Tuesday, February 2
Fayetteville, Ark.
8:00 PM
Mississippi State
at
Arkansas
Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Gameday: Five Things to Know about MSU-Arkansas
February 01, 2021 | Men's Basketball
by Matt Dunaway, Associate Director/Communications
FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas – The calendar turns to February for the Mississippi State men's basketball team as the Bulldogs will face four of their next six on the road starting with Arkansas on Tuesday.
The Bulldogs (10-8, 4-5 SEC) are fresh off a 95-56 rout of Iowa State during the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. State dished out a season-high 21 assists on a season's best 37 field goals. The Bulldogs also racked up season-highs for bench points (40), points off turnovers (34) and second-chance points (20).
The 39-point margin of victory was the program's largest over a current Power 5 non-conference opponent. The previous mark was a 75-47 win (+28) over Florida State on 12/10/1951.
Mississippi State and Arkansas (13-5, 5-4 SEC) are separated by one game for sixth place in the SEC standings. The Bulldogs trail Florida and LSU by two games for second place and have won 11 of their last 14 February games over the last two seasons dating back to 02/12/2019.
A balanced offensive attack has been a successful formula for Mississippi State in 2020-21 as the Bulldogs has won eight of their nine games in 2020-21 record when four players or more reach double figures.
Mississippi State has won the battle of boards against 16 of its 18 opponents in 2020-21, highlighted by a +10 rebounding margin in seven games. The Bulldogs hold the SEC's top spot limiting their opponents to 31.0 rebounds per game and a +8.7 rebounding margin.
Mississippi State is 6-1 when committing 12 turnovers or less and have won all eight of its outings when knocking down at least eight three-pointers this season.
MSU-ARKANSAS HARDWOOD SERIES
Mississippi State has won its last six meetings with the Razorbacks to slice the overall series deficit down to 33-31. Last season, the Bulldogs captured their first two-game sweep of Arkansas since 2010-11.
Reggie Perry did the heavy lifting for State with 26 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and two blocks during a 77-70 victory in Starkville. At Bud Walton Arena, Tyson Carter rattled off 26 points off the bench. It was Abdul Ado's lone basket that provided the difference on a tipin with 0.6 seconds left to lift the Bulldogs to a 78-77 decision.
The Matchup: Mississippi State (10-8, 4-5 SEC) vs. Arkansas (13-5, 5-4 SEC)
Where: Fayetteville, Arkansas – Bud Walton Arena
When: Tuesday, February 2, 8:00 p.m. CT
Live Stats: StatBroadcast (https://hailst.at/MBKLiveStats)
TV: SEC Network
Talent: Dave Neal, Daymeon Fishback
DirecTV: Ch. 611, Dish: Ch. 404/408, AT&T U-Verse: Ch. 1607, MaxxSouth: Ch. 1026, C Spire: Ch. 220
Online: Watch ESPN app & Watch ESPN online (Cable Subscription Required)
(http://hailst.at/MSUvsARK020221)
Radio: Mississippi State Sports Network – Powered by Learfield IMG College
Talent: Neil Price
Affiliates: WKBB-FM 100.9 Starkville/West Point (Full List: https://hailst.at/MBKAffiliates)
Free Online Audio: Hail State Plus (https://hailst.at/MBKListen); Tune-In Radio App (https://hailst.at/MBKTuneIn)
Sirius/XM: Ch. 381 (XM), Ch. 971 (Internet)
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE
1. Mississippi State has garnered 20+ overall wins in three straight seasons and captured 10+ SEC victories during back-to-back campaigns under sixth-year coach Ben Howland. The Bulldogs have amassed 78 victories since the start of the 2017-18 season which is tied for fourth-most with LSU in the SEC and only behind Auburn (91), Kentucky (86) and Tennessee (86). This year's squad will look to join the 1960-61, 1961-62 and 1962-63 teams as the only group in program history to win 10+ SEC games in three consecutive seasons.
Howland along with assistant coaches George Brooks, Korey McCray and Ernie Zeigler are in their sixth season together in Starkville during the 2020-21 season. The Bulldogs coaching quartet of head coach and three assistants is one of eight staffs in the country to remain together at the same school for the last six seasons. The other staffs include Michigan State (11th) led by Tom Izzo, West Virginia (9th) led by Bob Huggins, UAlbany (9th) led by Will Brown, Kansas (7th) led by Bill Self, Oregon (7th) led by Dana Altman, Vermont (7th) led by John Becker and Bradley (6th) led by Brian Wardle.
