Saturday, March 7
Starkville
5:30 PM
Mississippi State
vs
Ole Miss
Gameday: Five Things to Know About MSU-Ole Miss
March 06, 2020 | Men's Basketball
by Matt Dunaway, Associate Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – Senior Night and the regular season finale awaits Mississippi State as the Bulldogs face off with in-state rival Ole Miss on Saturday at Humphrey Coliseum.
With a victory and help, the Bulldogs can still earn a double-bye and a top four seed at next week's SEC Tournament. Mississippi State heads into the weekend tied for fifth place with South Carolina. The two teams trail Auburn, Florida and LSU by a game and are one-game clear of Tennessee and Texas A&M.
The Matchup: Mississippi State (19-11, 10-7 SEC) vs. Ole Miss (15-15, 6-11 SEC)
Where: Starkville, Mississippi – Humphrey Coliseum
When: Saturday, March 7, 5:30 p.m. CT
Live Stats: StatBroadcast (https://hailst.at/MBKLiveStats)
Tickets: MSU Ticket Office (https://hailst.at/tix-MBKvsOM)
TV: SEC Network
Talent: Paul Sunderland, Pat Bradley
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/OMvsMSU030720)
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. 191 (XM), Ch. 962 (Internet)
MSU-OLE MISS HARDWOOD SERIES
The two teams have split the regular season series during each of the last two seasons, but Ole Miss has tucked away a 10-3 mark going back to the 2013-14 season.
The Bulldogs last win in the series came in Oxford during an 81-75 comeback triumph last season. Quinndary Weatherspoon dialed up 27 points, eight rebounds and four steals, while Reggie Perry notched 21 points and 11 rebounds highlighted by the go-ahead trey with 3:32 remaining.
METAL DETECTORS/CLEAR BAGS
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.
For more gameday information, visit https://hailst.at/MBKGameday
TICKETS/PROMOTIONS/SENIOR NIGHT
General admission tickets for Mississippi State's regular season home finale 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.
Saturday is the "True Maroon" game, and all fans are encouraged to wear Maroon to support the Bulldogs. The first 500 students will receive a "This Is March" t-shirt in addition to a free Little Caesars Pizza coupon while supplies last. Other promotions include 375 Hail State Rewards points for students, 450 points for Bully's Kids Club members and an opportunity to win $800 for any Hail State Rewards member.
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. Last time out, Tyson Carter pumped in a game-leading 24 points. Reggie Perry collected his 16th double-double of the season, but Mississippi State was handed an 83-71 setback by South Carolina. The victory for the Gamecocks gave the home team an 8-2 record over the last 10 meetings since the two teams became home-and-home opponents leading into the 2015-16 season. The 17 points allowed Perry to become the 17th player in program history to reach 500 points during a season as State nearly overcame an 18-point first half deficit and an 11-point second half hole. Perry pulled down a SEC career-high 16 rebounds to secure his 16th double-double of the season and added two assists over an efficient 26 minutes. He was charged with two opening half fouls and picked up his fourth foul with 16:53 left in the second half. After being saddled with three first-half fouls, Carter exploded for 17 of his 24 points in the second half. He was 7-of-10 shooting, drained 4-of-5 from three-point territory and was 6-of-7 at the foul line. Robert Woodard II gave Mississippi State three players in double figures. He worked his way to 11 points, highlighted by eight in the first half, coupled with four rebounds and two steals. Nick Weatherspoon dialed up nine points and three rebounds whereas Abdul Ado tallied five points, five rebounds and three blocks. Iverson Molinar and D.J. Stewart Jr. rounded out the scoring for the Bulldogs. Molinar chipped in three points on free throws, while Stewart Jr. tacked on two points, three assists and two steals. South Carolina was fueled by Maik Kotsar who piled up 20 points on his Senior Night. Jermaine Couisnard impacted the game with eight points and distributed eight of his career-high 10 assists in the second half.
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 away from 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. The 67 wins are tied for the fourth-most in program history over a three-year span with the 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 teams.
