Five Things To Know: No. 22 State-No. 3 Florida

by Matt Dunaway, Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – No. 22 Mississippi State faces its fifth top 10 challenge of the season and its seventh ranked opponent during its last nine games when No. 3 Florida visits Humphrey Coliseum on Tuesday evening.

The Bulldogs (17-6, 5-5 SEC) are one of seven SEC squads (Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas A&M) and are one of 24 teams nationally to produce at least 9 combined NCAA NET Quad 1 and 2 victories on the season.

State is joined by Memphis and Tennessee as the only teams in the nation to collect a pair of true non-conference road wins over NCAA NET Quad 1 foes.

The Bulldogs are one of eight programs (Alabama, Auburn, Marquette, Memphis, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas A&M) in the country to amass at least five non-conference victories. Only State coupled with Auburn, Oklahoma and Oregon have amassed a 5-1 record or better against NCAA NET Quad 1 and Quad 2 non-conference opponents.

Earlier this week, State checked in at No. 22 in this week's Associated Press Top 25. The Bulldogs are ranked inside the AP poll for the eight straight week. State has secured as high as a No. 14 ranking on three occasions in 2024-25, the latest being 01/27, which remains a program watermark under Coach Jans.

With their victories over No. 18 Pitt (80-57), No. 21 Memphis (79-66) and No. 21 Ole Miss (84-81), the Bulldogs have won three games over AP Top 25 foes for the first time in program history heading into the month of February.

Respectively, the Pitt and Memphis triumphs are State's largest home and largest road wins over AP Top 25 opponents in program history. The Bulldogs also posted a 35-point win over South Carolina which was the program's second-largest margin of victory during a SEC opener.

In total, the Maroon and White have captured eight victories over AP Top 25 opponents in three seasons under Coach Jans. The eight wins are already the most ranked victories for a State coach during his first three seasons in Starkville.

Coach Jans' eight victories over AP Top 25 foes trail only Missouri's Dennis Gates and are tied with Alabama's Nate Oats for current coaches at their SEC respective schools during their first three seasons inside the league.

State has secured back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances fueled by a pair of 21-win campaigns with Coach Jans at the helm. The last time the Bulldogs collected back-to-back NCAA Tournament bids was during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons under Rick Stansbury.
State will look to secure three straight NCAA Tournament trips for the third time in program history this season. The last time the Maroon and White accomplished the feat was in 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05 under Stansbury.

The Bulldogs have committed only 238 turnovers through 23 games which shatters a program low dating back to at least the 1979-80 season. State has had 10 games of committing single-digit turnovers this season.

The Maroon and White has canned 193 three-pointers which is third-best, collected 218 steals which is the fourth-highest and averaged 79.7 points per game which is sixth-most in program history through 23 games.

After selling out seven contests and boasting the program's fifth highest attendance average for season in 2023-24, Humphrey Coliseum has averaged 8,701 fans which is the program's highest mark through the team's first 11 games dating back to the 2007-08 season.

Fans can purchase single game tickets for the program's remaining home games through Mississippi State's Athletic Ticket Office at www.HailState.com/tickets or by calling (662) 325-2600 / (888) 463-2947 (GO DAWGS).

SERIES HISTORY
State has won four of the last seven meetings over the Gators since the 2018-19 seasons which includes a 2-1 mark in Starkville. The Bulldogs last win in the series came in overtime, 69-68, at the 2023 SEC Tournament.

State's last victory over an AP Top 3 opponent was versus No. 3 UConn, 60-55, during the 1996 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.

The Matchup: No. 22 Mississippi State (17-6, 5-5 SEC) vs. No. 3 Florida (17-3, 7-3 SEC)
Where: Starkville, Mississippi – Humphrey Coliseum
When: Tuesday, February 11, 6:01 p.m. CT
Live Stats: StatBroadcast (https://hailst.at/MBKLiveStats)

TV: ESPN2 (Ch. 209 – DirecTV; Ch. 143 Dish; Ch. 1024 MaxxSouth; Ch. 202 C-Spire)
Stream: ESPN App (Subscription Required)
Direct Link: https://hailst.at/415OLf9
Talent: Tom Hart, Dane Bradshaw, Alyssa Lang

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 and The Varsity Network Apps
Direct Link: https://hailst.at/3WTU8vp

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT STATE
1. Chris Jans, one of the nation's premier bench bosses, leads the State program. He is assisted by George Brooks, David Anwar, Patrice Days, Scott Padgett and Dillon Elder.

