Dawgs Open NIT Play Against Jackson State Tuesday Night
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Two days after dropping a hard-fought overtime decision to Kentucky in the finals of the SEC Tournament, Mississippi State finds itself back on the court Tuesday against Jackson State in the opening round of the NIT.
Tip at Humphrey Coliseum is slated for 9:05 p.m., and the game will be televised by ESPNU.
The top-seeded Bulldogs are making their seventh NIT appearance, the fourth under 12th-year Rick Stansbury, and are 6-6 all-time in this event.
Their last NIT run came in 2007 when they advanced to the semifinals in New York City, losing 63-62 on a last-second shot to West Virginia.
"We are excited about the opportunity to play again," said Stansbury, who has now guided the Bulldogs to 10 post-season appearances, including six NCAA berths. "I have a lot of respect for what Jackson State has accomplished. They won their conference championship and obviously have a good team. It's going to be a challenge."
Tuesday marks the fourth meeting between the Bulldogs and Tigers, with MSU winning the first three. They last met in 2003, with the Bulldogs winning 71-56 in Starkville.
Mississippi State, which sports an overall 23-11 ledger, is 12-3 at home this year.
"We need all the fans we can get," Stansbury said. "We need their emotional lift."
The Bulldogs enter the contest led in scoring by senior All-SEC forward Jarvis Varnado's 13.6 average, followed by Ravern Johnson at 13.4. Also in double digits are Dee Bost (12.8) and Stewart (11.7).
Jackson State, which is 19-12, is paced by Garrison Johnson's 17.6 clip.
The winner of this game will face either North Carolina or William & Mary at a date and time to be determined.
TICKET INFO
Tickets can be purchased online at www.mstateathletics.com and starting at 8 a.m. on Tuesday at the MSU ticket office or by calling 1-888-GO-DAWGS. They are $20 each.
Student tickets will also be available for $4 beginning 8 a.m. on Tuesday and a valid student ID must be presented.