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 weekend's action with a 37.1 percent offensive rebounding percentage … The Bulldogs have secured a +6.8 rebounding margin which is 1st in the SEC, 5th among Power 5 teams and tied for 17th nationally. Mississippi State also checks in with a 46.8 field goal percentage which is 1st in the SEC, tied for 4th among Power 5 schools and tied for 32nd 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 5 finalists for the Karl Malone Award awarded to the nation's top power forward in early March. 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 (17.2 – 6th), rebounds (9.9 – 1st) and blocks (1.2 – 9th). 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 with 516 points, the 24th most by a player in program history. He became the 17th player to eclipse 500 with a 17-point effort at South Carolina on 03/03. He joined 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 made it three consecutive seasons where the Bulldogs had at least one 500-point scorer. Quinndary Weatherspoonn 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 Malone during the 1980-81, 1981-82 and 1982-83 campaigns.
Perry has secured a SEC-leading 16 double-doubles this season highlighted by 12 double-doubles over his last 20 games since 12/22. Eight of those 12 double-doubles have been of the 20-points, 10-rebound variety. The 16 double-doubles are fourth among Power 5 players this season and is tied for fifth-most by a MSU player with Lawrence Roberts (2003-04) 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 25 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 (14.1 – 16th) and free throw percentage (86.5 – 4th). Carter has dialed up 10-plus points in 12 of his last 15 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 220 of MSU's 294 bench points (74.8 percent) during that span. The Bulldogs have posted a 40-13 record since the start of 2017-18 when Carter scores 10 points or more and have won eight of 12 games when the Starkville native reaches the 20-plus point plateau during his career.
Carter heads into Saturday's game with 1,343 career points and 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 1,343 points are 20 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 216 treys which is tops among SEC active players and fifth in program history.
5. Nick Weatherspoon has registered 11.7 points and 4.0 assists per game over his 20 games since returning to action on 12/22 … He has started in 79 of 80 career games and secured double digit points in 14 of his 20 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 4.4 APG are 4th, while his 1.5 assist-to-turnover ratio is 9th against SEC opponents on the league leaderboard … The Canton native has distributed 63 of his 80 assists (4.5 APG) over his last 14 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 Saturday's action tied for 24th place on the MSU's all-time list and his 6.7 rebounds are tied for 9th 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 178 career blocks over 97 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, 6.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game on the season … The 6.7 RPG are tied for 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 five 20-plus point, 15-plus rebound games this season: Arkansas' Jimmy Whitt Jr., Florida's Kerry Blackshear Jr. and Georgia's Anthony Edwards have the other three … Woodard II has already collected double figures in 18 games which is third on the team behind Reggie Perry and Tyson Carter … He has registered 10-plus points in eight of his last 12 and nine of his last 14 outings after having three games of 10-plus during the entire 2018-19 season … Woodard II has a trio of double-doubles in 2019-20: 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 422 of the team's 509 bench points (82.9 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 15 games and improved his averages to 10.2 PPG and 3.0 RPG over his last 10 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 Rebels have won back-to-back games and five of their last nine since beginning the SEC slate with a 1-7 record. Most recently, Ole Miss protected its home floor with wins over Vanderbilt (86-60) and Missouri (75-67). Five of the six SEC wins and 12 of the 15 overall victories have been by 10-plus points.
Breein Tyree (20.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.3 SPG), the SEC's active leading scorer, is up to seventh place on the program's scoring list with 1,768 career points. He has ripped off seven games of 20-plus points over a 13-game span since 01/07. Tyree has four games of 30-plus points headed by a career-best 40 points on 13-of-22 shooting against Mississippi State on 02/11. His 22.9 PPG in SEC play ranks second on the league leaderboard.
Devontae Shuler (11.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.7 SPG) has provided double figures in seven of his last 11 outings headed by a 28-point effort at LSU on 02/01 and a 26-point performance versus Auburn on 01/28. He has garnered a 1.8 assist-to-turnover ratio which ranks fourth, while his 1.7 steals per game are sixth in the SEC rankings. Shuler has dished out five or more assists on 11 occasions this season.
Blake Hinson (10.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG), KJ Buffen (10.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.4 SPG) and Khadim Sy (9.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG) round out Ole Miss' staring five who have amassed 1,048 of the team's 1,175 points (89.1 percent) during SEC action.
Hinson fired in 19 first-half points versus Missouri last time out and poured in a career-high 26 points versus the Bulldogs during last year's 81-77 win in Starkville. Sy has provided double figures in seven of his last 12 efforts headed by a SEC season's best 18 points and eight rebounds against Mississippi State. Buffen has reeled off 10-plus points in six of his last eight starting with the Florida game on 02/08.
