Jan. 8. Missouri was fueled by Xavier Pinson's 20 points followed by Dru Smith's 19 points, nine rebounds and three steals.
2. Mississippi State has piled up 67 wins since the start of the 2017-18 season which is fourth in the SEC only behind Auburn, Kentucky and Tennessee. The Bulldogs are one win shy of collecting their third straight season with 20-plus victories. The last time MSU accomplished the feat was during the 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons under Rick Stansbury which also marked the last time the Bulldogs made the postseason in three straight seasons. Mississippi State made it back-to-back seasons with 10-plus SEC victories for the first fifth time in program history and for the first time since 1994-95 and 1995-96 under Richard Williams. The Bulldogs have amassed 29 SEC wins over the last three seasons which is tied for 8th most in program history and the most going back to 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10.
Mississippi State continues to do damage as one of the nation's top offensive rebounding teams. The Bulldogs not only lead the SEC but ranked fourth in the nation behind West Virginia, Houston and Stephen F. Austin heading into this week's action with a 37.0 percent offensive rebounding percentage … The Bulldogs have secured a +7.4 rebounding margin which is 1st in the SEC, 5th among Power 5 teams and tied for 15th nationally. Mississippi State also checks in with a 47.1 field goal percentage which is 1st in the SEC, 3rd among Power 5 schools and tied for 27th nationally.
3. Reggie Perry was a preseason All-America selection by Lindy's (First Team), Street & Smith (Second Team) and Athlon Magazines (Third Team) in addition to being named a consensus preseason All-SEC First-Team honoree. He is coming off a sensational offseason where had the opportunity to attend the NBA Draft Combine and workout for several NBA franchises. Perry also captured a gold medal for the USA U19 Team and was the tournament's MVP at the 2019 FIBA World Cup in Greece. He was listed as a preseason candidate for six major awards which included the John R. Wooden, Karl Malone, Lute Olson, Naismith, NABC and Oscar Robertson. The sophomore was named one of 10 finalists for the Karl Malone Award awarded to the nation's top power forward in early February. Perry also is one of three finalists for the Bailey Howell Trophy which is given to the top collegiate player in the state of Mississippi.
Perry, the SEC Player of the Year candidate and Naismith Trophy National Player of the Week for 02/03, is the only player in the league to be ranked among the league's top 10 in points (17.4 – 6th), rebounds (9.7 – 1st) and blocks (1.2 – 10th). He has piled up all 10 of his 20-point performances where the Bulldogs have posted an 8-2 record since 12/30. Perry's top five scoring performances versus SEC opponents are a career-high 27 points at Florida on 01/28, 26 points against Arkansas on 01/22, 25 points versus Vanderbilt on 02/08 and 24 points during the Tennessee and Ole Miss games on 02/01 and 02/11, respectively.
Perry heads into Saturday's action one point shy of becoming the 17th player in program history to reach 500 points during a season. He would join Jim Ashmore (1954-55), Bailey Howell (1956-57), Rickey Brown (1976-77), Jeff Malone (1980-81), Mario Austin (2001-02) and Jamont Gordon (2006-07) as the only players in MSU history to accomplish the feat during their sophomore season or earlier. The Thomasville, Georgia native would make it three consecutive seasons where the Bulldogs had at least one 500-point scorer. Quinndary Weatherspoon had back-to-back 500-point seasons in 2017-18 and 2018-19. The last time Mississippi State had at least one player with 500 points in three straight seasons was Jeff Malone during the 1980-81, 1981-82 and 1982-83 campaigns.
Perry has secured a SEC-leading 15 double-doubles this season highlighted by 11 double-doubles over his last 19 games since 12/22. Eight of those 11 double-doubles have been of the 20-points, 10-rebound variety. The 15 double-doubles are fourth among Power 5 players this season and is tied for sixth most by a MSU player with Wiley Peck (1978-79) since the 1972-73 season. Perry's eight 20-10 games also are fourth among Power 5 players this season and tied for third with Arnett Moultrie (2011-12) also dating back to 1972-73.
Perry's 24 career double-doubles are tops among SEC active players and the most for a MSU player during their freshman and sophomore seasons since 1972-73 when freshmen became eligible to play. The previous mark was 23 double-doubles held by Rickey Brown during the 1976-77 and 1977-78 seasons.