Jans, a three-time WAC Coach of the Year during his tenure at New Mexico State, owns an impressive .724 winning percentage (202-77) in his 9th season as a NCAA Division I head coach. He earned his 200th career victory against Ole Miss (01/18).

Jans is tied for fifth among NCAA active coaches with the aforementioned .724 winning percentage which sits behind only Mark Few (Gonzaga), Bill Self (Kansas), John Calipari (Arkansas) and Brian Dutcher (San Diego State).

In his three seasons at State, Jans has amassed 59 victories, which is most for a State coach and trails only Florida's Todd Golden among the six, SEC third-year coaches. He is the only active coach at his respective SEC school to post a pair of 20-plus win seasons during his first two seasons inside the league with Calipari in his first season at Arkansas.

Jans is looking to remain in the elite company of Calipari (Kentucky – 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12), Bruce Pearl (Tennessee – 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08) and Tubby Smith (Kentucky – 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000) as the only four coaches in SEC history to take their squads to three straight NCAA Tournaments with at least 21 wins in their first three seasons inside the league.

Nationally, Jans is joined by Jon Scheyer (Duke) and Rodney Terry (Texas) as the only third-year coaches in the nation to take their squads to the 2023 and 2024 NCAA Tournaments, respectively.

Jans is the last coach to defeat two-time defending national champion UConn led by Dan Hurley at the 2022 NCAA Tournament while at New Mexico State and was the last coach to defeat the Huskies on a neutral court, a span of 984 days, until Memphis defeated UConn at the 2024 Maui Invitational.

As a junior college head coach, Jans won the 1997-98 NJCAA Division II National Championship at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Jans 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 before he won the 2015 Joe B. Hall National Coach of the Year during his first season as a NCAA Division I head coach at Bowling Green.

Jans ushered in an unprecedented run of success over a five-year span at New Mexico State where he guided the Aggies to a 122-32 record sparked by three NCAA Tournament trips. The program was in-line for a 4th NCAA Tournament appearance before the 2019-20 postseason was cancelled.

2. State's returning group is fueled by Josh Hubbard, Shawn Jones Jr., Cameron Matthews and KeShawn Murphy.

Hubbard, a John R. Wooden Award and Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List recipient, registered 17.1 points per game which was tops among SEC freshmen last season.

Hubbard's 1001 points are the most among State freshmen and sophomores surpassing Jamont Gordon who piled up 974 points during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons. Hubbard accomplished the feat in eight fewer games than Gordon. His 1001 points also are 3rd in program history through 58 career games.

Hubbard became the third-fastest State player only behind Bailey Howell (1957-58-59) and Jerry Jenkins (1973-74-75) in addition to the 43rd player in program history to eclipse the 1,000-point barrier at Georgia (02/08) during his 58th career game.

Hubbard has racked up double figures in 52 of 58 outings fueled by 21 efforts of 20+ points. He has sunk multiple triples in 49 of 58 career games and has hit at least one three-pointer in 36 consecutive games which is the second-longest streak in State history. In total, he has already buried 181 treys which is already 9th on the program's all-time list.

Hubbard picked up where he left off from a season ago and has poured in 17.5 points per game this season which is 7th among the SEC leaders. He fired in 25 of his career-best 38 points after halftime versus No. 4 Alabama (01/29). The 38 points are the most in program history for a player versus a ranked opponent and most for a State player during the 2000s.

The Madison native's additional top SEC scoring efforts are 34 points versus No. 16 Kentucky (02/27/2024) and 32 points at LSU (02/24/2024). His best non-con scoring effort was 29 points against Northwestern (11/19/2023).

Over his last 32 outings, Hubbard has dialed up 19.4 points per game sparked by 111 triples. He has led the team in scoring during 24 of his 39 career starts since the Auburn game on 01/28/2024.

Hubbard, 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. He broke a state record that stood for 37 years previously held by Mississippi State's Robert Woodard.

Jones Jr. has made 69 of his 82 appearances off the bench over his three seasons with the Bulldogs. He posted a career-high tying 11 points versus Prairie View A&M (12/08), while his SEC career-best is 11 points against South Carolina (02/28/2023).

