Saturday, February 27
Starkville
5:00 PM
Mississippi State
vs
#6 Alabama
Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Gameday: Five Things to Know about MSU-No. 6 Alabama
February 26, 2021 | Men's Basketball
by Matt Dunaway, Associate Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – Senior Night is on the horizon for the Mississippi State men's basketball team as the Bulldogs welcome No. 6 Alabama to Humphrey Coliseum on Saturday.
Pregame, the Bulldogs (13-11, 7-8 SEC) will honor Abdul Ado and Jalen Johnson in addition to their senior student managers.
State has won back-to-back games over Ole Miss (66-56 on 02/20) and South Carolina (69-48 on 02/24). Over its last four victories, the Bulldogs have limited their opponents to 54.8 points per game and a collective 32.9 shooting percentage.
Mississippi State bottled up the Gamecocks to a 29.0 percent shooting clip, the lowest for a SEC opponent against the Bulldogs since Arkansas went 16-of-72 for 22 percent during Ben Howland's first season on 02/09/2016.
A victory over the SEC frontrunning Crimson Tide (18-6, 13-2 SEC) would be State's first over a top 10 opponent since a 54-45 win over then No. 5 Oklahoma on 12/28/2002.
A balanced offensive attack has been a successful formula for State in 2020-21 as the Bulldogs has won eight of their 10 games in 2020-21 record when four players or more reach double figures.
Mississippi State has won the battle of boards against 19 of its 24 opponents in 2020-21, highlighted by a +10 rebounding margin in nine games. State holds the SEC's top spot limiting their opponents to 31.3 rebounds per game and a +7.5 rebounding margin.
The Bulldogs dominated the glass against South Carolina, 49-24, last time out. The +25 rebounding advantage marked the program's highest rebounding spread versus a SEC opponent when the Bulldogs outrebounded Arkansas by +25 on 02/27/2002.
Mississippi State is 6-1 when committing 12 turnovers or less and has won seven of its eight outings when knocking down at least eight three-pointers this season.
The Bulldogs are third among SEC teams in paint points (776) and fourth in second-chance opportunities (290) on the season.
MSU-ALABAMA HARDWOOD SERIES
The home team has won the last eight meetings in the series dating back to 2016-17 season. Six of those eight meetings have been decided by single digits. State holds a 59-38 series advantage in Starkville, while the Crimson Tide have totaled an overall 127-77 advantage.
The Bulldogs used a 21-point, 12-rebound performance from Reggie Perry to emerge with the 80-73 victory in Starkville. Tyson Carter, the reigning SEC Sixth Man of the Year, provided 19 points and five assists.
Earlier this season, then No. 18 Alabama came away with an 81-73 decision in Tuscaloosa. Iverson Molinar and D.J. Stewart Jr. did the heavy lifting with a combined 46 points. The Crimson Tide stretched a three-point lead to six with 31.3 seconds left on a late shot clock triple courtesy of John Petty Jr.
The Matchup: Mississippi State (13-11, 7-8 SEC) vs. No. 6 Alabama (18-6, 13-2 SEC)
Where: Starkville, Mississippi – Humphrey Coliseum
When: Saturday, February 27, 5:00 p.m. CT
Live Stats: StatBroadcast (https://hailst.at/MBKLiveStats)
TV: SEC Network
Talent: Paul Sunderland, Joe Kleine
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/MSUvsBama022721)
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. 192 (XM), Ch. 963 (Internet)
MASKS/METAL DETECTORS/CLEAR BAGS
Mississippi State Athletics has received capacity guidelines and designed a socially distanced seating plan to host fans in the healthiest manner possible for the 2020-21 season.
The plan is focused on the recommended health and safety protocols put in place by health officials from the Mississippi State Department of Health, Mississippi State University, the city of Starkville, the Southeastern Conference and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to protect the well-being of all student-athletes, fans and staff.
Capacity at Humphrey Coliseum for the 2020-21 season will be 10 percent as determined by the Governor's most recent Executive Order.