UP NEXT
Mississippi State heads to the SEC Tournament in Nashville with the winner capturing the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Matchups and game times will be announced by the conference office following Saturday's action.
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 6, 2020
Head Coach Ben Howland
Q: Do you get emotional thinking about seeing a four-year senior like Tyson Carter on his senior night?
BH: "I was thinking about it yesterday and how much I'm going to miss him. What a security blanket he's been for me. He's been so reliable and consistent. He has a tremendous work ethic."
"You look at his improvement from day one to where he is now as a player, it's a tribute to him and his work ethic. He's a guy who spends countless hours in the offseason in the gym. He's what the term 'gym rat' came from, a guy like him. He's a gym rat. He loves the game. He'll be playing it and coaching it for the rest of his life, I'm sure of it. He could not live without the game. That's how much he loves it."
Q: Another shot at Ole Miss, what have you seen looking at their 1-3-1 press?
BH: "It's not a press as much as it is a halfcourt trapping defense. I think that we've got a chance now that we've worked on a couple of days in preparation. I think we'll do a better job attacking it and have a better idea of what we're doing. Really when you back and watch that tape, I thought that was the key factor after the game. I watched the game again, our defense was horrendous. We've got to do better defensively. I think they're so good offensively. Ole Miss really executes, and they're playing at a high level. If you look at their last few games here, they've been really good offensively. [Blake] Hinson has 19 [points] in the first half against Missouri the other night."
"[Breein] Tyree is Tyree, he's one of their best players in the history of Ole Miss and leading [active] scorer of our conference. He's a tremendous player. Their big kid, [Khadim] Sy, played great against us the first time offensively. He had 18 points. They were all tough, hard baskets. He's a good player. Obviously, [K.J.] Buffen is a key for them and really, he's done an excellent job. [Devontae] Shuler is their second-leading scorer. He's got tremendous talent and has really had a heck of a year. They're a very hard team to defend, and we've got to do a good job in that respect."
Q: Tyree has played so well against your team in the past, and it seems like how he goes is how Ole Miss goes. How do you try to slow a guy like him down?
BH: "He's just a great player and a guy that I think will be playing in this game for a long time to come and be very successful. We've got some things that we'll try do a little differently."
Q: What can you take from the early success you had the last time you played at Ole Miss and bring to Saturday's game?
BH: "I thought that when we had the lead the second time towards the end of the first half, it really hurt us when Abdul [Ado] got his second foul with about 6:30 left. From that point, our lead dissipated. I remember going back and looking at that game. We lost by 25 [points] and the plus-minus was when Abdul was in, we were even. When he was out, we were down 25. He was pretty important."
"There were a lot of positives that we could take from when we had the lead and did a good job offensively. I thought offensively we really hurt ourselves with some bad shots that helped them get back in it and cut the lead off that last three [at the buzzer] to two at halftime. Actually, down to one because they took away point as D.J. [Stewart Jr.] was on the line for a three. It was reviewed and determined that it should be one less point."
Q: When you look at Tyson Carter as a freshman to now, what areas has he improved in?
BH: "First of all, he showed up here at 149 pounds dripping wet. So, he's gotten a lot stronger and bigger. I think he's become more athletic. I think he's faster, and I think he's quicker. I think that his defense has definitely improved and his understanding of the importance of how that relates to winning at this level. He's got a very high basketball IQ. Obviously, he's a coach's son."
"I think he's improved as a shooter. I remember when he first got here – it wasn't a big change, but it was something that was really important that he picked up right away. He would catch the ball. Then, he would drop it, wind up and shoot. Almost every high school player that I've ever coached has done because initially they are not strong enough at first learning to shoot a jump shot to drop it to get them momentum to get them some oomph in their shot and get it off the ground. He was able to do fix that. Now, it's no dropping it. It's just a catch with that quick release, which makes it even harder to close to him because it's quicker. Then, he's able to shot fake it and make it."
"He's really improved his point guard skills with the ball. Being able to be better coming off the ball screens with the ball, playing lower, really being good at reading. Change of pace, you've seen him. I remember at Missouri last week he was really good at reading things and slowing down and then bursting. He's got a great hesitation and go move where he'll hesitate, you have to expect the jump shot. Then, he goes by you. He's improved. He's a good rebounder in many facets of the game."