2. Iverson Molinar, Tolu Smith and D.J. Stewart Jr. are etching their names among the notable freshmen-to-sophomore jumps at Mississippi State, under Ben Howland and in the SEC over the last decade.
The trio has piled up 44 games in double figures, headed by 13 outings of 20-plus points. The Bulldogs are 9-0 when each member of the trio scores at least 10 points this season.
Molinar, Smith and Stewart Jr. have racked up 48.1 points per game, which is second-most in the SEC only behind LSU's Cameron Thomas, Trendon Watford and Javonte Smart. It also marks the highest MSU scoring trio since Rickey Brown, Greg Grim and Ray White piled up 49.4 points per game during the 1978-79 season.
Stewart Jr. (17.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.2 SPG) has captured 10 of his top 11 career scoring performances in 2020-21. He pumped home a SEC career-high 27 points and added a career-best four steals at No. 18 Alabama (01/23). Stewart Jr. exploded for a SEC season's best 32 points on 13-of-22 shooting versus Dayton (12/12). The Bulldogs have posted a 21-10 record over the last two seasons when he scores 10-plus points.
The Grace, Mississippi, native has already surpassed his 2019-20 total with 17 games in double figures, highlighted by a 12 consecutive games to start the season. He piled up 24 points during the second half of State's 78-63 win over No. 13 Missouri (01/05). Stewart Jr.'s 17.6 points per game are fourth and his 42.6 percent shooting clip is 11th among SEC leaders. He and Molinar are two of eight SEC players to have at least five games of 20-plus points this season.
Molinar (17.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.3 SPG) has notched double figures in 14 of his 15 outings and during 18 of his 23 career starts. He bounced back from a season-low with a 19-point effort at No. 18 Alabama (01/23). MSU has racked up a 14-5 record when Molinar provides 10-plus points in his career. His 17.6 points is third, his 47.8 field goal percentage is seventh and his 81.1 free throw percentage is ninth on the SEC leaderboard. Molinar amassed career-highs with 24 points at Vanderbilt (01/09) and at Georgia (12/30). The Panama native has piled up nine of his top 10 career scoring efforts this season.
Molinar's 11.7 points per game improvement from his freshmen to his sophomore season is tops among SEC players this season and tied for third-highest in the SEC over the last decade. Current Toronto Raptors and former Ole Miss guard Terence Davis from the 2015-16 to 2016-17 season holds the decade's top spot at a 13.1 points per game improvement.
Smith (12.9 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.1 BPG) has collected 13 games in double figures during his first season with the Maroon and White. Prior to his time at MSU, his previous career-high was nine points against West Virginia (11/16/2018) while at Western Kentucky.
Smith is second in the SEC with five double-doubles on the season, most recently career-bests with 27 points and 14 rebounds against Florida (01/16). He tallied 17 of his 27 points, eight of his 14 rebounds and sank all six of his shot attempts during the second half.
Smith's 8.6 rebounds per game and 3.7 offensive rebounds per contest headline the SEC. His six games of 10-plus boards is second, while his 4.9 defensive rebounds per game is sixth in the SEC rankings. Smith has connected on 41-of-63 from the field over his last eight appearances.
3. Abdul Ado (5.4 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.9 BPG), the SEC's active leader in blocks and rebounds, is scheduled to make his 116th career start during Tuesday's Arkansas game. The 116 starts are good enough for sole possession of fourth-place and seven shy of the program's all-time leader Dee Bost (2009-10-11-12). He ranks first among Power five players and third overall among NCAA active players in blocks followed by a 10th place showing among active Power 5 players in rebounds.
Ado has ranked among the SEC's top 10 in blocks shots during all four seasons and his 1.9 blocks per game is fourth this season. Overall, Ado has piled up 216 career blocks, which ranks third in program history. His 1.86 career blocks per game also is third in program history, only behind NCAA all-time leader Jarvis Varnado and Erick Dampier. The Nigeria native has amassed 62 career games with multiple rejections.
Ado is Mississippi State's all-time field goal percentage leader heading into the Arkansas contest among players with at least 250 baskets made. His 59.6 career shooting clip also checks in tied for sixth among active Power 5 players. Ado came away with a SEC season's best with 11 points against Florida (01/16) and hauled down a season-high 12 rebounds at No. 18 Tennessee (01/26).
4. Mississippi State's roster features a talented group of newcomers. The freshmen class is ignited by Deivon Smith (4.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.9 APG) and Cameron Matthews (2.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1.1 SPG), who became the first true freshmen tandem to start a MSU season opener since Tyson Carter and Mario Kegler during the 2016-17 season.