All fans will be required to wear a face covering, face shield or mask, over the nose and mouth during all times except when actively eating or drinking while inside Humphrey Coliseum.
In an effort to continue Mississippi State's long-standing commitment to provide a safe and secure environment for all fans, coaches and student-athletes, walk-through metal detectors have been implemented at all entrances of Humphrey Coliseum on basketball gamedays.
Fans will be asked to follow the instructions of the security screening staff and place large metal objects such as phones, keys and cameras in containers or in their clear bag on screening tables before passing through the walk-through metal detectors.
Fans will not be required to remove belts, watches, wallets, jewelry, shoes, jackets, coins or other small objects. The metal detectors and clear bag policies provide a safer atmosphere and speed up the entry process into The Hump.
Doors to Humphrey Coliseum open 60 minutes prior to tipoff. For more gameday information, fans are encouraged to visit: https://hailst.at/MBKGameday.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE
1. Mississippi State has 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 81 victories since the start of the 2017-18 season which is tied for the fourth-most with LSU in the SEC and only behind Auburn (92), Tennessee (90) and Kentucky (89). 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 54 games in double figures, headed by 15 outings of 20-plus points. The Bulldogs are 10-0 when each member of the trio scores at least 10 points this season.
Molinar, Smith and Stewart Jr. have racked up 45.7 points per game, which is third-most in the SEC. It also marks the highest MSU scoring trio since Ravern Johnson, Dee Bost and Renardo Sidney piled up 47.1 points per game during the 2010-11 season.
Stewart Jr. (16.6 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.5 SPG) has captured nine of his top 10 career scoring performances in 2020-21. He pumped home a SEC career-high 29 points and added three steals at South Carolina (02/06). Stewart Jr. exploded for a career-best 32 points on 13-of-22 shooting versus Dayton (12/12). The Bulldogs have posted a 24-10 record over the last two seasons when he scores 10-plus points.
The Grace, Mississippi, native has already surpassed his 2019-20 total with 20 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 16.6 points per game are fourth, his 43.1 percent shooting clip is ninth, his 79.3 free throw percentage is 11th and his 1.5 steals is 14th among SEC leaders. He and Molinar are two of nine SEC players to have at least six games of 20-plus points this season.
Molinar (16.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.1 SPG) has notched double figures in 18 of his 21 outings and during 22 of his 29 career starts. He secured a 20-point outing, his sixth of the season, versus Iowa State (01/30). MSU has racked up a 16-7 record when Molinar provides 10-plus points in his career. His 16.5 points are fifth, his 47.4 field goal percentage is fifth and his 82.4 percent free throw percentage is tied for sixth 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 10.6 points per game improvement from his freshmen to his sophomore season is second among SEC players only behind Auburn's Allen Flanigan this season and is sixth-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 (12.6 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.1 APG) has collected 16 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 tied for second in the SEC with six double-doubles on the season, most recently with 24 points and 11 rebounds versus LSU (02/10) for his second 20-10 effort of the season. His career-bests are 27 points and 14 rebounds against Florida (01/16) where 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 3.3 offensive rebounds per contest headline the SEC, while his 8.5 rebounds per game are second in the league rankings. His eight games of 10-plus boards also are tied for first, while his 5.2 defensive rebounds per game is fourth in the SEC. Smith has connected on 68-of-106 from the field (64.1 percent) over his last 14 appearances.
3. Abdul Ado (5.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.8 BPG), the SEC's active leader in blocks and rebounds, is scheduled to make his 122nd career start during Saturday's Alabama game. The 122 starts would be good enough for tie 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 1.8 blocks per game is fourth this season. Overall, Ado has piled up 226 career blocks, which ranks third in program history. His 1.85 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 66 career games with multiple rejections.
Ado is tied with Varnado for Mississippi State's all-time field goal percentage leader heading into the Alabama contest among players with at least 275 baskets made. He 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). Ado's 730 career rebounds sit 11th on MSU's all-time list and is 24 rebounds away from passing Jack Houston (1952-53-54-55).