Q: Do you try to temper those emotions with a rivalry game and senior night, or do you want your team to feed off of that?
BH: "I think they feed off of it. There's no trying to make less of it. It's a big deal. It's our last home game of the year. It's against the team that's most important for us to win against. We want to play our best for a lot of reasons."
Guard Robert Woodard II
Q: After what happened last time playing Ole Miss, how much are you guys trying to redeem yourselves a little bit?
RW II: "Definitely, left a bad taste in our mouth. Going into that game is definitely not what we expected to happen. After the game, you just have to move forward and know that we will have another chance to see them. We just have to take advantage of this opportunity."
Q: What's it been like to have Tyson Carter as a teammate?
RW II: "It's great. Ever since high school, I've always watched his game. He's always been a great player. I've looked up to him. Actually being able to witness it every day on the court, it's amazing to watch. He's just a great player."
Q: How do you personally think the best way to attack that 1-3-1 trap that Ole Miss runs?
RW II: "I don't really want to give it away but mainly just being aggressive to it. Attacking the basket because it has a lot of gaps. Hopefully, we'll be able to break them out of it by scoring faster than what we did and not hold the ball."
Guard Tyson Carter
Q: What do you think your emotions are going to be like tomorrow?
TC: "It shouldn't be too big of an adjustment. My focus at this point is the next game just like it's been. This game is very important for us just as a standpoint of the rivalry and trying to make it to the NCAA Tournament. We need this game just like every other game."
Q: Do you feel like you have a different type of urgency knowing these are your last few games?
TC: "Yeah, I think that's played a big part in it. I want to end the year on the good note as a team. At this point, I'm just doing everything I can just to help my team win."
Q: Do you like this game being the last game of the season like football with the Egg Bowl?
TC: "That's kind of similar to the Egg Bowl being the last game of the season against your in-state rival. It should be a pretty fun game."
STARKVILLE – Senior Night and the regular season finale awaits Mississippi State as the Bulldogs face off with in-state rival Ole Miss on Saturday at Humphrey Coliseum.
With a victory and help, the Bulldogs can still earn a double-bye and a top four seed at next week's SEC Tournament. Mississippi State heads into the weekend tied for fifth place with South Carolina. The two teams trail Auburn, Florida and LSU by a game and are one-game clear of Tennessee and Texas A&M.
The Matchup: Mississippi State (19-11, 10-7 SEC) vs. Ole Miss (15-15, 6-11 SEC)
Where: Starkville, Mississippi – Humphrey Coliseum
When: Saturday, March 7, 5:30 p.m. CT
Live Stats: StatBroadcast (https://hailst.at/MBKLiveStats)
Tickets: MSU Ticket Office (https://hailst.at/tix-MBKvsOM)
TV: SEC Network
Talent: Paul Sunderland, Pat Bradley
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/OMvsMSU030720)
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. 191 (XM), Ch. 962 (Internet)
MSU-OLE MISS HARDWOOD SERIES
The two teams have split the regular season series during each of the last two seasons, but Ole Miss has tucked away a 10-3 mark going back to the 2013-14 season.
The Bulldogs last win in the series came in Oxford during an 81-75 comeback triumph last season. Quinndary Weatherspoon dialed up 27 points, eight rebounds and four steals, while Reggie Perry notched 21 points and 11 rebounds highlighted by the go-ahead trey with 3:32 remaining.
METAL DETECTORS/CLEAR BAGS
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.
For more gameday information, visit https://hailst.at/MBKGameday
TICKETS/PROMOTIONS/SENIOR NIGHT
General admission tickets for Mississippi State's regular season home finale 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.
Saturday is the "True Maroon" game, and all fans are encouraged to wear Maroon to support the Bulldogs. The first 500 students will receive a "This Is March" t-shirt in addition to a free Little Caesars Pizza coupon while supplies last. Other promotions include 375 Hail State Rewards points for students, 450 points for Bully's Kids Club members and an opportunity to win $800 for any Hail State Rewards member.