4. Tyson Carter has improved his points, rebounds, assists and steals average during each of his four seasons at Mississippi State. The senior guard ranks inside the league's leaders in points (13.7 – 17th), free throw percentage (86.5 – 4th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4 – 8th). Carter has dialed up 10-plus points in 11 of his last 14 appearances since the Missouri game on 01/14 when coming off the bench. He poured in a SEC career-high 26 points, 17 coming during the second half, at Arkansas on 02/15. The Starkville native has piled up 196 of MSU's 267 bench points (73.4 percent) during that span. The Bulldogs have posted a 40-12 record since the start of 2017-18 when Carter scores 10 points or more and have won eight of 11 games when the Starkville native reaches the 20-plus point plateau during his career.
Carter heads into Tuesday's game with 1,319 career points and has passed his father, Greg Carter, on the MSU scoring list during the Missouri game on 01/14. The Carter's are the SEC's only father-son tandem to score over 1,000 points apiece. Tyson's 1,319 points are 43 points shy of passing Gavin Ware (2013-14-15-16) for 18th place on the program's list. He also is fourth among SEC active players behind Ole Miss' Breein Tyree, LSU's Skylar Mays and Tennessee's Jordan Bowden. Carter has canned 212 treys which is tops among SEC active players and fifth in program history.
5. Nick Weatherspoon has registered 11.8 points and 4.2 assists per game over his 19 games since returning to action on 12/22 … He has started in 78 of 79 career games and secured double digit points in 14 of his 19 appearances sparked by a 21-point effort versus Vanderbilt on 02/08 and a 20-point performance at Alabama on 01/08 … Mississippi State has won nine of 12 games during Weatherspoon's career when he has dished out five or more assists … His 4.6 APG are 4th, while his 1.6 assist-to-turnover ratio is 6th against SEC opponents on the league leaderboard … The Canton native has distributed 63 of his 80 assists (4.8 APG) over his last 13 games … Weatherspoon filled the box score 11 points coupled with career-bests of nine assists and eight rebounds during the Tennessee game on 02/01.
Abdul Ado became the 36th player in program history to surpass 500 career rebounds at Florida on 01/28 … He enters Tuesday's action in 26th place on the MSU's all-time list and his 6.7 rebounds are 10th on the SEC list … Ado has a pair of double-doubles in 2019-20: the last was 12 points and 12 rebounds at LSU on 01/11 … His SEC season-high was 14 points versus South Carolina on 02/19, while his overall season's bests are 17 points and 12 rebounds against Radford on 12/18 … Ado has been rated among the SEC's best shot blockers during each of the last three seasons … His 1.8 blocks per game in 2019-20 are good enough for 4th place on the SEC leaderboard … Ado has racked up 175 career blocks over 96 career games and has climbed to sixth place on MSU's list … His 1.82 career BPG are third in program history only behind legendary shot blockers Jarvis Varnado (2007-08-09-10) and Erick Dampier (1994-95-96).
Robert Woodard II has provided 11.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game on the season … The 6.8 RPG are 9th whereas his 2.2 O-RPG are 9th in the SEC rankings … He produced a SEC career-high 18 points at Texas A&M on 02/22 … Woodard II and Perry possess two of the SEC's four 20-plus point, 15-plus rebound games this season, Florida's Kerry Blackshear Jr. and Georgia's Anthony Edwards have the other two … Woodard II has already collected double figures in 17 games which is third on the team behind Reggie Perry and Tyson Carter … He has registered 10-plus points in seven of his last 11 and eight of his last 13 outings after having three games of 10-plus during the entire 2018-19 season … Woodard II has a trio of double-doubles on the season: the last was 12 points and 12 rebounds against No. 8 Auburn on 01/04.
Iverson Molinar and D.J. Stewart Jr. have teamed for 19 games of 10-plus points during their freshman season … The Carter-Molinar-Stewart Jr. trio has accounted for 395 of the team's 482 bench points (82.0 percent) when coming off the bench … The Bulldogs are 11-3 this season when Stewart Jr. secures 10-plus points … Stewart Jr. has started MSU's last 14 games and upped his averages to 11.1 PPG and 3.1 RPG over his last nine games … He has amassed four of his top 5 scoring performances over that span … Stewart Jr. exploded for a season's best 20 points aided by 16 points on four treys during the second half versus Tennessee on 02/01 … Molinar provided a SEC career-high eight points during the Arkansas games on 01/22 and 02/15 … Molinar's season-high is 21 points aided by four treys against Tulane on 11/21 … KeyShawn Feazell and Prince Oduro round out to MSU's rotation … Oduro's season-high is six points against Tulane on 11/21 and at Coastal Carolina on 11/24, while Feazell secured nine points versus New Orleans on 11/17.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT
The Gamecocks have won eight of their last 13 decisions headed by a 6-1 mark at home since starting the SEC slate with a 0-2 record. One of South Carolina's calling cards is on defense where the Gamecocks have limited their opponents to a 39.2 percent shooting clip which is second-best in the SEC.