4. Mississippi State's roster features a talented group of newcomers. The freshmen class is ignited by Derek Fountain (5.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG), Deivon Smith (5.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.0 APG) and Cameron Matthews (2.3 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.9 SPG). Smith and Matthews became the first true freshmen tandem to start a MSU season opener since Tyson Carter and Mario Kegler during the 2016-17 season.
Fountain fired in season's best 20 points and seven rebounds versus LSU (02/10) off the bench. Over his last seven appearances, he has provided 7.7 points on 21-of-42 shooting (50.0 percent) and 3.2 rebounds per game. The 20-point game put Fountain in elite company with 1,000-point scorers Tyson Carter (2018-19-20-21), Lamar Peters (2017-18-19) and Quinndary Weatherspoon (2016-17-18-19) as the only four freshmen to secure 20-plus points coming off the bench during the Howland era. In fact, Fountain is one of seven MSU freshmen since 1988-89 to score 20-plus points during a SEC game off the bench.
Smith, the eighth ESPN top 100 signee to play with the Bulldogs under 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 10 of his 15 SEC games and dished out three or more assists in 10 of his 15 SEC outings. He has distributed 52 of his 72 assists over his last 16 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 his 23 appearances 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 (01/09). 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, who coupled with Fountain and Matthews, are the state of Mississippi's top three prospects for the Class of 2020.
5. The Bulldogs also have received solid contributions from Jalen Johnson (5.4 PPG, 1.7 RPG), Javian Davis (3.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG) and Quinten Post (3.0 PPG, 2.4 RPG).
Johnson has piled up 1,179 points and 533 rebounds over 121 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 at least one trey in 14 of his 22 appearances and multiple three's in six outings during the 2020-21 campaign.
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 came away with a SEC season's best six points at Arkansas (02/02). Post also collected a career-best 10 rebounds, two blocks and two steals at No. 18 Tennessee (01/26). The Netherlands native has scored in 18 of his 30 career appearances at Mississippi State.
BH: "Well, they're obviously a really good team – the best team in our league. Those two seniors, when you're speaking about seniors, Herb[ert] Jones and [John] Petty [Jr.] have been great all year long. They've done a tremendous job."
"They shoot the ball so well from the three. They have very good pieces. You look at [Jaden] Shackelford and [Jahvon] Quinerly. [Joshua] Primo is one of the best freshmen in our conference. The big [Jordan] Bruner is back, and he hit four three's the other day at Arkansas. So, they've got a great blend of older players and younger players. Everybody can shoot it. It's a big-time challenge."
"It starts with transition defense. They push it so hard every time you get it. Every time you score or miss, it's coming right downhill at you every single time. We've got to do a great job getting back in transition, getting our defense set and give ourselves a chance of trying to defend them."
Q: Does your previous match at Alabama give you confidence heading into this one?
BH: "We played well enough to have a chance there down the stretch in Tuscaloosa, and that was a positive. I thought our team defense was pretty good. They still made a bunch of three's, especially in the first half of that game. We've got to cut down on their open looks. Also, when they do miss shots because they take so many three's, there's a lot of long rebounds. So, you've got to do a great job blocking out away from the basket and try to take up that space. So, if there is a long carom, you're able to run it down and get it for your team."
Q: Was there ever a point in the struggle that you thought maybe your team was in a bad place mentally?
BH: "I wouldn't say a good place, but I would say they've never quit. They've never given up. They've stayed tough minded to be able to bounce back, and that's key. That comes from leadership within the team. We've sat and talked as a group and tried to get some things out on the table to see if we could help one another. I'm really proud of them because of their mental fortitude. When you're going through tough times and tough stretches, to be able to continue to fight. You see sometimes teams that will just tuck tail and quit, and we've never been one of those teams. It's benefited us because we came back last Saturday and got the best win of the year at Ole Miss against our rival. They're a very good team this year, obviously. And then to turn around and beat South Carolina again this past Wednesday was great."
