SEC West Champion Bulldogs Head To Atlanta For SEC Tourney
Claiming a share of their league-high fifth SEC West crown since the league went to divisional play in 1991-92 and receiving a bye through Thursday's first-round tournament action, coach Rick Stansbury's top-seeded Bulldogs will tip off this year's SEC Tournament by taking on either fourth-seeded Kentucky of the SEC East or No. 5 West seed Alabama in Game 5 Friday afternoon. Tip-off for MSU's tourney opener is set for 1 p.m. ET (noon CT) at the Georgia Dome, and the game (as will all Thursday, Friday and Saturdaygames) will be televised regionally by Lincoln Financial Sports.
Defensively, this year's 17-12 State squad enters postseason tournament play leading the SEC in field-goal percentage defense (.402) for all games to rank 24th nationally. Having already established a new single-season school standard with 188 blocks on the season, the Bulldogs rank ninth nationally in blocks and closely trail Arkansas (6.50 to 6.48 bpg) for the current league lead. On the defensive end, MState also ranks second in the SEC in rebounding (38.5 rpg) for all games, while standing third in three-point percentage defense (.319).
Offensively as a team, the Bulldogs begin the SEC Tournament needing 12 more 3-pointers to break the current single-season school standard of 240 made treys set by MSU's 1994-95 ballclub. Along with ranking fourth in the SEC in made 3-pointers per game (7.90/gm) and fifth in three-point percentage (.363), State also stands second in scoring margin (+8.2 ppg; 40th in NCAA), fourth in scoring offense (76.0 ppg) and fifth in field-goal percentage(.461) for all games.
Featuring five players scoring in double figures on the year, MSU is powered by the all-conference duo of sophomore guard/forward Jamont Gordon (15.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg & 5.0 apg) and junior forward Charles Rhodes (13.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg & 1.6 bpg), who this week were named to the Coaches All-SEC First and Second Teams, respectively. Gordon is the first Mississippi State underclassman to achieve first-team all-league honors since former Bulldog All-American and current Dallas Mavericks standout center Erick Dampier accomplished the feat as a State rookie in 1993-94. A repeat second-team all-SEC performer, Rhodes becomes the first MSU player to earn all-conference recognition as both a sophomore and junior since Mario Austin in 2002 and 2003.