The Gamecocks have three players averaging in double figures which include A.J. Lawson (13.7 PPG, 1.9 APG, 1.1 SPG), Jermaine Couisnard (12.2 PPG, 3.0 APG) and Maik Kotsar (11.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 1.1 BPG).
Kotsar recently reached 1,000 career points with an 8-point effort at Alabama on 02/29. He has piled up double figure in nine of his last 10 games, most notably when he filled the box score with 24 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks at Mississippi State on 02/19. He also has secured a trio of double-doubles, most recently 19 points and 10 rebounds against Georgia on 02/26.
Lawson has accounted for double figures in 22 of 29 appearances fueled by 11 of his last 13 outings. He has rattled home six games of 20-plus points and scored 20 on 7-of-10 shooting at Georgia on 02/12. Lawson also added 17 points during the Alabama game last time out. The Lawson-Couisnard-Jair Bolden trio has drained 134 of the team's 168 treys this season with Lawson hitting multiple three-pointers in nine of his last 13 games.
Couisinard has come into his own since being inserted into the starting lineup 14 games ago with 10-plus points in nine consecutive games and in 13 of his last 15 SEC appearances. He piled up 26 points sparked by a buzzer-beating trey to defeat Kentucky on 01/15. The freshman ripped off a season's best 28 points on 8-of-18 from the floor at Ole Miss on 02/05 and came away with 17 points versus Mississippi State before he fouled out.
The Gamecocks top options off the bench have been Bolden (8.8 PPG), Alanzo Frink (5.1 PPG) and Jalyn McCreary (4.0 PPG) as of late. Bolden has reached double figures in two of his last three and racked up a season's best 22 points during South Carolina's signature non-conference win over defending national champion Virginia on 12/22. Frink exploded for a career-high 22 points on 8-of-10 from the floor during the Gamecocks overtime win over Georgia on 02/26.
UP NEXT
Mississippi State turns its attention to "Senior Night" and a matchup with in-state rival Ole Miss to finish off the regular season. Saturday's tip time is set for 5:30 p.m. CT from Humphrey Coliseum. The game will be televised by the SEC Network and carried online courtesy of the Watch ESPN platform.
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.
Mississippi State Men's Basketball Media Session
March 2, 2020
Head Coach Ben Howland
Q: What's the challenge in playing South Carolina again this soon?
BH: "More importantly, it's just how good they are. They're so tough, they're so physical and they're so hard to play against. They pressure the ball so aggressively, denying leads. We had 22 turnovers in that game, and we were lucky to win. We have no chance to win unless we do a better job taking care of the basketball, number one."
"They are tremendous, in terms of their transition offense. They really are aggressive offensively. I got a chance to see the second half of the game [Alabama vs. South Carolina game] live when we got back the other night from Missouri. What a game. Just watching that thing, it was like a track meet. They are really tough. They had a great chance to win that game on the road, in a very difficult place to play, as we know. Kira Lewis [of Alabama] was incredible in that game. [If not], they do win. But, it's a very daunting task to go into Columbia and get a win. With their team and the way that they play, it's going to be a real war."
Q: How do you handle Maik Kotsar?
BH: "He's always a handful for us. He had a career-high down there last year. He turns around here and had 24 in that game [earlier this season]. He is just deadly on his jump shot from 8-18 feet – [you can] just count it. I just watched him the other night at Alabama, and he scored three jump shots like in the first five possessions. He got into a little foul trouble and that hurt them because he couldn't play as many minutes in the first half of that game. He's all-league, he's on my all-league team for sure. If you look at our conference, he's just a tremendous player and competitor. To have that kind of body with those kind of ball skills, to be able to handle the ball and his feet. He's just a handful, that's for sure. He's a boat load and a big man."
Q: With these last two road games involving so much travel, will you change anything about your practice routine?
BH: "Yesterday, we didn't do anything. That's the first time I've done that this year. We're at that point where I thought it was better for them just to have a day off. They did have to get a massage. But other than that, they had the whole day to themselves, which I thought would be really good for them. Today, we won't go super long like we did before Texas A&M game."
