Bulldogs To Meet Georgia Thursday In First Round Of SEC Tournament
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STARKVILLE, Miss. - As the third seed in the SEC's Western Division, the Mississippi State Bulldogs (21-9, 9-7) will open play at this week's SEC Men's Basketball Tournament in Atlanta by taking on the sixth-seeded Georgia Bulldogs (8-19, 2-14) out of the SEC East in Game 2 Thursday afternoon. Tip-off for the 94th all-time series renewal of the 'Battle of the Basketball Bulldogs' is set for 3:15 p.m. ET at the Georgia Dome.
The first three days of the SEC Tournament will be televised by Jefferson-Pilot Sports, though Thursday's and Friday's games will be shown on Fox Sports Net South within the local Golden Triangle Region viewing area. Tom Hammond and Larry Conley are slated to call Thursday's first-round tournament contest between Mississippi State and Georgia, with Dave Neal serving as the tournament host and Dave Baker handling the sideline reporting duties for JP Sports. The MSU-Georgia winner will advance to meet the No. 2-seeded Florida Gators of the SEC East in Game 6 Friday afternoon beginning at 3:15 p.m. ET.
Having already extended their school-record streaks by securing a fourth consecutive 20-win season and posting a fourth straight winning record in regular-season conference play, coach Rick Stansbury's 21-9 Bulldogs finished out a 9-7 regular-season mark in SEC action by dropping a 68-63 home decision to the SEC West Champion Alabama Crimson Tide this past Saturday. Prior to the five-point setback to the then-19th ranked Tide, State had won three straight league games, including road wins over Arkansas (57-55) and Georgia (76-62).
Statistically as a team, Mississippi State continues to top the conference in rebounding margin (+9.6 rpg), averaging better than three rebounds more per game than Florida (+6.4 rpg) for all games. In pursuit of their unprecedented fifth consecutive SEC rebound margin team statistical title, the Bulldogs have outrebounded 26 of 30 opponents this season, including all but one SEC foe (at Alabama) on the year. In addition, MSU enters the SEC Tournament ranked second in the league in three-point field goal percentage defense (31.1%) and fourth in overall field-goal percentage defense (41.1%).
Recently chosen to the NABC All-District 6 First Team for the second straight year as well as being selected as one of 23 student-athletes named to the official voting ballot of this year's John R. Wooden Award All-American Team, senior forward Lawrence Roberts begins postseason play leading the conference in rebounding (11.1 rpg), as well as ranking fourth in scoring (17.3 ppg), eighth in field-goal percentage (45.9%) and ninth in steals (1.7 spg). The reigning SEC Player of the Year also paces the SEC with a career-high 18 double-doubles on the season, in addition to leading all active NCAA Division I players with 56 career double-doubles. Roberts enters Thursday's Georgia contest needing just 10 more points to become the 27th all-time member of MSU's 1,000-point club.
The Bulldogs are also receiving double-figure scoring on the year from seniors Winsome Frazier and Shane Power at 12.4 and 11.4 points per game, respectively. In addition, senior forward Ontario Harper is contributing 8.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per contest, while sophomore point guard Gary Ervin averages 7.8 points an outing and ranks second in the SEC behind Tennessee's C.J. Watson in assists (4.9 apg).
Guided by second-year head coach Dennis Felton, the Georgia Bulldogs open SEC Tournament competition with an 8-19 overall record and 2-14 SEC mark after dropping a 78-68 decision at Tennessee this past Saturday to conclude the regular season. Georgia's pair of conference wins this season came at home over Vanderbilt (68-59) and Auburn (57-45). Beginning with the team's 76-62 home loss to Mississippi State two weeks ago, UGA dropped its last four regular-season decisions heading into this week's SEC Tournament. The Georgia Bulldogs are led in scoring by sophomore guard Levi Stukes, who is averaging 15.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game on the year. Freshman guard Sundiata Gaines ranks second on the team in both scoring (11.9 ppg) and rebounding (5.0 rpg), while pacing Georgia in assists (3.0 apg) as well as steals (2.4 spg). Fellow freshman guard Channing Toney adds 9.8 points per contest and is shooting 91 percent from the charity stripe for the season.