Smith, the eighth ESPN top 100 signee to play with the Bulldogs under head coach Ben Howland, exploded for a career-best 13 points. He also handed out three assists and added two steals in his home state at Georgia (12/30). Smith has tallied five-plus points in five of his nine SEC games and dished out three-plus assists in six of his nine SEC outings. He has distributed 33 assists against 13 turnovers during his last 10 games and set a new career-high with nine dimes versus Iowa State (01/30).
Matthews has impacted the game on the defensive end with steals in 13 of 18 games and registered multiple steals on six occasions. He secured the game-clinching steal on Vanderbilt's Scotty Pippen Jr. during the closing seconds in Nashville. Matthews came away with a SEC season's best of six points and a career-high seven rebounds at No. 18 Alabama (01/23).
MSU's freshmen class also features Keondre Montgomery and Derek Fountain, who coupled with Matthews, are the state of Mississippi's top three prospects for the Class of 2020. Fountain came away with seven points on 3-of-3 shooting against Iowa State (01/30).
5. The Bulldogs also have received solid contributions from Jalen Johnson (6.2 PPG, 2.1 RPG), Javian Davis (3.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG) and Quinten Post (3.3 PPG, 2.4 RPG).
Johnson has piled up 1,173 points and 532 rebounds over 117 career games with his previous stops being at Saint Louis and Louisiana-Lafayette. He has amassed 58 career outings of 10-plus points and 11 outings of 20-plus points. Johnson has knocked down 18 of his 23 treys over his last 12 games.
Davis posted 6.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game over his 31 appearances as a redshirt freshmen at Alabama in 2019-20. His top Bama performance was a 20-point, 10-rebound effort against South Carolina (02/29/2020). Davis chipped in SEC season-high of five points, seven rebounds and two assists versus Kentucky (01/02) and returned to the rotation after a four-game absence against Ole Miss (01/19).
Post fired in a career-best 10 points versus Mississippi Valley State (12/21) to claim his first career game in double figures. He tacked on a SEC season's best five points during the Texas A&M (01/13) and Tennessee games (01/26). Post also collected a career-best 10 rebounds, two blocks and two steals against the Volunteers. The Netherlands native has upped his marks to 6.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in his last two outings and has scored in 14 of his 24 career appearances at Mississippi State.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT
Like most seasons, the Razorbacks have been extremely tough to beat inside Bud Walton Arena where Arkansas has posted an 11-1 mark this season. The lone setback came to Missouri by an 81-68 margin (01/02), and 10 of the 11 home victories have been double-digit points.
Arkansas and Florida are the only SEC teams to have five active players averaging in double figures. Moses Moody (16.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.0 SPG) and J.D. Natae (13.9 PPG, 1.2 SPG) have dialed up 64 of the team's 152 three-pointers on the season.
Moody has pumped home 10-plus points in 15 of 18 games fueled by five games of 20 or more points. He piled up a season's best 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds at Alabama (01/16). A week later, he tallied 26 points and eight rebounds at Vanderbilt (01/23). Moody has one double-double on the season, 18 points and 10 rebounds, during the Missouri game (01/02).
Notae has done a majority of his damage coming off the bench and has drained multiple treys in 12 of 18 games. He posted a season-high 22 points at LSU (01/13) and versus Central Arkansas (12/12).
Justin Smith (11.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG), Desi Sills (11.2 PPG, 1.4 SPG) and Jalen Tate (10.9 PPG, 4.4 APG, 1.4 SPG) also have amassed double figures for the season. Smith has notched 10-plus points in four straight games, most notably an 18-point effort on 9-of-14 shooting against Oklahoma State (01/30) during the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
Sills turned in a pair of 20-plus point performances against Auburn (12/30 and 01/20) this season. He garnered 15 points against Mississippi State in Fayetteville last season. Tate has recorded a pair of points-assists double-doubles this season. He worked his way to 15 points and 10 assists against Georgia (01/09). Tate filled the box score with 25 points, eight assists, five rebounds and four steals at Vanderbilt (01/23).
Connor Vanover (7.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.9 BPG) and Davonte Davis (6.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.2 SPG) have been solid contributors throughout the season. Davis has piled up double digit points in three of his last four outings which includes 14 points, six rebounds and two steals versus Ole Miss (01/27).
FROM THE BENCH – BEN HOWLAND MEDIA SESSION
Q: What are your initial impressions from Arkansas?
