Photo by: Austin Perryman/MSU Athletics
Bulldogs All Business In The Bahamas
November 24, 2021 | Men's Basketball
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State men's basketball will be eating its turkey and dressing this year with the beautiful backdrop of the Bahamas.
And although the Bulldogs will be spending Thanksgiving in one of the most scenic places in the world in Nassau, there is work to be done first and foremost.
"It is a business trip," said junior forward Javian Davis. "We're going out of the country but we've still got to come in an do our job but also try to have fun while we're there."
MSU is one of 19 men's and women's basketball teams participating in the Baha Mar Hoops tournament featuring 23 games this week. The Bulldogs will be playing in the "Bahamas Championship" bracket along with Louisville, Maryland and Richmond.
State will take on Louisville on Thursday night at 8:30 and meet one of the other two teams on Saturday in either a championship or consolation game. The tournament is televised on CBS Sports Network.
"We're going to have to lock in," Davis said. "We all know Louisville is one of the premier teams. It's Louisville, so you want to come out and play your best. Our main goal is to go there and win both games and win the championship and that's our main focus."
Ben Howland has been on a number of these excursions out of the country during his 38-year coaching career. Howland usually likes to take in the sites and do a little snorkeling as well. However, the current pandemic will prevent the Bulldogs from exploring the island too much as tourists.
"Normally you would do a little more (sightseeing)," Howland said. "But we're not looking to get COVID there on this trip. If you do that, you're forfeiting games and we cannot afford that for our resume. We're going to be very much business the entire time we're on this trip."
The business-like approach shouldn't be too difficult for at least two members of MSU's roster that are accustomed to that type of environment. Point guard Iverson Molinar was born and raised in Panama and sophomore wing Andersson Garcia grew up in the Dominican Republic.
"It's really exciting for me because these games will be kind of like going home for me being on an island," Garcia said. "This will be my first time being in another country besides the Dominican and the United States."
Molinar's only regular season tournament experience came in the Myrtle Beach Invitational as a freshman in 2019. He averaged 12 points and 3.4 assists during that three-game event.
Molinar currently leads the Bulldogs scoring 15.8 points per game and his 5.3 assists ranks fourth in the Southeastern Conference.
And although the Bulldogs will be spending Thanksgiving in one of the most scenic places in the world in Nassau, there is work to be done first and foremost.
"It is a business trip," said junior forward Javian Davis. "We're going out of the country but we've still got to come in an do our job but also try to have fun while we're there."
MSU is one of 19 men's and women's basketball teams participating in the Baha Mar Hoops tournament featuring 23 games this week. The Bulldogs will be playing in the "Bahamas Championship" bracket along with Louisville, Maryland and Richmond.
State will take on Louisville on Thursday night at 8:30 and meet one of the other two teams on Saturday in either a championship or consolation game. The tournament is televised on CBS Sports Network.
"We're going to have to lock in," Davis said. "We all know Louisville is one of the premier teams. It's Louisville, so you want to come out and play your best. Our main goal is to go there and win both games and win the championship and that's our main focus."
Ben Howland has been on a number of these excursions out of the country during his 38-year coaching career. Howland usually likes to take in the sites and do a little snorkeling as well. However, the current pandemic will prevent the Bulldogs from exploring the island too much as tourists.
"Normally you would do a little more (sightseeing)," Howland said. "But we're not looking to get COVID there on this trip. If you do that, you're forfeiting games and we cannot afford that for our resume. We're going to be very much business the entire time we're on this trip."
The business-like approach shouldn't be too difficult for at least two members of MSU's roster that are accustomed to that type of environment. Point guard Iverson Molinar was born and raised in Panama and sophomore wing Andersson Garcia grew up in the Dominican Republic.
"It's really exciting for me because these games will be kind of like going home for me being on an island," Garcia said. "This will be my first time being in another country besides the Dominican and the United States."
Molinar's only regular season tournament experience came in the Myrtle Beach Invitational as a freshman in 2019. He averaged 12 points and 3.4 assists during that three-game event.
Molinar currently leads the Bulldogs scoring 15.8 points per game and his 5.3 assists ranks fourth in the Southeastern Conference.
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