Matthews is one of college basketball's most versatile players and is the only active NCAA player with at least 900 points, 750 rebounds, 300 assists and 250 steals. He is one of five SEC players and one of 22 players among the Power 5 hoops conferences (ACC, BIG EAST, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC) to play their fifth season at the same school in 2024-25.

During his three seasons under Coach Jans, Matthews has dialed up an impressive +651 plus/minus cumulative mark when on the floor. He has been a positive plus/minus performer in 68 of 92 games, racked up 35 outings with at least +10 mark and secured at least a +20 rating on 13 occasions.

Matthews, one of 15 finalists for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, has posted 251 career steals which are 1st on State's all-time list and is 3rd among NCAA active Power 5 players (ACC, BIG EAST, Big Ten, Big 12 SEC). The Olive Branch native set the State all-time mark during the McNeese game (12/14) and is looking to join Jarvis Varnado (2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 as State's only players to earn multiple All-SEC Defensive Team nods.

Matthews dialed up consecutive double-doubles earlier in SEC play this season. He fired in a career-best tying 19 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and added six steals versus No. 6 Kentucky (01/11). He also stuffed the stats sheet with 10 points, 11 rebounds and four steals against Ole Miss (01/18).

The Bulldogs are 23-9 lifetime when Matthews collects 10+ points. State also has secured a 16-5 mark when Matthews hands out 5+ assists and are 7-1 when Matthews records 5+ steals.
Murphy has played in 63 career games and made all three of his career starts in 2024-25. He has improved his points and rebounds per game averages during each of his three seasons culminating with 11.1 points and 7.3 rebounds this season.

The Alabama native has pumped home 10 of his top 11 scoring efforts in 2024-25 ignited by a career-high 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting against No. 18 Pitt (12/04). He dialed up his first career double-double with 18 points and a career-best 14 rebounds versus Utah (11/17).

An ESPN top 100 recruit for the Class of 2021, Murphy secured a SEC career-best 18 points against No. 4 Alabama (01/29) in addition to 18 points and added 11 rebounds against Ole Miss (01/18). State has won 15 of 19 games over the last three seasons when he scores double-digit points and all three outings with a double-double in 2024-25.

Murphy, a candidate for the SEC's 6th Man of the Year award as one of the league's most improved players, has drained a SEC-leading 62.2 percent of his field goal attempts in conference games. Seven of his 12 outings of 10+ points off the bench have come against SEC opponents, while his 7.3 rebounds per contest are 10th on the SEC leaderboard.

Murphy has been a stats sheet stuffer with 12 outings of multiple assists and eight games of multiple blocks followed by five games of multiple steals this season.

3. State has received 35.1 points per game from its transfer class of Claudell Harris Jr. (Boston College), Riley Kugel (Florida), RJ Melendez (Georgia) and Michael Nwoko (Miami • Florida)

Harris Jr. has piled up 1,553 career points over his three stops at State, Charleston Southern and Boston College. He was named 2021-22 All-Big South Freshman Team and 2022-23 All-Big South Second Team during his first two seasons with Charleston Southern.

Harris Jr. made an instant impact with 20 points fueled by six trifectas in State's opening night win over West Georgia (11/04) and tacked on a season's best 21 points versus Prairie View A&M (12/08) during the non-conference. He is the only State player since at least 1988-89 to fire in 20 points off the bench during a season opener.

Overall, Harris Jr. has racked up 83 outings in double figures fueled by 19 performances of 20+ points. His teams are a combined 14-5 when he piles up 20-plus points.

Harris Jr. has ripped off double figures 12 times at State which is tied for second on the team. The Bulldogs are 10-2 when he reaches double figures. He dropped in a SEC-high 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting versus South Carolina (01/04) during the SEC opener.

Harris Jr.'s career-high is 34 points against High Point (01/11/2023) at Charleston Southern followed by 2023-24 season's best of 29 points versus Lehigh (12/21/2023) during his time at Boston College.

Kugel, an ESPN top 75 recruit for the Class of 2022, has made it a full circle moment after he originally committed to the Maroon and White in November 2021. He captured 2022-23 All-SEC Freshman-Team honors and has totaled 833 points over 87 games between State and Florida.

Kugel has managed 40 games in double figures headed by 11 outings of 20-plus points. His career watermark is 25 points against No. 13 Baylor (11/24/2023), while he posted a SEC career-high of 24 points against Kentucky (02/22/2023) with the Gators.