BH: "Arkansas is very good. They had a really good transfer that was out for probably a month, this kid [Justin] Smith, that transferred from Indiana. He makes a huge difference for them at the power forward position. He's a very good player. He's been back now for a few games."
"They have very good, young talent. They combine that with some graduate transfers. They have a point guard, [Jalen] Tate, that was at Northern Kentucky a year ago that's a very good player. [JD] Notae, number one, that comes off the bench for them is probably their best offensive player at perimeter play. The kid, [Moses] Moody, is going to be a pro. It sounds like he's going to be drafted at the end of this year based on all of the stuff that you read."
"So, they've got a lot of talent. [Desi] Sills is incredibly tough. They have very good talent. The big kid inside, [Connor Vanover], is 7'3. The first time I watched him play this year was early in the season. They played North Texas, and he blocked like eight shots in that game. I was like, 'Wow! This guy is really formidable.' [Connor] Vanover is a good player. He shoots three's. He's skilled. So, they've got very good pieces and really play hard and do a lot of good things defensively to disrupt you. They're very good offensively in their motion."
Q: What have you seen from Deivon Smith to get him to this point in his skill level?
BH: "Well, I thought in the last game in particular, he did a great job jump-stopping. He was really tight with the ball. He only had one turnover and nine assists. That's the key. The reason we lost both at Alabama and Tennessee ultimately, we talked about the last week, was the turnovers. The turnovers that led to easy baskets. That's something that is key about tomorrow is handling their double teams and handling their run-and-jump [pressure] and hurting them when they do that. Deivon is a key to helping solve that riddle because of his ability to penetrate and kick and make plays. He scored at the rim five times as well in the last game."
Q: How would you assess where your team is at heading into the halfway point of SEC play?
BH: "Well, I think the last three games we've really improved defensively. I think we've played the best three games in a row defensively that we've done all year. Any time you play good defense, you give yourself a chance to win. All is true, especially on the road. Defense is what travels, so we're going to have to do a really good job in transition. We're going to have to do a really good job in the half court."
"Arkansas runs a lot of motion. They probably do as good of a job as anybody in our league at cutting without the ball. That's something that we're really trying to emphasize here today in our practice is a lot of the cuts that they make and not losing vision in your man. A lot of times, people stare at the ball. As soon as you lose vision of your man against the Hogs, they're going to back cut you and burn you. They really do a good job of that."
Q: What would you say about D.J. Stewart Jr. and Iverson Molinar in the back court?
BH: "They're both having really good years, and both are real good players. I've been pleased with their performance and consistency for the whole season. They've been very consistent. I'm excited about how both D.J [Stewart Jr.]., who's our best perimeter defender, and Iverson [Molinar], who is shooting the highest percentage both at the foul line and from three and from the field on our team, are doing."
Q: What would you say about that success of being 3-1 playing at Arkansas while at Mississippi State?
BH: "It's a little shocking because it is such a hard place to play. We've been very fortunate. We've had a lot of good breaks. Last year, we won at the buzzer on a tip-in by Abdul [Ado] that was just awesome. They were obviously very good a year ago with those two, Mason Jones and Isaiah Joe, carrying the load offensively. So, that was a very fortuitous tip, and it was his [Ado's] only basket of the game."
Q: Where do you think Cameron Matthews' game could be offensively as he continues to grow and mature?
BH: "He's got to keep growing in that area as a shooter. When you look at his percentages from the foul line and from three, they're both much lower than you would like to have. So, that's really the area for him moving forward that he's got to improve, but that's really in the offseason. I think he's actually improved. He shot it great the day before we played our last game. Then, his first shot [in the game] he shoots an airball. He's shooting it a little quick, but he does so many things well that he contributes to winning in so many ways that we need him out there."
Q: How do you feel like the freshmen guys played the other night against Iowa State?
BH: "I think Derek Fountain is right on the cusp of breaking into the top nine, which is what we're playing [rotation wise]. He's right there, and he plays two positions. He can play some four, and he can play some three. He was the first one to come in the other day from the other guys that aren't playing that much. He's probably deserving of more minutes with the way he's been practicing, so I'm really excited about Derek in particular in terms of his future. He has a good feel offensively. He came in here at 200 pounds. He's 219 pounds now, so he's gotten a lot stronger. He's very young. He just turned 18 in the middle of the summer. He has a very, very bright future when you look at his potential."