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. Last time out, Tyson Carter pumped in a game-leading 24 points. Reggie Perry collected his 16th double-double of the season, but Mississippi State was handed an 83-71 setback by South Carolina. The victory for the Gamecocks gave the home team an 8-2 record over the last 10 meetings since the two teams became home-and-home opponents leading into the 2015-16 season. The 17 points allowed Perry to become the 17th player in program history to reach 500 points during a season as State nearly overcame an 18-point first half deficit and an 11-point second half hole. Perry pulled down a SEC career-high 16 rebounds to secure his 16th double-double of the season and added two assists over an efficient 26 minutes. He was charged with two opening half fouls and picked up his fourth foul with 16:53 left in the second half. After being saddled with three first-half fouls, Carter exploded for 17 of his 24 points in the second half. He was 7-of-10 shooting, drained 4-of-5 from three-point territory and was 6-of-7 at the foul line. Robert Woodard II gave Mississippi State three players in double figures. He worked his way to 11 points, highlighted by eight in the first half, coupled with four rebounds and two steals. Nick Weatherspoon dialed up nine points and three rebounds whereas Abdul Ado tallied five points, five rebounds and three blocks. Iverson Molinar and D.J. Stewart Jr. rounded out the scoring for the Bulldogs. Molinar chipped in three points on free throws, while Stewart Jr. tacked on two points, three assists and two steals. South Carolina was fueled by Maik Kotsar who piled up 20 points on his Senior Night. Jermaine Couisnard impacted the game with eight points and distributed eight of his career-high 10 assists in the second half.
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 away from 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. The 67 wins are tied for the fourth-most in program history over a three-year span with the 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 teams.
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 weekend's action with a 37.1 percent offensive rebounding percentage … The Bulldogs have secured a +6.8 rebounding margin which is 1st in the SEC, 5th among Power 5 teams and tied for 17th nationally. Mississippi State also checks in with a 46.8 field goal percentage which is 1st in the SEC, tied for 4th among Power 5 schools and tied for 32nd 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 5 finalists for the Karl Malone Award awarded to the nation's top power forward in early March. 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 (17.2 – 6th), rebounds (9.9 – 1st) and blocks (1.2 – 9th). 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 with 516 points, the 24th most by a player in program history. He became the 17th player to eclipse 500 with a 17-point effort at South Carolina on 03/03. He joined 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 made it three consecutive seasons where the Bulldogs had at least one 500-point scorer. Quinndary Weatherspoonn 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 Malone during the 1980-81, 1981-82 and 1982-83 campaigns.
Perry has secured a SEC-leading 16 double-doubles this season highlighted by 12 double-doubles over his last 20 games since 12/22. Eight of those 12 double-doubles have been of the 20-points, 10-rebound variety. The 16 double-doubles are fourth among Power 5 players this season and is tied for fifth-most by a MSU player with Lawrence Roberts (2003-04) 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 25 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 (14.1 – 16th) and free throw percentage (86.5 – 4th). Carter has dialed up 10-plus points in 12 of his last 15 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 220 of MSU's 294 bench points (74.8 percent) during that span. The Bulldogs have posted a 40-13 record since the start of 2017-18 when Carter scores 10 points or more and have won eight of 12 games when the Starkville native reaches the 20-plus point plateau during his career.
Carter heads into Saturday's game with 1,343 career points and 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 1,343 points are 20 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 216 treys which is tops among SEC active players and fifth in program history.
5. Nick Weatherspoon has registered 11.7 points and 4.0 assists per game over his 20 games since returning to action on 12/22 … He has started in 79 of 80 career games and secured double digit points in 14 of his 20 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 4.4 APG are 4th, while his 1.5 assist-to-turnover ratio is 9th against SEC opponents on the league leaderboard … The Canton native has distributed 63 of his 80 assists (4.5 APG) over his last 14 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 Saturday's action tied for 24th place on the MSU's all-time list and his 6.7 rebounds are tied for 9th 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 178 career blocks over 97 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, 6.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game on the season … The 6.7 RPG are tied for 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 five 20-plus point, 15-plus rebound games this season: Arkansas' Jimmy Whitt Jr., Florida's Kerry Blackshear Jr. and Georgia's Anthony Edwards have the other three … Woodard II has already collected double figures in 18 games which is third on the team behind Reggie Perry and Tyson Carter … He has registered 10-plus points in eight of his last 12 and nine of his last 14 outings after having three games of 10-plus during the entire 2018-19 season … Woodard II has a trio of double-doubles in 2019-20: 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 422 of the team's 509 bench points (82.9 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 15 games and improved his averages to 10.2 PPG and 3.0 RPG over his last 10 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 Rebels have won back-to-back games and five of their last nine since beginning the SEC slate with a 1-7 record. Most recently, Ole Miss protected its home floor with wins over Vanderbilt (86-60) and Missouri (75-67). Five of the six SEC wins and 12 of the 15 overall victories have been by 10-plus points.