Kugel has dialed up double figures on 11 occasions with State. The Bulldogs are 9-2 in those outings. He has fired in 11.0 points per game over his last 11 appearances and ripped off a SEC season-high 21 points versus No. 21 Ole Miss (01/04) which included the go-ahead three-pointer in the closing minutes of overtime.

Kugel was on his way to another strong effort with eight points in eight minutes versus No. 6 Kentucky (01/11) before he left the game with multiple injuries. He provided season's best of 22 points against Butler (11/29) and Bethune-Cookman (12/30) during the non-conference.

Kugel and Murphy have combined for 22 outings of 10-plus points off the bench which is 2nd among SEC duos trailing only Auburn's Chaney Johnson and Tahaad Pettiford this season.

Like Kugel, Melendez is no stranger to the SEC after he spent last season at Georgia where the Bulldogs made a run to the 2024 NIT Final Four. He opened his collegiate career with back-to-back NCAA Tournament trips at Illinois.

Melendez, an ESPN top 75 recruit for the Class of 2021, has played in 112 games and improved his scoring average during each of his first three seasons sparked by 9.6 points per game at Georgia. His career-high is 35 points aided by six treys at Florida (01/27/2024).

Melendez has tallied 816 career points coupled with 39 career outings with 10-plus points. His teams are a combined 25-14 when he provides double figures. The Puerto Rico native piled up a season's best 19 points and seven rebounds at Vanderbilt (01/07) followed by a non-conference season-high of 18 points against McNeese (12/14).

Nwoko made 52 appearances at State and Miami where two of his top five scoring efforts came against top 15 opponents last season. He tallied eight points and seven rebounds against No. 8 Duke (02/21/2024) coupled with eight points and six rebounds at No. 12 Kentucky (11/28/2023).

Nwoko has seven performances of 10+ points on the season where State has posted a 5-2 mark. His first career double-double with career-bests of 18 points and 11 rebounds versus No. 18 Pitt (12/04). The Canadian tacked on his second double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds against Prairie View A&M (12/08).

Nwoko has secured eight of his top nine scoring performances with State and tallied a conference career-high 11 points at Georgia (02/08) and at South Carolina (01/25). He has provided 11 of his 16 outings with 5+ rebounds and all six of his efforts with multiple blocks this season.

Nwoko has international experience representing Team Canada at the 2022 FIBA U18 Americas Championship and the 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup.

Kanye Clary has played in 62 games where he garnered 545 career points between Mississippi State and Penn State. He amassed 16.7 points per game last season which ranked eight on the Big Ten leaderboard with the Nittany Lions. Clary has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with an injury (01/28).

Jeremy Foumena has seen action in 36 games off the bench during his time at Mississippi State and Rhode Island after a redshirt season with the Rams in 2022-23. His career-high is 16 points versus Wagner (11/14/2023).

4. State's roster features freshmen EJ Paymon and Dellquan Warren along with Gai Chol and Adrian Myers who will look to build on their freshman campaigns.

Warren, an ESPN top 100 recruit for the Class of 2024, played his final prep season at Our Savior Lutheran in New York which is the same prep program as Dashawn Davis who was on State's roster the last two seasons.

Warren has chipped in multiple assists in seven of his appearances in addition to multiple steals on three occasions over his 12 outings off the bench. He came away with two points, three rebounds and three assists against South Carolina (01/04) during the SEC opener.

Chol has made 30 appearances, all coming off the bench, during his first two seasons in Maroon and White. The native of South Sudan started playing basketball around age 10 by attending camps in his home country hosted by NBA player Luol Deng. His career-highs are 11 points and six rebounds versus UT Martin (11/11/2023).

As announced by Coach Jans before the season opener, Myers and Paymon are expected to redshirt the 2024-25 season.

5. As a program, State has earned six straight postseason appearances when postseason tournament has been played (3 NCAA • 3 NIT) and 16 postseason appearances (9 NCAA • 7 NIT) during the 2000s.

The Bulldogs have already signed a trio of ESPN top 100 recruits for the Class of 2025 which include King Grace (No. 69), Tee Bartlett (No. 88) and Jamarion Davis-Fleming (No. 90). The only other time that State has signed three freshmen inside ESPN's top 100 recruits was in 2015-16.

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 and Instagram.

Five Things To Know: No. 22 State-No. 3 Florida

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