UP NEXT
Mississippi State plays the first of its annual home-and-home series at South Carolina on Saturday. Tip time is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT from Colonel Life Arena, televised by SEC Network and available online courtesy of the Watch ESPN app.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the men's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets by searching 'HailStateMBK' on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas – The calendar turns to February for the Mississippi State men's basketball team as the Bulldogs will face four of their next six on the road starting with Arkansas on Tuesday.
The Bulldogs (10-8, 4-5 SEC) are fresh off a 95-56 rout of Iowa State during the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. State dished out a season-high 21 assists on a season's best 37 field goals. The Bulldogs also racked up season-highs for bench points (40), points off turnovers (34) and second-chance points (20).
The 39-point margin of victory was the program's largest over a current Power 5 non-conference opponent. The previous mark was a 75-47 win (+28) over Florida State on 12/10/1951.
Mississippi State and Arkansas (13-5, 5-4 SEC) are separated by one game for sixth place in the SEC standings. The Bulldogs trail Florida and LSU by two games for second place and have won 11 of their last 14 February games over the last two seasons dating back to 02/12/2019.
A balanced offensive attack has been a successful formula for Mississippi State in 2020-21 as the Bulldogs has won eight of their nine games in 2020-21 record when four players or more reach double figures.
Mississippi State has won the battle of boards against 16 of its 18 opponents in 2020-21, highlighted by a +10 rebounding margin in seven games. The Bulldogs hold the SEC's top spot limiting their opponents to 31.0 rebounds per game and a +8.7 rebounding margin.
Mississippi State is 6-1 when committing 12 turnovers or less and have won all eight of its outings when knocking down at least eight three-pointers this season.
MSU-ARKANSAS HARDWOOD SERIES
Mississippi State has won its last six meetings with the Razorbacks to slice the overall series deficit down to 33-31. Last season, the Bulldogs captured their first two-game sweep of Arkansas since 2010-11.
Reggie Perry did the heavy lifting for State with 26 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and two blocks during a 77-70 victory in Starkville. At Bud Walton Arena, Tyson Carter rattled off 26 points off the bench. It was Abdul Ado's lone basket that provided the difference on a tipin with 0.6 seconds left to lift the Bulldogs to a 78-77 decision.
The Matchup: Mississippi State (10-8, 4-5 SEC) vs. Arkansas (13-5, 5-4 SEC)
Where: Fayetteville, Arkansas – Bud Walton Arena
When: Tuesday, February 2, 8:00 p.m. CT
Live Stats: StatBroadcast (https://hailst.at/MBKLiveStats)
TV: SEC Network
Talent: Dave Neal, Daymeon Fishback
DirecTV: Ch. 611, Dish: Ch. 404/408, AT&T U-Verse: Ch. 1607, MaxxSouth: Ch. 1026, C Spire: Ch. 220
Online: Watch ESPN app & Watch ESPN online (Cable Subscription Required)
(http://hailst.at/MSUvsARK020221)
Radio: Mississippi State Sports Network – Powered by Learfield IMG College
Talent: Neil Price
Affiliates: WKBB-FM 100.9 Starkville/West Point (Full List: https://hailst.at/MBKAffiliates)
Free Online Audio: Hail State Plus (https://hailst.at/MBKListen); Tune-In Radio App (https://hailst.at/MBKTuneIn)
Sirius/XM: Ch. 381 (XM), Ch. 971 (Internet)
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE
1. Mississippi State has garnered 20+ overall wins in three straight seasons and captured 10+ SEC victories during back-to-back campaigns under sixth-year coach Ben Howland. The Bulldogs have amassed 78 victories since the start of the 2017-18 season which is tied for fourth-most with LSU in the SEC and only behind Auburn (91), Kentucky (86) and Tennessee (86). This year's squad will look to join the 1960-61, 1961-62 and 1962-63 teams as the only group in program history to win 10+ SEC games in three consecutive seasons.
Howland along with assistant coaches George Brooks, Korey McCray and Ernie Zeigler are in their sixth season together in Starkville during the 2020-21 season. The Bulldogs coaching quartet of head coach and three assistants is one of eight staffs in the country to remain together at the same school for the last six seasons. The other staffs include Michigan State (11th) led by Tom Izzo, West Virginia (9th) led by Bob Huggins, UAlbany (9th) led by Will Brown, Kansas (7th) led by Bill Self, Oregon (7th) led by Dana Altman, Vermont (7th) led by John Becker and Bradley (6th) led by Brian Wardle.
2. Iverson Molinar, Tolu Smith and D.J. Stewart Jr. are etching their names among the notable freshmen-to-sophomore jumps at Mississippi State, under Ben Howland and in the SEC over the last decade.
