Five Things To Know MSU-North Texas

by Matt Dunaway, Director/Communications

TUPELO, Mississippi – Mississippi State men's basketball will make the trek up to Tupelo for the first time in over a decade as the Bulldogs take on North Texas for a Sunday matinee at Cadence Bank Arena.

Last time out, the Bulldogs (8-2, 0-0 SEC) outlasted Murray State in a high-scoring 85-81 affair. State scored the contest's final five points over the last 28 seconds fueled by a Cameron Matthews dunk and a trio of D.J. Jeffries free throws down the stretch.

Sunday's matchup marks the Bulldogs fifth game all-time in Tupelo. State has won the previous four outings by an average of 18.3 points per contest. The first time the Bulldogs played in Tupelo was an 80-60 win over UT Martin under Richard Williams in 1997-98.

State features a suffocating defense under second-year coach Chris Jans after being one of two teams to rank inside the nation's top 25 in scoring defense, opponent field goal percentage defense and steals in 2022-23.

This season, the Bulldogs hold the SEC's top two spots and are among the top 35 in field goal percentage defense (38.5 – 2nd SEC – 23rd nationally), three-point field goal percentage defense (27.7 – 2nd SEC – 26th nationally) and scoring defense (63.9 – 1st SEC – 35th nationally).

State also holds national top 30 rankings from KenPom.com in defensive efficiency (92.4 – 7th), effective field goal percentage defense (43.9 – 4th) and opponent offensive rebounding percentage (24.1 – 26th).

State's offense has drained 82 three-pointers which is tied for the fourth-most in program history over the team's first 10 games. Josh Hubbard, Trey Fort, Dashawn Davis and D.J. Jeffries have each hit 10+ triples on the season and combined for 61 of the team's 82 treys (74.4 percent).

The Mean Green (5-4, 0-0 American) are the defending NIT Champions under first-year coach Ross Hodge who was on the staff as associate head coach for Grant McCasland. UNT's stout defense gives up only 58.4 points per game which is ranked fourth nationally only behind Houston, McNeese State and Virginia.

The Mean Green has three players averaging in double figures headed by Justin Edwards (14.9 PPG) who has ripped off double figures in five of his last six outings. Aaron Scott (13.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.4 BPG) is coming off his first double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds against Fordham.

SERIES HISTORY
State has won all three previous meetings with the Mean Green. The latest was a 69-63 victory in Starkville during the 2020-21 season. The trio of Iverson Molinar, Tolu Smith and D.J. Stewart Jr. combined for 43 points and 16 rebounds to lead the way for the Bulldogs.

The Matchup: Mississippi State (8-2, 0-0 SEC) vs. North Texas (5-4, 0-0 American)
Where: Cadence Bank Arena – Tupelo, Mississippi
When: Sunday, December 17, 3:00 p.m. CT
Live Stats: StatBroadcast (https://hailst.at/3tHsaHz)

Stream: SEC Network+ (Cable Subscription Required)
App: ESPN App Only (https://hailst.at/3RC9xOL)
Talent: Charlie Winfield, Bart Hyche

Radio: Mississippi State Sports Network – Powered by Learfield
Talent: Neil Price, Richard Williams
Affiliates: WZLA-FM 96.1 Starkville/West Point
Free Online Audio: Hail State App (https://hailst.at/3GDOkxS); The Varsity Network App

5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE
1. Chris Jans, one of the nation's premier bench bosses, leads State's program. He is assisted by James Miller, David Anwar and George Brooks. The Iowa native was one of 10 SEC coaches to amass at least 21 victories and secure a NCAA Tournament berth during their first season in league history during the 2022-23 season.

Jans, a three-time WAC Coach of the Year during his tenure at New Mexico State, owns an impressive .745 winning percentage (172-59) in his eighth season as a NCAA Division I head coach. He is fifth among NCAA active coaches with a .745 winning percentage behind only Mark Few (Gonzaga), Bill Self (Kansas), Brian Dutcher (San Diego State) and John Calipari (Kentucky).

