Undefeated Dawgs Eye More Memories In Jackson
December 14, 2022 | Men's Basketball, Joel Coleman
Wednesday game sees several MSU players return to Mississippi Coliseum.
STARKVILLE – For a handful of players on No. 17 Mississippi State's unbeaten men's basketball team, Wednesday night will be a chance to relish the past.
MSU battles Jackson State at the Mississippi Coliseum at 6:30 p.m. It's the same site four Bulldogs competed for or won high school state championships.
"It's going to be really special," Kimani Hamilton shared. "Being back in the gym where I won two rings [with Clinton High], it's going to be great."
Adds Tyler Stevenson: "We got there and ended up losing in the semis [with New Hope High], but it was just such a good experience going to the Coliseum. It's one of the main goals for a kid from Mississippi to at least make it there."
Cameron Matthews and D.J. Jeffries both played and won titles in the Big House with Olive Branch High.
"The memories are definitely going to come back," Jeffries confessed.
"We won some big games there," Matthews added. "It's going to be pretty nostalgic."
The Dawgs will attempt to add to their great past experiences in Jackson when they battle the Tigers in a game that's both an opportunity and a challenge.
It's an opportunity for MSU to go to the state's capital city and give fans from the southern portion of Mississippi an easier chance to travel and enjoy Bulldog basketball.
"It's a two-hour drive [from Jackson to Starkville] and not all of our fans get to make that drive, especially during the week," State head coach Chris Jans said. "It's a big deal for me, my players, and our staff that we play well down there. We want to leave a good taste in their mouths and want them to get excited about what we're doing here in Starkville."
The game also gives the Dawgs an occasion to prove themselves. Yes, there's a number beside Mississippi State's name these days. MSU keeps shooting up the national rankings. But as great as that is to Jans and his players, it means very little in mid-December. It simply means State has earned some respect and has to work harder to both maintain it and improve the club's standing.
"Once you start getting eyeballs on your team and you read about yourself on social media, it's there every day, all day long," Jans said. "I think it's important to keep it in perspective and to continue to understand how you got there. You've got to have the right mindset and approach, stay humble and continue to work. For me, it's seeing where we're at from a mental state. I'll know if we're in the right mental state pretty early in the game. We've had good practices leading up to the game, and I anticipate us playing well."
The Bulldogs will certainly face much resistance as they look to play up to their standard. Jackson State is right in its own territory with a talented group. The Tigers sport a record of just 1-8, but Jans says his team shouldn't be deceived by JSU's ledger.
"I'm sure Jackson State is not thrilled with its record, but unfortunately for us, they're way better than what their record indicates," Jans said. "They've played some Power-5 teams close already this season. They had a huge win at SMU that I think surprised some people, but when you watch film, it doesn't surprise you.
"And like we've told our guys, this is probably a game [Jackson State has] circled on their calendars. We're [an instate opponent] and coming to their backyard. I think it's really important that our guys understand their mindset when [the Tigers] face us."
Of course, so far this year, no test has been too much for Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are 9-0, sparked by the nation's second-best scoring defense. MSU allows just 49.8 points per game on average and the guys in Maroon and White haven't allowed a single opponent to tally more than 55 points against them all year.
State is among the country's leaders in multiple other defensive and rebounding categories as well, giving evidence of the hunger, effort and intensity Jans has installed in the team in his initial year at the helm.
But here's the thing. For as great as those numbers are, they merely indicate what has already been done. None of those figures count for anything once Wednesday night's affair tips off.
Wednesday, it's all about keeping things going, right in a place where four Bulldogs have all had great success before.
"I'm sure there'll be an advantage and comfort level for them," Jans said of Hamilton, Matthews, Jeffries and Stevenson.
Obviously, no championships are on the line this time for that quartet. But the same hunger they all had in the past remains this trip in.
"We'll try to go back down there and recreate those past memories," Matthews said.