The trio has piled up 44 games in double figures, headed by 13 outings of 20-plus points. The Bulldogs are 9-0 when each member of the trio scores at least 10 points this season.
Molinar, Smith and Stewart Jr. have racked up 48.1 points per game, which is second-most in the SEC only behind LSU's Cameron Thomas, Trendon Watford and Javonte Smart. It also marks the highest MSU scoring trio since Rickey Brown, Greg Grim and Ray White piled up 49.4 points per game during the 1978-79 season.
Stewart Jr. (17.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.2 SPG) has captured 10 of his top 11 career scoring performances in 2020-21. He pumped home a SEC career-high 27 points and added a career-best four steals at No. 18 Alabama (01/23). Stewart Jr. exploded for a SEC season's best 32 points on 13-of-22 shooting versus Dayton (12/12). The Bulldogs have posted a 21-10 record over the last two seasons when he scores 10-plus points.
The Grace, Mississippi, native has already surpassed his 2019-20 total with 17 games in double figures, highlighted by a 12 consecutive games to start the season. He piled up 24 points during the second half of State's 78-63 win over No. 13 Missouri (01/05). Stewart Jr.'s 17.6 points per game are fourth and his 42.6 percent shooting clip is 11th among SEC leaders. He and Molinar are two of eight SEC players to have at least five games of 20-plus points this season.
Molinar (17.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.3 SPG) has notched double figures in 14 of his 15 outings and during 18 of his 23 career starts. He bounced back from a season-low with a 19-point effort at No. 18 Alabama (01/23). MSU has racked up a 14-5 record when Molinar provides 10-plus points in his career. His 17.6 points is third, his 47.8 field goal percentage is seventh and his 81.1 free throw percentage is ninth on the SEC leaderboard. Molinar amassed career-highs with 24 points at Vanderbilt (01/09) and at Georgia (12/30). The Panama native has piled up nine of his top 10 career scoring efforts this season.
Molinar's 11.7 points per game improvement from his freshmen to his sophomore season is tops among SEC players this season and tied for third-highest in the SEC over the last decade. Current Toronto Raptors and former Ole Miss guard Terence Davis from the 2015-16 to 2016-17 season holds the decade's top spot at a 13.1 points per game improvement.
Smith (12.9 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.1 BPG) has collected 13 games in double figures during his first season with the Maroon and White. Prior to his time at MSU, his previous career-high was nine points against West Virginia (11/16/2018) while at Western Kentucky.
Smith is second in the SEC with five double-doubles on the season, most recently career-bests with 27 points and 14 rebounds against Florida (01/16). He tallied 17 of his 27 points, eight of his 14 rebounds and sank all six of his shot attempts during the second half.
Smith's 8.6 rebounds per game and 3.7 offensive rebounds per contest headline the SEC. His six games of 10-plus boards is second, while his 4.9 defensive rebounds per game is sixth in the SEC rankings. Smith has connected on 41-of-63 from the field over his last eight appearances.
3. Abdul Ado (5.4 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.9 BPG), the SEC's active leader in blocks and rebounds, is scheduled to make his 116th career start during Tuesday's Arkansas game. The 116 starts are good enough for sole possession of fourth-place and seven shy of the program's all-time leader Dee Bost (2009-10-11-12). He ranks first among Power five players and third overall among NCAA active players in blocks followed by a 10th place showing among active Power 5 players in rebounds.
Ado has ranked among the SEC's top 10 in blocks shots during all four seasons and his 1.9 blocks per game is fourth this season. Overall, Ado has piled up 216 career blocks, which ranks third in program history. His 1.86 career blocks per game also is third in program history, only behind NCAA all-time leader Jarvis Varnado and Erick Dampier. The Nigeria native has amassed 62 career games with multiple rejections.
Ado is Mississippi State's all-time field goal percentage leader heading into the Arkansas contest among players with at least 250 baskets made. His 59.6 career shooting clip also checks in tied for sixth among active Power 5 players. Ado came away with a SEC season's best with 11 points against Florida (01/16) and hauled down a season-high 12 rebounds at No. 18 Tennessee (01/26).
4. Mississippi State's roster features a talented group of newcomers. The freshmen class is ignited by Deivon Smith (4.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.9 APG) and Cameron Matthews (2.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1.1 SPG), who became the first true freshmen tandem to start a MSU season opener since Tyson Carter and Mario Kegler during the 2016-17 season.