Q: What do you think this team has to do to deserve a spot in the NCAA Tournament?
BH: "Keep winning. Tomorrow is a quad one opportunity on the road against a really good team that's tough and has the mentality of never quitting and never giving up. They're going to fight you tooth and nail for everything. So, this is what it's all about. You go to play at the high-major, Division I level in the SEC for. It's this type of game. You're playing for a whole lot, both teams. It's a great opportunity for us."
Q: You mentioned the other day after the Missouri game, Tyson playing like a senior should. What do you feel has been different about him?
BH: "I just think that Tyson is a really good player. For seniors, I think he knows that this is his last time around. He's got two conference games left in his career, so he's giving it his all. I thought his defense, the first time we played South Carolina, in terms of his helping and really team concept defensively was as good as it's been in his career. We need that same effort at that end of the floor as well. I thought that really helped us in that game."
Q: Earlier today, it was announced that Reggie Perry is a finalist for the Howell Trophy this year, what does that award mean at Mississippi State?
BH: "It's really special because, for me, it's the name of Bailey Howell. It's hallowed ground around here. Bailey is arguably the best player in the history of Mississippi State. When you look at his rebounding numbers, I don't think there's any doubt, it's ridiculous what he did in terms of 17 rebounds a game."
"I love talking to Bailey. I think in the pros, the fact that he had over 30 rebounds [in one game] twice in his career ... He's just an incredible man too. He's such a kind, good person and such a great example of what it's all about. He has such a great understanding and feel for the game. He just represents everything that's good about athletics and about basketball. To have it [The award] be in his name and being a former Mississippi State great here [makes it really special]."
"I'm sad that he didn't get a chance to participate in the NCAA Tournament. I think they would have won it in '59, the year that Cal won it. I think that was their year to win it. There's a movie about if a kid hit a home run, I forget what movie it is, how it would have changed the trajectory of his life but instead he strikes out … Imagine if they [Mississippi State] would had been allowed to play and we won the National Championship back then, how that would the trajectory of this program forever. I believe they would have won it, I really do. Babe McCarthy did an unbelievable job if you look what happened. Obviously, it's all about having great players, and they had the number two pick in the draft right here in Starkville."
COLUMBIA, South Carolina – The calendar turns to March and another fellow NCAA Tournament hopeful is on the horizon as Mississippi State travels to South Carolina for a NCAA Quad 1 road opportunity on Tuesday at Colonial Life Arena.
The Bulldogs begin the final week of the regular season in a fourth-place tie with Florida and currently hold the tiebreaker over the Gators for a double bye at next week's SEC Tournament. The two teams trail Auburn and LSU by one game for second place and are one-game ahead of the Gamecocks who sit in sole possession of the sixth spot.
The Matchup: Mississippi State (19-10, 10-6 SEC) vs. South Carolina (17-12, 9-7 SEC)
Where: Columbia, South Carolina – Colonial Life Arena
When: Tuesday, March 3, 5:30 p.m. CT
Live Stats: StatBroadcast (https://hailst.at/MBKLiveStats)
TV: SEC Network
Talent: Tom Hart, Andy Kennedy, Alyssa Lang
DirecTV: Ch. 611, Dish: Ch. 404/408, AT&T U-Verse: Ch. 1607, MaxxSouth: Ch. 1026,
C Spire: Ch. 220-222
Online: WatchESPN App (https://hailst.at/MSUvsSC030320)
Radio: Mississippi State Sports Network – Powered by Learfield IMG College
Talent: Neil Price, Richard Williams
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/Internet: Ch. 380 (XM), Ch. 970 (Internet)
MSU-SOUTH CAROLINA HARDWOOD SERIES
Mississippi State holds a 5-4 edge, and the home team has won seven of the nine meetings since the two teams became home-and-home opponents leading into the 2015-16 season. Six of the last seven outings have been decided by six points or less which includes the Bulldogs 79-76 triumph at The Hump on 02/19. Overall, MSU leads the series by a 23-15 advantage.
Nick Weatherspoon dialed up 18 points and six assists, while D.J. Stewart Jr. and Abdul Ado chipped in 16 and 14 points, respectively. Reggie Perry tucked away a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. State used a 10-2 run late in the second half to build an 11-point lead and converted on 8-of-10 at the foul line to overcome five turnovers during the closing 67 seconds.