Breein Tyree (20.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.3 SPG), the SEC's active leading scorer, is up to seventh place on the program's scoring list with 1,768 career points. He has ripped off seven games of 20-plus points over a 13-game span since 01/07. Tyree has four games of 30-plus points headed by a career-best 40 points on 13-of-22 shooting against Mississippi State on 02/11. His 22.9 PPG in SEC play ranks second on the league leaderboard.
Devontae Shuler (11.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.7 SPG) has provided double figures in seven of his last 11 outings headed by a 28-point effort at LSU on 02/01 and a 26-point performance versus Auburn on 01/28. He has garnered a 1.8 assist-to-turnover ratio which ranks fourth, while his 1.7 steals per game are sixth in the SEC rankings. Shuler has dished out five or more assists on 11 occasions this season.
Blake Hinson (10.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG), KJ Buffen (10.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.4 SPG) and Khadim Sy (9.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG) round out Ole Miss' staring five who have amassed 1,048 of the team's 1,175 points (89.1 percent) during SEC action.
Hinson fired in 19 first-half points versus Missouri last time out and poured in a career-high 26 points versus the Bulldogs during last year's 81-77 win in Starkville. Sy has provided double figures in seven of his last 12 efforts headed by a SEC season's best 18 points and eight rebounds against Mississippi State. Buffen has reeled off 10-plus points in six of his last eight starting with the Florida game on 02/08.
UP NEXT
Mississippi State heads to the SEC Tournament in Nashville with the winner capturing the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Matchups and game times will be announced by the conference office following Saturday's action.
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 6, 2020
Head Coach Ben Howland
Q: Do you get emotional thinking about seeing a four-year senior like Tyson Carter on his senior night?
BH: "I was thinking about it yesterday and how much I'm going to miss him. What a security blanket he's been for me. He's been so reliable and consistent. He has a tremendous work ethic."
"You look at his improvement from day one to where he is now as a player, it's a tribute to him and his work ethic. He's a guy who spends countless hours in the offseason in the gym. He's what the term 'gym rat' came from, a guy like him. He's a gym rat. He loves the game. He'll be playing it and coaching it for the rest of his life, I'm sure of it. He could not live without the game. That's how much he loves it."
Q: Another shot at Ole Miss, what have you seen looking at their 1-3-1 press?
BH: "It's not a press as much as it is a halfcourt trapping defense. I think that we've got a chance now that we've worked on a couple of days in preparation. I think we'll do a better job attacking it and have a better idea of what we're doing. Really when you back and watch that tape, I thought that was the key factor after the game. I watched the game again, our defense was horrendous. We've got to do better defensively. I think they're so good offensively. Ole Miss really executes, and they're playing at a high level. If you look at their last few games here, they've been really good offensively. [Blake] Hinson has 19 [points] in the first half against Missouri the other night."
"[Breein] Tyree is Tyree, he's one of their best players in the history of Ole Miss and leading [active] scorer of our conference. He's a tremendous player. Their big kid, [Khadim] Sy, played great against us the first time offensively. He had 18 points. They were all tough, hard baskets. He's a good player. Obviously, [K.J.] Buffen is a key for them and really, he's done an excellent job. [Devontae] Shuler is their second-leading scorer. He's got tremendous talent and has really had a heck of a year. They're a very hard team to defend, and we've got to do a good job in that respect."
Q: Tyree has played so well against your team in the past, and it seems like how he goes is how Ole Miss goes. How do you try to slow a guy like him down?
BH: "He's just a great player and a guy that I think will be playing in this game for a long time to come and be very successful. We've got some things that we'll try do a little differently."
Q: What can you take from the early success you had the last time you played at Ole Miss and bring to Saturday's game?