As a junior college head coach, Jans won the 1997-98 NJCAA Division II National Championship at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He also played a vital role as an assistant coach at Wichita State which was headed by a 2013 NCAA Final Four run, five NCAA Tournament trips and four Missouri Valley Conference regular season crowns.

2. The Maroon and White are among the nation's leaders returning 80.9 percent of its points, 72.4 percent of its rebounds, 83.8 percent of its assists, 83.6 percent of its steals and 75.2 percent of its blocks from last season.

Through 10 games, State has showcased its depth with its newcomers, who have amassed 48.6 percent of the team's points (371-of-764). In fact, two of the team's top three scorers are newcomers in Jimmy Bell Jr. and Josh Hubbard.

3. Tolu Smith, Shakeel Moore, D.J. Jeffries, Dashawn Davis and Cameron Matthews combined for 85.3 percent of the team's starts (145-of-170) from last season.

Smith has been showered with numerous preseason accolades headed by the Karl Malone and Naismith Trophy Watch Lists. He also was a consensus 2022-23 All-SEC First-Team pick and a consensus 2023-24 All-SEC Preseason First-Team selection joined by Texas A&M's Wade Taylor IV. Smith has racked up 1,210 points and 679 rebounds and has started 84 of 85 games at State. He is joined by Purdue's Zach Edey as the only returning college players in 2023-24 to average at least 15.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and shoot 55-plus percent from the floor last season. Smith is slated to return during SEC action.

Moore (7.4 PPG, 1.8 APG) has registered 29 of his 34 career games with 10-plus points while at Mississippi State. He came away with a season's best 16 points against Murray State (12/13) and has posted 13.5 points per game over his last two starts. Defensively, Moore has accounted for multiple steals in 46 of 99 career games. His 148 career steals are seventh among SEC active players and his 114 steals at State are tied for 23rd on the program's all-time list.

Jeffries (6.5 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.0 SPG) has found his way into State's starting five in 75 of 78 career games. He eclipsed 600 career rebounds against UT Martin (11/11) and followed that up by surpassing 1,100 career points versus Washington State (11/18). Jeffries secured a season-high 11 points during the Tulane (12/09) and Murray State (12/13) outings. He added a season's best 12 rebounds to tuck away his first double-double of the season versus Murray State.

Davis (8.1 PPG, 3.4 APG, 2.0 SPG) rated among the SEC's top 10 in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.95 – 6th), steals (1.68 – 9th) and assists (3.52 – 10th) last season. This season, Davis checks in among the SEC's top 15 in steals (2.00 – 4th), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.62 – 12th) and assists (3.40 – 13th). He posted 11.5 points, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals in two games en route to Hall of Fame Tipoff All-Tournament Team. Three of his top four scoring performances have come away from Humphrey Coliseum headed by MSU-best 18 points against Utah in the Fort Myers Tipoff Championship Game.

Matthews (9.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.8 APG, 2.1 SPG) was joined by Davis and Moore in 2022-23 as the first trio in program history to accumulate 50-plus steals during the same season. He has showcased his versality as one of five Power 6 players and one of 11 players nationally to dial up at least 9.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game this season. Matthews has posted six outings of 10+ points sparked by a season-high 14 points versus Tulane (12/09) in 2023-24. He also has grabbed 5+ rebounds eight times, secured multiple steals on six occasions and handed out multiple assists in six outings this season.

4. The Bulldogs have brought in an impressive group of newcomers which include Jimmy Bell Jr. (West Virginia), Trey Fort (Howard College), Jaquan Scott (Salt Lake Community College) and Andrew Taylor (Marshall) from the transition portal and the junior college ranks.

Bell Jr. (9.1 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.2 BPG) has started 44 straight games over the last two seasons and was a key member of West Virginia's 2022-23 NCAA Tournament squad. He has already notched five of his 12 career outings of 10-plus points this season. Bell Jr. ripped off 14 points during the North Alabama (11/14) and Tulane (12/09) games. His 9.0 rebounds per contest hold the SEC's top spot, and he's pulled down 10+ rebounds on five occasions.