TICKETS/PROMOTIONS
General admission tickets for Mississippi State's regular season home finale versus Ole Miss on Saturday, March 7 are available for as low as $12 including fees at www.HailState.com/tickets or in person at the Mississippi State Athletics Ticket Office located on the first floor of the Bryan Building. The Humphrey Coliseum Box Office opens 90 minutes prior to tipoff on gameday.
The Bulldogs will honor Tyson Carter, Tate Clayton, E.J. Datcher, Reggie Miller and Mitchell Storm as part of "Senior Night" festivities during the Ole Miss game. Fans are encouraged to arrive early for the "Senior Night" ceremony which will begin at 5:13 p.m. CT.
Mississippi State is offering a $10 "Super Saturday" ticket for the Ole Miss game which includes general admission to the baseball game versus Quinnipiac at Dudy Noble Field earlier that day. Fans can purchase this special combined ticket offer online only at www.HailState.com/tickets under the multi-sport packages button.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE
1. Tyson Carter, Reggie Perry and Nick Weatherspoon knocked down timely baskets inside the last 10 minutes, while Abdul Ado provided a big block during the final minute to lift Mississippi State to a regular season sweep and a hard-fought 67-63 victory over Missouri last time out. Carter delivered 10 of his team-leading 15 points after halftime and was 6-of-9 shooting. He has reached double figures in 11 of his last 14 games coming off the bench. Perry filled the box score with 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks whereas Weatherspoon also fired in 12 points to go along with two assists. D.J. Stewart Jr. came away with eight points followed by Robert Woodard II's seven points, five rebounds and two blocks. Abdul Ado notched six points, seven rebounds and two blocks. The Ado-Stewart Jr.-Woodard II combo turned in an efficient 9-of-15 effort from the floor. Iverson Molinar and KeyShawn Feazell chipped in five and two points, respectively, as the Bulldogs held a 22-17 advantage in bench points. Mississippi State has put forth a 50 percent shooting clip or better in nine of their 10 SEC wins. State lost the rebounding battle, 36-30, for the first time going back to the Alabama game on Jan. 8. Missouri was fueled by Xavier Pinson's 20 points followed by Dru Smith's 19 points, nine rebounds and three steals.
2. Mississippi State has piled up 67 wins since the start of the 2017-18 season which is fourth in the SEC only behind Auburn, Kentucky and Tennessee. The Bulldogs are one win shy of collecting their third straight season with 20-plus victories. The last time MSU accomplished the feat was during the 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons under Rick Stansbury which also marked the last time the Bulldogs made the postseason in three straight seasons. Mississippi State made it back-to-back seasons with 10-plus SEC victories for the first fifth time in program history and for the first time since 1994-95 and 1995-96 under Richard Williams. The Bulldogs have amassed 29 SEC wins over the last three seasons which is tied for 8th most in program history and the most going back to 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10.
Mississippi State continues to do damage as one of the nation's top offensive rebounding teams. The Bulldogs not only lead the SEC but ranked fourth in the nation behind West Virginia, Houston and Stephen F. Austin heading into this week's action with a 37.0 percent offensive rebounding percentage … The Bulldogs have secured a +7.4 rebounding margin which is 1st in the SEC, 5th among Power 5 teams and tied for 15th nationally. Mississippi State also checks in with a 47.1 field goal percentage which is 1st in the SEC, 3rd among Power 5 schools and tied for 27th nationally.
3. Reggie Perry was a preseason All-America selection by Lindy's (First Team), Street & Smith (Second Team) and Athlon Magazines (Third Team) in addition to being named a consensus preseason All-SEC First-Team honoree. He is coming off a sensational offseason where had the opportunity to attend the NBA Draft Combine and workout for several NBA franchises. Perry also captured a gold medal for the USA U19 Team and was the tournament's MVP at the 2019 FIBA World Cup in Greece. He was listed as a preseason candidate for six major awards which included the John R. Wooden, Karl Malone, Lute Olson, Naismith, NABC and Oscar Robertson. The sophomore was named one of 10 finalists for the Karl Malone Award awarded to the nation's top power forward in early February. Perry also is one of three finalists for the Bailey Howell Trophy which is given to the top collegiate player in the state of Mississippi.