Smith, the eighth ESPN top 100 signee to play with the Bulldogs under head coach Ben Howland, exploded for a career-best 13 points. He also handed out three assists and added two steals in his home state at Georgia (12/30). Smith has tallied five-plus points in five of his nine SEC games and dished out three-plus assists in six of his nine SEC outings. He has distributed 33 assists against 13 turnovers during his last 10 games and set a new career-high with nine dimes versus Iowa State (01/30).
Matthews has impacted the game on the defensive end with steals in 13 of 18 games and registered multiple steals on six occasions. He secured the game-clinching steal on Vanderbilt's Scotty Pippen Jr. during the closing seconds in Nashville. Matthews came away with a SEC season's best of six points and a career-high seven rebounds at No. 18 Alabama (01/23).
MSU's freshmen class also features Keondre Montgomery and Derek Fountain, who coupled with Matthews, are the state of Mississippi's top three prospects for the Class of 2020. Fountain came away with seven points on 3-of-3 shooting against Iowa State (01/30).
5. The Bulldogs also have received solid contributions from Jalen Johnson (6.2 PPG, 2.1 RPG), Javian Davis (3.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG) and Quinten Post (3.3 PPG, 2.4 RPG).
Johnson has piled up 1,173 points and 532 rebounds over 117 career games with his previous stops being at Saint Louis and Louisiana-Lafayette. He has amassed 58 career outings of 10-plus points and 11 outings of 20-plus points. Johnson has knocked down 18 of his 23 treys over his last 12 games.
Davis posted 6.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game over his 31 appearances as a redshirt freshmen at Alabama in 2019-20. His top Bama performance was a 20-point, 10-rebound effort against South Carolina (02/29/2020). Davis chipped in SEC season-high of five points, seven rebounds and two assists versus Kentucky (01/02) and returned to the rotation after a four-game absence against Ole Miss (01/19).
Post fired in a career-best 10 points versus Mississippi Valley State (12/21) to claim his first career game in double figures. He tacked on a SEC season's best five points during the Texas A&M (01/13) and Tennessee games (01/26). Post also collected a career-best 10 rebounds, two blocks and two steals against the Volunteers. The Netherlands native has upped his marks to 6.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in his last two outings and has scored in 14 of his 24 career appearances at Mississippi State.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT
Like most seasons, the Razorbacks have been extremely tough to beat inside Bud Walton Arena where Arkansas has posted an 11-1 mark this season. The lone setback came to Missouri by an 81-68 margin (01/02), and 10 of the 11 home victories have been double-digit points.
Arkansas and Florida are the only SEC teams to have five active players averaging in double figures. Moses Moody (16.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.0 SPG) and J.D. Natae (13.9 PPG, 1.2 SPG) have dialed up 64 of the team's 152 three-pointers on the season.
Moody has pumped home 10-plus points in 15 of 18 games fueled by five games of 20 or more points. He piled up a season's best 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds at Alabama (01/16). A week later, he tallied 26 points and eight rebounds at Vanderbilt (01/23). Moody has one double-double on the season, 18 points and 10 rebounds, during the Missouri game (01/02).
Notae has done a majority of his damage coming off the bench and has drained multiple treys in 12 of 18 games. He posted a season-high 22 points at LSU (01/13) and versus Central Arkansas (12/12).
Justin Smith (11.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG), Desi Sills (11.2 PPG, 1.4 SPG) and Jalen Tate (10.9 PPG, 4.4 APG, 1.4 SPG) also have amassed double figures for the season. Smith has notched 10-plus points in four straight games, most notably an 18-point effort on 9-of-14 shooting against Oklahoma State (01/30) during the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
Sills turned in a pair of 20-plus point performances against Auburn (12/30 and 01/20) this season. He garnered 15 points against Mississippi State in Fayetteville last season. Tate has recorded a pair of points-assists double-doubles this season. He worked his way to 15 points and 10 assists against Georgia (01/09). Tate filled the box score with 25 points, eight assists, five rebounds and four steals at Vanderbilt (01/23).
Connor Vanover (7.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.9 BPG) and Davonte Davis (6.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.2 SPG) have been solid contributors throughout the season. Davis has piled up double digit points in three of his last four outings which includes 14 points, six rebounds and two steals versus Ole Miss (01/27).
FROM THE BENCH – BEN HOWLAND MEDIA SESSION
Q: What are your initial impressions from Arkansas?
BH: "Arkansas is very good. They had a really good transfer that was out for probably a month, this kid [Justin] Smith, that transferred from Indiana. He makes a huge difference for them at the power forward position. He's a very good player. He's been back now for a few games."