"I'll be honest with you, the break we got from the weather I think, was a helper for us too. I think having those couple days off was a silver lining in terms of letting our bodies heal from this incredible saga that goes on when you play so many games. You're playing guys a lot of minutes like we do. D.J. [Stewart Jr.] is second in the league [for minutes]. Iverson [Molinar] is top 10 in the league and also Abdul [Ado] and Tolu [Smith in the top 15]. I thought those four guys in particular benefited both physically and mentally. That ended up being in some ways a blessing for us."
UP NEXT
Mississippi State heads into the final week of the regular season and takes on Texas A&M on Wednesday. Tip time is slated for 7:30 p.m. CT from Reed Arena in Bryan-College Station, 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.
STARKVILLE – Senior Night is on the horizon for the Mississippi State men's basketball team as the Bulldogs welcome No. 6 Alabama to Humphrey Coliseum on Saturday.
Pregame, the Bulldogs (13-11, 7-8 SEC) will honor Abdul Ado and Jalen Johnson in addition to their senior student managers.
State has won back-to-back games over Ole Miss (66-56 on 02/20) and South Carolina (69-48 on 02/24). Over its last four victories, the Bulldogs have limited their opponents to 54.8 points per game and a collective 32.9 shooting percentage.
Mississippi State bottled up the Gamecocks to a 29.0 percent shooting clip, the lowest for a SEC opponent against the Bulldogs since Arkansas went 16-of-72 for 22 percent during Ben Howland's first season on 02/09/2016.
A victory over the SEC frontrunning Crimson Tide (18-6, 13-2 SEC) would be State's first over a top 10 opponent since a 54-45 win over then No. 5 Oklahoma on 12/28/2002.
A balanced offensive attack has been a successful formula for State in 2020-21 as the Bulldogs has won eight of their 10 games in 2020-21 record when four players or more reach double figures.
Mississippi State has won the battle of boards against 19 of its 24 opponents in 2020-21, highlighted by a +10 rebounding margin in nine games. State holds the SEC's top spot limiting their opponents to 31.3 rebounds per game and a +7.5 rebounding margin.
The Bulldogs dominated the glass against South Carolina, 49-24, last time out. The +25 rebounding advantage marked the program's highest rebounding spread versus a SEC opponent when the Bulldogs outrebounded Arkansas by +25 on 02/27/2002.
Mississippi State is 6-1 when committing 12 turnovers or less and has won seven of its eight outings when knocking down at least eight three-pointers this season.
The Bulldogs are third among SEC teams in paint points (776) and fourth in second-chance opportunities (290) on the season.
MSU-ALABAMA HARDWOOD SERIES
The home team has won the last eight meetings in the series dating back to 2016-17 season. Six of those eight meetings have been decided by single digits. State holds a 59-38 series advantage in Starkville, while the Crimson Tide have totaled an overall 127-77 advantage.
The Bulldogs used a 21-point, 12-rebound performance from Reggie Perry to emerge with the 80-73 victory in Starkville. Tyson Carter, the reigning SEC Sixth Man of the Year, provided 19 points and five assists.
Earlier this season, then No. 18 Alabama came away with an 81-73 decision in Tuscaloosa. Iverson Molinar and D.J. Stewart Jr. did the heavy lifting with a combined 46 points. The Crimson Tide stretched a three-point lead to six with 31.3 seconds left on a late shot clock triple courtesy of John Petty Jr.
The Matchup: Mississippi State (13-11, 7-8 SEC) vs. No. 6 Alabama (18-6, 13-2 SEC)
Where: Starkville, Mississippi – Humphrey Coliseum
When: Saturday, February 27, 5:00 p.m. CT
Live Stats: StatBroadcast (https://hailst.at/MBKLiveStats)
TV: SEC Network
Talent: Paul Sunderland, Joe Kleine
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/MSUvsBama022721)
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. 192 (XM), Ch. 963 (Internet)
MASKS/METAL DETECTORS/CLEAR BAGS
Mississippi State Athletics has received capacity guidelines and designed a socially distanced seating plan to host fans in the healthiest manner possible for the 2020-21 season.