Perry, the SEC Player of the Year candidate and Naismith Trophy National Player of the Week for 02/03, is the only player in the league to be ranked among the league's top 10 in points (17.4 – 6th), rebounds (9.7 – 1st) and blocks (1.2 – 10th). He has piled up all 10 of his 20-point performances where the Bulldogs have posted an 8-2 record since 12/30. Perry's top five scoring performances versus SEC opponents are a career-high 27 points at Florida on 01/28, 26 points against Arkansas on 01/22, 25 points versus Vanderbilt on 02/08 and 24 points during the Tennessee and Ole Miss games on 02/01 and 02/11, respectively.
Perry heads into Saturday's action one point shy of becoming the 17th player in program history to reach 500 points during a season. He would join Jim Ashmore (1954-55), Bailey Howell (1956-57), Rickey Brown (1976-77), Jeff Malone (1980-81), Mario Austin (2001-02) and Jamont Gordon (2006-07) as the only players in MSU history to accomplish the feat during their sophomore season or earlier. The Thomasville, Georgia native would make it three consecutive seasons where the Bulldogs had at least one 500-point scorer. Quinndary Weatherspoon had back-to-back 500-point seasons in 2017-18 and 2018-19. The last time Mississippi State had at least one player with 500 points in three straight seasons was Jeff Malone during the 1980-81, 1981-82 and 1982-83 campaigns.
Perry has secured a SEC-leading 15 double-doubles this season highlighted by 11 double-doubles over his last 19 games since 12/22. Eight of those 11 double-doubles have been of the 20-points, 10-rebound variety. The 15 double-doubles are fourth among Power 5 players this season and is tied for sixth most by a MSU player with Wiley Peck (1978-79) since the 1972-73 season. Perry's eight 20-10 games also are fourth among Power 5 players this season and tied for third with Arnett Moultrie (2011-12) also dating back to 1972-73.
Perry's 24 career double-doubles are tops among SEC active players and the most for a MSU player during their freshman and sophomore seasons since 1972-73 when freshmen became eligible to play. The previous mark was 23 double-doubles held by Rickey Brown during the 1976-77 and 1977-78 seasons.
4. Tyson Carter has improved his points, rebounds, assists and steals average during each of his four seasons at Mississippi State. The senior guard ranks inside the league's leaders in points (13.7 – 17th), free throw percentage (86.5 – 4th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4 – 8th). Carter has dialed up 10-plus points in 11 of his last 14 appearances since the Missouri game on 01/14 when coming off the bench. He poured in a SEC career-high 26 points, 17 coming during the second half, at Arkansas on 02/15. The Starkville native has piled up 196 of MSU's 267 bench points (73.4 percent) during that span. The Bulldogs have posted a 40-12 record since the start of 2017-18 when Carter scores 10 points or more and have won eight of 11 games when the Starkville native reaches the 20-plus point plateau during his career.
Carter heads into Tuesday's game with 1,319 career points and has passed his father, Greg Carter, on the MSU scoring list during the Missouri game on 01/14. The Carter's are the SEC's only father-son tandem to score over 1,000 points apiece. Tyson's 1,319 points are 43 points shy of passing Gavin Ware (2013-14-15-16) for 18th place on the program's list. He also is fourth among SEC active players behind Ole Miss' Breein Tyree, LSU's Skylar Mays and Tennessee's Jordan Bowden. Carter has canned 212 treys which is tops among SEC active players and fifth in program history.
5. Nick Weatherspoon has registered 11.8 points and 4.2 assists per game over his 19 games since returning to action on 12/22 … He has started in 78 of 79 career games and secured double digit points in 14 of his 19 appearances sparked by a 21-point effort versus Vanderbilt on 02/08 and a 20-point performance at Alabama on 01/08 … Mississippi State has won nine of 12 games during Weatherspoon's career when he has dished out five or more assists … His 4.6 APG are 4th, while his 1.6 assist-to-turnover ratio is 6th against SEC opponents on the league leaderboard … The Canton native has distributed 63 of his 80 assists (4.8 APG) over his last 13 games … Weatherspoon filled the box score 11 points coupled with career-bests of nine assists and eight rebounds during the Tennessee game on 02/01.
