Five Things To Know: No. 21 State-Oklahoma

by Matt Dunaway, Director/Communications

NORMAN, Oklahoma – No. 21 Mississippi State will make its maiden SEC voyage to Oklahoma for a Saturday matinee at the Lloyd Noble Center.

Everyone talks about their SEC schedule being a gauntlet, but the Bulldogs (19-7, 7-6 SEC) have had to face off with the league's elite this season.

Entering Saturday's action, State is one of six teams in the country to play at least 11 games against Associated Press Top 25 opponents which already has set a new program single season mark. The Bulldogs joined by Georgia and Vanderbilt as the only teams nationally to already play at least six conference games against AP Top 10 opponents.

The Maroon and White are one of six SEC squads (Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Tennessee, Texas A&M) and are one of 17 teams nationally to produce at least 11 combined NCAA NET Quad 1 and 2 victories on the season.

State has posted an 18-2 mark versus teams outside the Associated Press Top 10. Overall, 13 of the 19 wins for the Bulldogs are against KenPom Top 100 teams fueled by seven wins inside the top 50.

State is joined by Memphis and Tennessee as the only teams in the nation to collect at least 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. 21 in this week's Associated Press Top 25. The Bulldogs are ranked inside the AP poll for the ninth 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), No. 21 Ole Miss (84-81), at No. 19 Ole Miss (81-71) and No. 7 Texas A&M (70-54), the Bulldogs have won five games over AP Top 25 foes for the first time during the regular season in program history.

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 10 victories over AP Top 25 opponents in three seasons under Coach Jans. The 10 wins are already the most ranked victories for a State coach during his first three seasons in Starkville.

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 277 turnovers through 26 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 collected 248 steals which is a program-record, canned 215 three-pointers which is third-best, and averaged 79.0 points per game which is sixth-most in program history in addition to the best scoring mark since 1990-91 through 26 games.

After selling out seven contests and boasting the program's fifth highest attendance average for season in 2023-24, Humphrey Coliseum has averaged 8,802 fans which is the program's highest mark through the team's first 13 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 emerged with victories in three of the previous four meetings with the Sooners. However, Oklahoma claimed the last meeting, 63-62, during the 2019-20 SEC/Big 12 Challenge. Both programs were ranked inside the AP Top 20 for State's 54-45 win at 2002-03 Sugar Bowl Classic.

The Matchup: No. 21 Mississippi State (19-7, 7-6 SEC) vs. Oklahoma (16-10, 3-10 SEC)
Where: Norman, Oklahoma – Lloyd Noble Center
When: Saturday, February 22, 12:01 p.m. CT
Live Stats: StatBroadcast (https://hailst.at/MBKLiveStats)

TV: SEC Network (Ch. 611 – DirecTV; Ch. 404/408 Dish; Ch. 1026 MaxxSouth; Ch. 220 C-Spire)
Stream: ESPN App (Subscription Required)
Direct Link: https://hailst.at/40OxXIr
Talent: Richard Cross, Joe Kleine

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/4jXS9QC

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 .723 winning percentage (204-78) in his 9th season as a NCAA Division I head coach. He earned his 200th career victory against Ole Miss (01/18).

Jans is fifth among NCAA active coaches with the aforementioned .723 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 61 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 SEC coach at his respective 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 canceled.

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 1061 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. He surpassed the feat in eight fewer games than Gordon, while his 1061 points also are 3rd in program history through 61 career games and sits 38th overall on State's all-time list.

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 55 of 61 outings fueled by 13 of his 22 efforts of 20+ points versus SEC foes. He has sunk multiple triples in 52 of 61 career games and has hit at least one three-pointer in 39 consecutive games which is tied for the longest streak in State history. In total, he has already buried 190 treys which is already tied for 8th on the program's all-time list.

Hubbard picked up where he left off from a season ago and has poured in 17.8 points per game this season which is 4th 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 six outings, Hubbard has dialed up 23.0 points per game sparked by 23 triples. He has led the team in scoring during 26 of his 42 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 72 of his 85 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, 800 rebounds, 350 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 +679 plus/minus cumulative mark when on the floor. He has been a positive plus/minus performer in 71 of 95 games, racked up 36 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 260 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 8-1 when Matthews records 5+ steals.

Murphy has played in 66 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 11.2 points and 7.5 rebounds this season.

The Alabama native had double figures in six straight games (01/25-02/15) and has boosted his mark to 13.5 points per contest over his last 10 efforts. Murphy pumped home a career-high 20 points against No. 18 Pitt (12/04) in addition to collecting his first career double-double with 18 points and a career-best 14 rebounds versus Utah (11/17) in the non-conference.

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 61.3 percent of his field goal attempts in conference games. Nine of his 14 outings of 10+ points off the bench have come against SEC opponents, while his 7.5 rebounds per contest are 9th and his 1.2 blocks per game are 14th on the SEC leaderboard.

An ESPN top 100 recruit for the Class of 2021, Murphy secured a trio of double-doubles in SEC action fueled by 18-point efforts against No. 4 Alabama (01/29) versus No. 21 Ole Miss (01/18) and against No. 3 Florida (02/11). State has won 16 of 21 games over the last three seasons when he scores double-digit points and three of his four outings with a double-double in 2024-25.

Murphy has been a stats sheet stuffer with 13 outings of multiple assists and 10 games of multiple blocks followed by five games of multiple steals this season.

3. State has received 34.7 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 1,584 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. His career-high is 34 points against High Point (01/11/2023) while at 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 85 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. The Louisiana native has drained 255 career three-pointers and hit a trey in 19 consecutive games for the Bulldogs.

Harris Jr. has ripped off double figures 14 times at State which is third on the team. The Bulldogs are 12-2 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 and came away with 12 of his 15 points after halftime during a victory over No. 7 Texas A&M (02/18).

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 851 points over 90 games between State and Florida.
Kugel has managed 41 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 12 occasions with State. The Bulldogs are 10-2 in those outings. He has fired in 10.1 points per game over his last 14 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 24 outings of 10-plus points off the bench which is 3rd among SEC duos trailing only Auburn's Chaney Johnson and Tahaad Pettiford along with Alabama's Aden Holloway and Mouhamed Dioubate of Alabama 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 116 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) last season.

Melendez has tallied 846 career points coupled with 41 career outings with 10-plus points. His teams are a combined 27-14 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) and a 17-point effort at No. 19 Ole Miss (02/15).

Nwoko made 55 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 12 of his 17 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 seen action in 18 games off the bench which includes each of State's last six SEC games (01/29-02/18). He has chipped in multiple assists in seven of his appearances in addition to multiple steals on three occasions. The freshmen 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. 70), Tee Bartlett (No. 89) and Jamarion Davis-Fleming (No. 92). 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. 21 State-Oklahoma

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Players Mentioned

Dashawn Davis

Cameron Matthews

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