The plan is focused on the recommended health and safety protocols put in place by health officials from the Mississippi State Department of Health, Mississippi State University, the city of Starkville, the Southeastern Conference and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to protect the well-being of all student-athletes, fans and staff.
Capacity at Humphrey Coliseum for the 2020-21 season will be 10 percent as determined by the Governor's most recent Executive Order.
All fans will be required to wear a face covering, face shield or mask, over the nose and mouth during all times except when actively eating or drinking while inside Humphrey Coliseum.
In an effort to continue Mississippi State's long-standing commitment to provide a safe and secure environment for all fans, coaches and student-athletes, walk-through metal detectors have been implemented at all entrances of Humphrey Coliseum on basketball gamedays.
Fans will be asked to follow the instructions of the security screening staff and place large metal objects such as phones, keys and cameras in containers or in their clear bag on screening tables before passing through the walk-through metal detectors.
Fans will not be required to remove belts, watches, wallets, jewelry, shoes, jackets, coins or other small objects. The metal detectors and clear bag policies provide a safer atmosphere and speed up the entry process into The Hump.
Doors to Humphrey Coliseum open 60 minutes prior to tipoff. For more gameday information, fans are encouraged to visit: https://hailst.at/MBKGameday.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE
1. Mississippi State has 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 81 victories since the start of the 2017-18 season which is tied for the fourth-most with LSU in the SEC and only behind Auburn (92), Tennessee (90) and Kentucky (89). 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 54 games in double figures, headed by 15 outings of 20-plus points. The Bulldogs are 10-0 when each member of the trio scores at least 10 points this season.
Molinar, Smith and Stewart Jr. have racked up 45.7 points per game, which is third-most in the SEC. It also marks the highest MSU scoring trio since Ravern Johnson, Dee Bost and Renardo Sidney piled up 47.1 points per game during the 2010-11 season.
Stewart Jr. (16.6 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.5 SPG) has captured nine of his top 10 career scoring performances in 2020-21. He pumped home a SEC career-high 29 points and added three steals at South Carolina (02/06). Stewart Jr. exploded for a career-best 32 points on 13-of-22 shooting versus Dayton (12/12). The Bulldogs have posted a 24-10 record over the last two seasons when he scores 10-plus points.
The Grace, Mississippi, native has already surpassed his 2019-20 total with 20 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 16.6 points per game are fourth, his 43.1 percent shooting clip is ninth, his 79.3 free throw percentage is 11th and his 1.5 steals is 14th among SEC leaders. He and Molinar are two of nine SEC players to have at least six games of 20-plus points this season.
Molinar (16.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.1 SPG) has notched double figures in 18 of his 21 outings and during 22 of his 29 career starts. He secured a 20-point outing, his sixth of the season, versus Iowa State (01/30). MSU has racked up a 16-7 record when Molinar provides 10-plus points in his career. His 16.5 points are fifth, his 47.4 field goal percentage is fifth and his 82.4 percent free throw percentage is tied for sixth 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 10.6 points per game improvement from his freshmen to his sophomore season is second among SEC players only behind Auburn's Allen Flanigan this season and is sixth-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 (12.6 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.1 APG) has collected 16 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 tied for second in the SEC with six double-doubles on the season, most recently with 24 points and 11 rebounds versus LSU (02/10) for his second 20-10 effort of the season. His career-bests are 27 points and 14 rebounds against Florida (01/16) where 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 3.3 offensive rebounds per contest headline the SEC, while his 8.5 rebounds per game are second in the league rankings. His eight games of 10-plus boards also are tied for first, while his 5.2 defensive rebounds per game is fourth in the SEC. Smith has connected on 68-of-106 from the field (64.1 percent) over his last 14 appearances.