Abdul Ado became the 36th player in program history to surpass 500 career rebounds at Florida on 01/28 … He enters Tuesday's action in 26th place on the MSU's all-time list and his 6.7 rebounds are 10th on the SEC list … Ado has a pair of double-doubles in 2019-20: the last was 12 points and 12 rebounds at LSU on 01/11 … His SEC season-high was 14 points versus South Carolina on 02/19, while his overall season's bests are 17 points and 12 rebounds against Radford on 12/18 … Ado has been rated among the SEC's best shot blockers during each of the last three seasons … His 1.8 blocks per game in 2019-20 are good enough for 4th place on the SEC leaderboard … Ado has racked up 175 career blocks over 96 career games and has climbed to sixth place on MSU's list … His 1.82 career BPG are third in program history only behind legendary shot blockers Jarvis Varnado (2007-08-09-10) and Erick Dampier (1994-95-96).
Robert Woodard II has provided 11.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game on the season … The 6.8 RPG are 9th whereas his 2.2 O-RPG are 9th in the SEC rankings … He produced a SEC career-high 18 points at Texas A&M on 02/22 … Woodard II and Perry possess two of the SEC's four 20-plus point, 15-plus rebound games this season, Florida's Kerry Blackshear Jr. and Georgia's Anthony Edwards have the other two … Woodard II has already collected double figures in 17 games which is third on the team behind Reggie Perry and Tyson Carter … He has registered 10-plus points in seven of his last 11 and eight of his last 13 outings after having three games of 10-plus during the entire 2018-19 season … Woodard II has a trio of double-doubles on the season: the last was 12 points and 12 rebounds against No. 8 Auburn on 01/04.
Iverson Molinar and D.J. Stewart Jr. have teamed for 19 games of 10-plus points during their freshman season … The Carter-Molinar-Stewart Jr. trio has accounted for 395 of the team's 482 bench points (82.0 percent) when coming off the bench … The Bulldogs are 11-3 this season when Stewart Jr. secures 10-plus points … Stewart Jr. has started MSU's last 14 games and upped his averages to 11.1 PPG and 3.1 RPG over his last nine games … He has amassed four of his top 5 scoring performances over that span … Stewart Jr. exploded for a season's best 20 points aided by 16 points on four treys during the second half versus Tennessee on 02/01 … Molinar provided a SEC career-high eight points during the Arkansas games on 01/22 and 02/15 … Molinar's season-high is 21 points aided by four treys against Tulane on 11/21 … KeyShawn Feazell and Prince Oduro round out to MSU's rotation … Oduro's season-high is six points against Tulane on 11/21 and at Coastal Carolina on 11/24, while Feazell secured nine points versus New Orleans on 11/17.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT
The Gamecocks have won eight of their last 13 decisions headed by a 6-1 mark at home since starting the SEC slate with a 0-2 record. One of South Carolina's calling cards is on defense where the Gamecocks have limited their opponents to a 39.2 percent shooting clip which is second-best in the SEC.
The Gamecocks have three players averaging in double figures which include A.J. Lawson (13.7 PPG, 1.9 APG, 1.1 SPG), Jermaine Couisnard (12.2 PPG, 3.0 APG) and Maik Kotsar (11.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 1.1 BPG).
Kotsar recently reached 1,000 career points with an 8-point effort at Alabama on 02/29. He has piled up double figure in nine of his last 10 games, most notably when he filled the box score with 24 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks at Mississippi State on 02/19. He also has secured a trio of double-doubles, most recently 19 points and 10 rebounds against Georgia on 02/26.
Lawson has accounted for double figures in 22 of 29 appearances fueled by 11 of his last 13 outings. He has rattled home six games of 20-plus points and scored 20 on 7-of-10 shooting at Georgia on 02/12. Lawson also added 17 points during the Alabama game last time out. The Lawson-Couisnard-Jair Bolden trio has drained 134 of the team's 168 treys this season with Lawson hitting multiple three-pointers in nine of his last 13 games.
Couisinard has come into his own since being inserted into the starting lineup 14 games ago with 10-plus points in nine consecutive games and in 13 of his last 15 SEC appearances. He piled up 26 points sparked by a buzzer-beating trey to defeat Kentucky on 01/15. The freshman ripped off a season's best 28 points on 8-of-18 from the floor at Ole Miss on 02/05 and came away with 17 points versus Mississippi State before he fouled out.
The Gamecocks top options off the bench have been Bolden (8.8 PPG), Alanzo Frink (5.1 PPG) and Jalyn McCreary (4.0 PPG) as of late. Bolden has reached double figures in two of his last three and racked up a season's best 22 points during South Carolina's signature non-conference win over defending national champion Virginia on 12/22. Frink exploded for a career-high 22 points on 8-of-10 from the floor during the Gamecocks overtime win over Georgia on 02/26.