Fort (6.4 PPG), one of the nation's top junior college recruits, was a NJCAA All-America Second-Team honoree last season. His 24.9 points per game was fourth among junior college players. Fort has notched double figures two times highlighted by a 21-point explosion versus Arizona State (11/08) on opening night. The 21 points were the most scored by a MSU player during a season opener since Tyson Carter secured 23 points against Florida International in 2019-20.

Scott (2.0 PPG, 1.8 RPG) posted 16.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per game at Salt Lake CC last season, and his team was the 2021-22 NJCAA Runner-Up. He secured nine points and nine rebounds versus Southern Miss in the charity exhibition game. Scott's best regular season outing was six points and six rebounds against Tulane (12/09).

Taylor (3.8 PPG, 1.3 APG) was dubbed a SEC Impact transfer by CBS' Jon Rothstein. His 1,633 career points are second among SEC active players. Last season, Taylor joined by St. John's Shamorie Ponds in 2017-18 as the only college players over the last decade to average at least 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game. He tallied a season's best nine points versus North Alabama (11/14).

5. Mississippi State's talented freshmen class features Harrison Alexander, Gai Chol, Josh Hubbard and Adrian Myers. The Bulldogs also brought back Shawn Jones Jr., KeShawn Murphy and Martavious Russell who will look to build on their freshmen campaigns.

Hubbard (16.5 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 1.6 APG), the SEC Freshmen of the Week for 11/20 and an ESPN top 100 recruit for the Class of 2023, capped his high school career as the state of Mississippi's all-time leading scorer with 4,367 career points which broke a record that stood for 37 years previously held by Mississippi State's Robert Woodard.

Hubbard has piled up 165 points through his first 10 games which is 5th-most for a MSU freshman and the most since Rickey Brown (1976-77). His 16.5 points per game are tops among SEC freshmen and tied for 8th overall in the league. Hubbard has delivered three outings of 20-plus points off the bench which is the second-most for a State player over the last 30-plus seasons trailing only Darryl Wilson in 1993-94.

Hubbard's season-high of 29 points versus Northwestern (11/19) was the most for a MSU player under Coach Jans. It also marked the most points scored for a State player off the bench since Tony Watts also scored 29 at Ole Miss in 1989-90. He dialed up a pair of 22-point efforts against UT Martin (11/11) during his Humphrey Coliseum debut and versus Tulane (12/09) where all 22 points came in the first half.

Jones Jr. (5.8 PPG, 1.8 RPG) wrapped up the 2022-23 campaign on a strong note with seven of his top 10 scoring efforts coming against SEC opponents. He has carried that momentum into the start of the 2023-24 campaign with a trio of 8-point efforts versus Arizona State (11/08), UT Martin (11/11) and Washington State (11/18).

Murphy (4.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG) made his season debut returning from injury against Nicholls (11/24). His top performance in 2023-24 was seven points and a career-high 10 rebounds versus Tulane (12/09). Murphy's career-best is 11 points against No. 8 Alabama (12/28) last season.

Chol (3.2 PPG, 2.2 RPG), a native of South Sudan, took advantage of extended minutes with 11 points and six rebounds against UT Martin (11/11). He also tallied five points versus Nicholls (11/24) coupled with four points and four rebounds during the Tulane game (12/09).

Mississippi State is selling single game tickets and $96 mini plans for the 2023-24 campaign. Visit www.HailState.com/Tickets for more information.

Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the men's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its official social media accounts by searching 'HailStateMBK' on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.

Mississippi State University Athletics

Five Things To Know MSU-North Texas

Players Mentioned

Harrison Alexander

Jimmy Bell Jr.

Gai Chol

Dashawn Davis

Trey Fort

Josh Hubbard

D.J. Jeffries

Shawn Jones Jr.

Cameron Matthews

Shakeel Moore

KeShawn Murphy

Adrian Myers

Martavious Russell

Jaquan Scott

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