3. Abdul Ado (5.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.8 BPG), the SEC's active leader in blocks and rebounds, is scheduled to make his 122nd career start during Saturday's Alabama game. The 122 starts would be good enough for tie 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 1.8 blocks per game is fourth this season. Overall, Ado has piled up 226 career blocks, which ranks third in program history. His 1.85 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 66 career games with multiple rejections.
Ado is tied with Varnado for Mississippi State's all-time field goal percentage leader heading into the Alabama contest among players with at least 275 baskets made. He 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). Ado's 730 career rebounds sit 11th on MSU's all-time list and is 24 rebounds away from passing Jack Houston (1952-53-54-55).
4. Mississippi State's roster features a talented group of newcomers. The freshmen class is ignited by Derek Fountain (5.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG), Deivon Smith (5.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.0 APG) and Cameron Matthews (2.3 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.9 SPG). Smith and Matthews became the first true freshmen tandem to start a MSU season opener since Tyson Carter and Mario Kegler during the 2016-17 season.
Fountain fired in season's best 20 points and seven rebounds versus LSU (02/10) off the bench. Over his last seven appearances, he has provided 7.7 points on 21-of-42 shooting (50.0 percent) and 3.2 rebounds per game. The 20-point game put Fountain in elite company with 1,000-point scorers Tyson Carter (2018-19-20-21), Lamar Peters (2017-18-19) and Quinndary Weatherspoon (2016-17-18-19) as the only four freshmen to secure 20-plus points coming off the bench during the Howland era. In fact, Fountain is one of seven MSU freshmen since 1988-89 to score 20-plus points during a SEC game off the bench.
Smith, the eighth ESPN top 100 signee to play with the Bulldogs under 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 10 of his 15 SEC games and dished out three or more assists in 10 of his 15 SEC outings. He has distributed 52 of his 72 assists over his last 16 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 his 23 appearances 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 (01/09). 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, who coupled with Fountain and Matthews, are the state of Mississippi's top three prospects for the Class of 2020.
5. The Bulldogs also have received solid contributions from Jalen Johnson (5.4 PPG, 1.7 RPG), Javian Davis (3.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG) and Quinten Post (3.0 PPG, 2.4 RPG).
Johnson has piled up 1,179 points and 533 rebounds over 121 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 at least one trey in 14 of his 22 appearances and multiple three's in six outings during the 2020-21 campaign.
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 came away with a SEC season's best six points at Arkansas (02/02). Post also collected a career-best 10 rebounds, two blocks and two steals at No. 18 Tennessee (01/26). The Netherlands native has scored in 18 of his 30 career appearances at Mississippi State.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT
The Crimson Tide's magic number to clinch the program's first SEC regular season since 2001-02 is down to one. Last time out, Alabama was handed an 81-66 defeat at No. 20 Arkansas at Wednesday.
Bama has lived from three-point territory and canned 10.9 triples per game, which not only headlines the SEC but is second nationally. The Crimson Tide has drained 10-plus triples in 16 of their 24 outings on the season.
Jaden Shackelford (14.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.2 APG) has ripped off 10-plus in 19 of 24 outings headed by a trio of 20-plus point performances. He pumped in a season's best 21 points against Vanderbilt (02/20). He is one of four players to knock down over 35 treys on the season.
Herbert Jones (11.4 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.7 SPG, 1.1 BPG), one of 10 semifinalists for the 2021 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, is a key cog to Alabama being ranked fourth nationally in KenPom defensive efficiency. He has collected 11 games of multiple steals and nine outings of multiple blocks. Jones has handed out at least four assists in eight of his last 10 outs. Jones' season's best is 21 points against Georgia (02/13).
John Petty Jr. (13.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.2 SPG) has reeled off double digit points in 13 of his last 16 outings, headed by a trio of outings of 20-plus points. His 24 points on eight three-pointers at LSU (01/19) are his season-high.