UP NEXT
Mississippi State turns its attention to "Senior Night" and a matchup with in-state rival Ole Miss to finish off the regular season. Saturday's tip time is set for 5:30 p.m. CT from Humphrey Coliseum. The game will be televised by the SEC Network and carried online courtesy of the Watch ESPN platform.
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.
Mississippi State Men's Basketball Media Session
March 2, 2020
Head Coach Ben Howland
Q: What's the challenge in playing South Carolina again this soon?
BH: "More importantly, it's just how good they are. They're so tough, they're so physical and they're so hard to play against. They pressure the ball so aggressively, denying leads. We had 22 turnovers in that game, and we were lucky to win. We have no chance to win unless we do a better job taking care of the basketball, number one."
"They are tremendous, in terms of their transition offense. They really are aggressive offensively. I got a chance to see the second half of the game [Alabama vs. South Carolina game] live when we got back the other night from Missouri. What a game. Just watching that thing, it was like a track meet. They are really tough. They had a great chance to win that game on the road, in a very difficult place to play, as we know. Kira Lewis [of Alabama] was incredible in that game. [If not], they do win. But, it's a very daunting task to go into Columbia and get a win. With their team and the way that they play, it's going to be a real war."
Q: How do you handle Maik Kotsar?
BH: "He's always a handful for us. He had a career-high down there last year. He turns around here and had 24 in that game [earlier this season]. He is just deadly on his jump shot from 8-18 feet – [you can] just count it. I just watched him the other night at Alabama, and he scored three jump shots like in the first five possessions. He got into a little foul trouble and that hurt them because he couldn't play as many minutes in the first half of that game. He's all-league, he's on my all-league team for sure. If you look at our conference, he's just a tremendous player and competitor. To have that kind of body with those kind of ball skills, to be able to handle the ball and his feet. He's just a handful, that's for sure. He's a boat load and a big man."
Q: With these last two road games involving so much travel, will you change anything about your practice routine?
BH: "Yesterday, we didn't do anything. That's the first time I've done that this year. We're at that point where I thought it was better for them just to have a day off. They did have to get a massage. But other than that, they had the whole day to themselves, which I thought would be really good for them. Today, we won't go super long like we did before Texas A&M game."
Q: What do you think this team has to do to deserve a spot in the NCAA Tournament?
BH: "Keep winning. Tomorrow is a quad one opportunity on the road against a really good team that's tough and has the mentality of never quitting and never giving up. They're going to fight you tooth and nail for everything. So, this is what it's all about. You go to play at the high-major, Division I level in the SEC for. It's this type of game. You're playing for a whole lot, both teams. It's a great opportunity for us."
Q: You mentioned the other day after the Missouri game, Tyson playing like a senior should. What do you feel has been different about him?
BH: "I just think that Tyson is a really good player. For seniors, I think he knows that this is his last time around. He's got two conference games left in his career, so he's giving it his all. I thought his defense, the first time we played South Carolina, in terms of his helping and really team concept defensively was as good as it's been in his career. We need that same effort at that end of the floor as well. I thought that really helped us in that game."
Q: Earlier today, it was announced that Reggie Perry is a finalist for the Howell Trophy this year, what does that award mean at Mississippi State?
BH: "It's really special because, for me, it's the name of Bailey Howell. It's hallowed ground around here. Bailey is arguably the best player in the history of Mississippi State. When you look at his rebounding numbers, I don't think there's any doubt, it's ridiculous what he did in terms of 17 rebounds a game."
"I love talking to Bailey. I think in the pros, the fact that he had over 30 rebounds [in one game] twice in his career ... He's just an incredible man too. He's such a kind, good person and such a great example of what it's all about. He has such a great understanding and feel for the game. He just represents everything that's good about athletics and about basketball. To have it [The award] be in his name and being a former Mississippi State great here [makes it really special]."
"I'm sad that he didn't get a chance to participate in the NCAA Tournament. I think they would have won it in '59, the year that Cal won it. I think that was their year to win it. There's a movie about if a kid hit a home run, I forget what movie it is, how it would have changed the trajectory of his life but instead he strikes out … Imagine if they [Mississippi State] would had been allowed to play and we won the National Championship back then, how that would the trajectory of this program forever. I believe they would have won it, I really do. Babe McCarthy did an unbelievable job if you look what happened. Obviously, it's all about having great players, and they had the number two pick in the draft right here in Starkville."
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