BH: "I thought that when we had the lead the second time towards the end of the first half, it really hurt us when Abdul [Ado] got his second foul with about 6:30 left. From that point, our lead dissipated. I remember going back and looking at that game. We lost by 25 [points] and the plus-minus was when Abdul was in, we were even. When he was out, we were down 25. He was pretty important."
"There were a lot of positives that we could take from when we had the lead and did a good job offensively. I thought offensively we really hurt ourselves with some bad shots that helped them get back in it and cut the lead off that last three [at the buzzer] to two at halftime. Actually, down to one because they took away point as D.J. [Stewart Jr.] was on the line for a three. It was reviewed and determined that it should be one less point."
Q: When you look at Tyson Carter as a freshman to now, what areas has he improved in?
BH: "First of all, he showed up here at 149 pounds dripping wet. So, he's gotten a lot stronger and bigger. I think he's become more athletic. I think he's faster, and I think he's quicker. I think that his defense has definitely improved and his understanding of the importance of how that relates to winning at this level. He's got a very high basketball IQ. Obviously, he's a coach's son."
"I think he's improved as a shooter. I remember when he first got here – it wasn't a big change, but it was something that was really important that he picked up right away. He would catch the ball. Then, he would drop it, wind up and shoot. Almost every high school player that I've ever coached has done because initially they are not strong enough at first learning to shoot a jump shot to drop it to get them momentum to get them some oomph in their shot and get it off the ground. He was able to do fix that. Now, it's no dropping it. It's just a catch with that quick release, which makes it even harder to close to him because it's quicker. Then, he's able to shot fake it and make it."
"He's really improved his point guard skills with the ball. Being able to be better coming off the ball screens with the ball, playing lower, really being good at reading. Change of pace, you've seen him. I remember at Missouri last week he was really good at reading things and slowing down and then bursting. He's got a great hesitation and go move where he'll hesitate, you have to expect the jump shot. Then, he goes by you. He's improved. He's a good rebounder in many facets of the game."
Q: Do you try to temper those emotions with a rivalry game and senior night, or do you want your team to feed off of that?
BH: "I think they feed off of it. There's no trying to make less of it. It's a big deal. It's our last home game of the year. It's against the team that's most important for us to win against. We want to play our best for a lot of reasons."
Guard Robert Woodard II
Q: After what happened last time playing Ole Miss, how much are you guys trying to redeem yourselves a little bit?
RW II: "Definitely, left a bad taste in our mouth. Going into that game is definitely not what we expected to happen. After the game, you just have to move forward and know that we will have another chance to see them. We just have to take advantage of this opportunity."
Q: What's it been like to have Tyson Carter as a teammate?
RW II: "It's great. Ever since high school, I've always watched his game. He's always been a great player. I've looked up to him. Actually being able to witness it every day on the court, it's amazing to watch. He's just a great player."
Q: How do you personally think the best way to attack that 1-3-1 trap that Ole Miss runs?
RW II: "I don't really want to give it away but mainly just being aggressive to it. Attacking the basket because it has a lot of gaps. Hopefully, we'll be able to break them out of it by scoring faster than what we did and not hold the ball."
Guard Tyson Carter
Q: What do you think your emotions are going to be like tomorrow?
TC: "It shouldn't be too big of an adjustment. My focus at this point is the next game just like it's been. This game is very important for us just as a standpoint of the rivalry and trying to make it to the NCAA Tournament. We need this game just like every other game."
Q: Do you feel like you have a different type of urgency knowing these are your last few games?
TC: "Yeah, I think that's played a big part in it. I want to end the year on the good note as a team. At this point, I'm just doing everything I can just to help my team win."
Q: Do you like this game being the last game of the season like football with the Egg Bowl?
TC: "That's kind of similar to the Egg Bowl being the last game of the season against your in-state rival. It should be a pretty fun game."
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/ Men's BasketballJosh Hubbard - "I'm Back"
Friday, April 17
MEN'S BASKETBALL | Chris Jans & Players SEC Tournament Postgame vs. Auburn - 3/11/26
Thursday, March 12
MEN'S BASKETBALL | Chris Jans Media Session - 3/9/26
Monday, March 09
MEN'S BASKETBALL | Josh Hubbard & Ja'Borri McGhee Postgame Press Conference vs. Georgia - 3/7/26
Sunday, March 08