Jahvon Quinerly (11.8 PPG, 3.0 APG), a transfer from Villanova, has improved his scoring average by 8.6 points per game. It's the fifth-highest freshmen-sophomore scoring jump among the SEC players this season. He has dialed up double figures in six straight games and secured his top scoring of 24 points versus Ole Miss (12/29).
Joshua Primo (8.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG) and Jordan Bruner (7.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 1.1 BPG) also have reached the 20-point barrier this season. Primo notched a pair of 22-point efforts at Auburn (01/09) and at LSU (01/19), whereas Bruner came away with 20 points and seven rebounds at Auburn (01/09).
FROM THE BENCH – HEAD COACH BEN HOWLAND MEDIA SESSION
Q: What sticks out to you the most when you think of Abdul Ado's time here at Mississippi State?
BH: "I just think about all the dedication, sacrifice and hard work that he's put in to helping this program be successful. He's about winning first and foremost, and he does all the things that often times don't show up on the stat sheet. He's been a great leader in terms of his work ethic, how he comes to work every day and plays incredibly hard and physical and tough. He's a great teammate. He's always supportive of his team, and his teammates on and off the floor. He's a great example of what you want in a student-athlete. He's very self-sufficient academically, he's already graduated from college. He really works hard on that side of his life. He's just a really good person. I'm really blessed that he was a part of my life and a part of our program here the last five years."
BH: "Well, they're obviously a really good team – the best team in our league. Those two seniors, when you're speaking about seniors, Herb[ert] Jones and [John] Petty [Jr.] have been great all year long. They've done a tremendous job."
"They shoot the ball so well from the three. They have very good pieces. You look at [Jaden] Shackelford and [Jahvon] Quinerly. [Joshua] Primo is one of the best freshmen in our conference. The big [Jordan] Bruner is back, and he hit four three's the other day at Arkansas. So, they've got a great blend of older players and younger players. Everybody can shoot it. It's a big-time challenge."
"It starts with transition defense. They push it so hard every time you get it. Every time you score or miss, it's coming right downhill at you every single time. We've got to do a great job getting back in transition, getting our defense set and give ourselves a chance of trying to defend them."
Q: Does your previous match at Alabama give you confidence heading into this one?
BH: "We played well enough to have a chance there down the stretch in Tuscaloosa, and that was a positive. I thought our team defense was pretty good. They still made a bunch of three's, especially in the first half of that game. We've got to cut down on their open looks. Also, when they do miss shots because they take so many three's, there's a lot of long rebounds. So, you've got to do a great job blocking out away from the basket and try to take up that space. So, if there is a long carom, you're able to run it down and get it for your team."
Q: Was there ever a point in the struggle that you thought maybe your team was in a bad place mentally?
BH: "I wouldn't say a good place, but I would say they've never quit. They've never given up. They've stayed tough minded to be able to bounce back, and that's key. That comes from leadership within the team. We've sat and talked as a group and tried to get some things out on the table to see if we could help one another. I'm really proud of them because of their mental fortitude. When you're going through tough times and tough stretches, to be able to continue to fight. You see sometimes teams that will just tuck tail and quit, and we've never been one of those teams. It's benefited us because we came back last Saturday and got the best win of the year at Ole Miss against our rival. They're a very good team this year, obviously. And then to turn around and beat South Carolina again this past Wednesday was great."
"I'll be honest with you, the break we got from the weather I think, was a helper for us too. I think having those couple days off was a silver lining in terms of letting our bodies heal from this incredible saga that goes on when you play so many games. You're playing guys a lot of minutes like we do. D.J. [Stewart Jr.] is second in the league [for minutes]. Iverson [Molinar] is top 10 in the league and also Abdul [Ado] and Tolu [Smith in the top 15]. I thought those four guys in particular benefited both physically and mentally. That ended up being in some ways a blessing for us."
UP NEXT
Mississippi State heads into the final week of the regular season and takes on Texas A&M on Wednesday. Tip time is slated for 7:30 p.m. CT from Reed Arena in Bryan-College Station, 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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