"They have very good, young talent. They combine that with some graduate transfers. They have a point guard, [Jalen] Tate, that was at Northern Kentucky a year ago that's a very good player. [JD] Notae, number one, that comes off the bench for them is probably their best offensive player at perimeter play. The kid, [Moses] Moody, is going to be a pro. It sounds like he's going to be drafted at the end of this year based on all of the stuff that you read."
"So, they've got a lot of talent. [Desi] Sills is incredibly tough. They have very good talent. The big kid inside, [Connor Vanover], is 7'3. The first time I watched him play this year was early in the season. They played North Texas, and he blocked like eight shots in that game. I was like, 'Wow! This guy is really formidable.' [Connor] Vanover is a good player. He shoots three's. He's skilled. So, they've got very good pieces and really play hard and do a lot of good things defensively to disrupt you. They're very good offensively in their motion."
Q: What have you seen from Deivon Smith to get him to this point in his skill level?
BH: "Well, I thought in the last game in particular, he did a great job jump-stopping. He was really tight with the ball. He only had one turnover and nine assists. That's the key. The reason we lost both at Alabama and Tennessee ultimately, we talked about the last week, was the turnovers. The turnovers that led to easy baskets. That's something that is key about tomorrow is handling their double teams and handling their run-and-jump [pressure] and hurting them when they do that. Deivon is a key to helping solve that riddle because of his ability to penetrate and kick and make plays. He scored at the rim five times as well in the last game."
Q: How would you assess where your team is at heading into the halfway point of SEC play?
BH: "Well, I think the last three games we've really improved defensively. I think we've played the best three games in a row defensively that we've done all year. Any time you play good defense, you give yourself a chance to win. All is true, especially on the road. Defense is what travels, so we're going to have to do a really good job in transition. We're going to have to do a really good job in the half court."
"Arkansas runs a lot of motion. They probably do as good of a job as anybody in our league at cutting without the ball. That's something that we're really trying to emphasize here today in our practice is a lot of the cuts that they make and not losing vision in your man. A lot of times, people stare at the ball. As soon as you lose vision of your man against the Hogs, they're going to back cut you and burn you. They really do a good job of that."
Q: What would you say about D.J. Stewart Jr. and Iverson Molinar in the back court?
BH: "They're both having really good years, and both are real good players. I've been pleased with their performance and consistency for the whole season. They've been very consistent. I'm excited about how both D.J [Stewart Jr.]., who's our best perimeter defender, and Iverson [Molinar], who is shooting the highest percentage both at the foul line and from three and from the field on our team, are doing."
Q: What would you say about that success of being 3-1 playing at Arkansas while at Mississippi State?
BH: "It's a little shocking because it is such a hard place to play. We've been very fortunate. We've had a lot of good breaks. Last year, we won at the buzzer on a tip-in by Abdul [Ado] that was just awesome. They were obviously very good a year ago with those two, Mason Jones and Isaiah Joe, carrying the load offensively. So, that was a very fortuitous tip, and it was his [Ado's] only basket of the game."
Q: Where do you think Cameron Matthews' game could be offensively as he continues to grow and mature?
BH: "He's got to keep growing in that area as a shooter. When you look at his percentages from the foul line and from three, they're both much lower than you would like to have. So, that's really the area for him moving forward that he's got to improve, but that's really in the offseason. I think he's actually improved. He shot it great the day before we played our last game. Then, his first shot [in the game] he shoots an airball. He's shooting it a little quick, but he does so many things well that he contributes to winning in so many ways that we need him out there."
Q: How do you feel like the freshmen guys played the other night against Iowa State?
BH: "I think Derek Fountain is right on the cusp of breaking into the top nine, which is what we're playing [rotation wise]. He's right there, and he plays two positions. He can play some four, and he can play some three. He was the first one to come in the other day from the other guys that aren't playing that much. He's probably deserving of more minutes with the way he's been practicing, so I'm really excited about Derek in particular in terms of his future. He has a good feel offensively. He came in here at 200 pounds. He's 219 pounds now, so he's gotten a lot stronger. He's very young. He just turned 18 in the middle of the summer. He has a very, very bright future when you look at his potential."
UP NEXT
Mississippi State plays the first of its annual home-and-home series at South Carolina on Saturday. Tip time is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT from Colonel Life Arena, televised by SEC Network and available online courtesy of the Watch ESPN app.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the men's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets by searching 'HailStateMBK' on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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