Mississippi State
13-5,4-2SEC
Ole Miss
9-9,1-5SEC
Heart, Hustle And The Hump Push Dawgs Past Rebels
January 22, 2022 | Men's Basketball, Joel Coleman
Mississippi State’s win fueled by the Maroon and White faithful.
STARKVILLE – "MAROON!!! WHITE!!! MAROON!!! WHITE!!!"
The old familiar cheer went back and forth amongst the thousands of fans inside The Humphrey Coliseum on Saturday afternoon with just under nine minutes left to play. Mississippi State was in the middle of a battle with Ole Miss and the Bulldogs were 10 points into what would become a 15-0 run. Needless to say, the MSU faithful approved of the happenings as State pulled away.
"MAROON!!! WHITE!!! MAROON!!! WHITE!!!"
Louder and louder it got until it finally faded away.
When all was said and done several minutes later, it was a 78-60 win for MSU. Yet it was also so much more.
This was a day where, once again, Mississippi State's resilient heart shined through. It was a game where the Bulldogs' hustle kept them on a path that's destination could include a certain big dance come March. And it was a moment that illustrated just how big of a part everyone can play in helping push this team towards the NCAA Tournament.
"The fans don't know how much they mean," D.J. Jeffries said. "Having a packed-out crowd, their energy helps us keep going. We need them."
Just how much did the Bulldogs having their largest crowd of the year help? Well, the facts don't lie.
MSU's entire starting five reached double figures in scoring. Iverson Molinar totaled 20 points, becoming the 41st member of State's 1,000-career point club along the way. Garrison Brooks had 17 points. D.J. Jeffries and Tolu Smith each tallied 11. Shakeel Moore added 10. It's the first time this season MSU has had five double-digit scorers in a game.
The Bulldogs shot 54.7 percent as a team. They outrebounded the Rebels by eight. Ole Miss turned the ball over 16 times, with 13 of those coming via Mississippi State steals.
Inspired? You bet.
"I definitely felt [the crowd]," Molinar said. "I just want to thank the Bulldog family and fans that came out to support us. It really helped us. I know [fans] just like to come to the games and have fun, but they don't really see how they really help us – getting the other team rattled, giving us energy. Homecourt advantage is so great."
There's no statistic or point total to measure just how much a home crowd means. However, to ignore the impact of gatherings like Saturday's would be foolish.
Mississippi State has been a resilient group all year, but who's to say after its most recent setback – a tough loss last Wednesday at Florida – the Bulldogs didn't need a reminder that they have an entire fanbase behind them?
There's no telling how Saturday's game turns out if not for a jam-packed, rocking environment from the student section to the upper reaches of the coliseum.
Perhaps you'll recall MSU led by just one point at halftime. Ole Miss was shooting at an incredible 61.5 percent clip in the first half. Something had to change defensively for Mississippi State over the final 20 minutes. At the half, head coach Ben Howland adjusted.
"We played more of our normal defense," Howland said. "In the first half, because of how [Ole Miss] picked us apart [in our previous meeting this season], we were really aggressive doubling the ball out on the perimeter. [Ole Miss guard Daeshun Ruffin] started managing that a lot better and had some big assists in those situations and they had two or three 3s and they took the lead [at one point late in the first half]…I thought the second half we played more of our normal defense. I thought the second half was the best basketball we've played in quite awhile."
Added Molinar: "Once [Howland] told us they were shooting 60-something percent, we took it personal. We took it to heart. That can't happen."
The Hump served as the heartbeat to MSU's renewed defensive hustle. The Rebels shot just 33.3 percent in the second half as the Bulldogs wore them down.
As Ole Miss faded, Mississippi State surged. In a span of about five minutes of game action, the Bulldogs stretched a 51-49 lead all the way out to 66-49. From there, it was goodnight, Rebels, and the soundtrack to the victory celebration were the voices of those in the seats.
"It was crucial we had those people in the stands," Cameron Matthews said. "It gets our blood flowing and we all play better when the crowd is with us."
For the next two games, the Bulldogs are on the road. They'll have a pair of NCAA Tournament resume-building opportunities. On Tuesday, MSU is at Kentucky for an 8 p.m. CT game ahead of Saturday's 5 p.m. CT game at Texas Tech as part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
Mississippi State returns home on Tuesday, February 1 for a 6 p.m. CT game against South Carolina. Molinar and his teammates have a request. When the Gamecocks roll into town, make sure you're at The Hump. Because as the Bulldogs try to reach their goals, they insist everyone is in this together.
"Next home game, y'all pop out and come out here and support us," Molinar said. "It really helps us. It's really fun when we're playing for y'all. We're on the court and we're representing Mississippi State as a whole. It feels really good when people have our backs and are supporting us."
