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Mississippi St. Bulldogs
Location: Starkville, Miss. | Founded: 1878 | Enrollment: 17,000 | Colors: Maroon and White
Coach: Rick Stansbury | Home Court: Humphrey Coliseum | Capacity: 10,500

Record: (23-11, 9-7 Southeastern)
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Bulldogs report: Getting inside
 

The Sports Xchange
 
 
Getting inside · Strategy and personnel · Notes, quotes
 

 

Forget about Jarvis Varnado or State's guard play. Don't mind Mississippi State's shallow bench. Don't think about analyzing Ravern Johnson's shooting stroke.

Mississippi State's success in the NIT will depend on things much more intangible than that.

Left out of the NCAA Tournament field after a valiant effort in an overtime loss to Kentucky in the SEC tournament final, Mississippi State faces a gut check. Does it really want to play and advance in the NIT? If so, it has the talent to win the whole thing. If not, it could mail things in -- as it did the final week of the regular season -- and have an even murkier ending to its season.

The last time Mississippi State made the NIT, it was a group that entered the three-letter tournament like most: Hopeful to make the Big Dance but expectant to be in the NIT. That group advanced to the NIT semifinals in 2007. It was a totally different mind-set from this team, which was emotionally crushed after its loss to Kentucky.

Sure, there are technical aspects this team needs to fix, and it could certainly use the NIT as a way to develop its bench further for years to come. But this team was literally a tenth of a second from beating the No. 2 team in the nation and entering its third straight NCAA Tournament. To return to Starkville and play in the NIT will be a colossal letdown.

How will Mississippi State handle it?

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Mississippi St. Bulldogs Message Board
Reputation:81
Level:All-Star
Since:Mar 4, 2008

March 13, 2010 11:38 am
The comparison is not that strange. It's the anticipation of it all, that's the best part! The "marathon" like the Syracuse Uconn 6OT game last season (not that i have performed like that since college). Then we have State vs. Florida in this years quarterfinal, out of the gates like a mad man only to fade to a creeping conclusion. Or my choice of today: the shot by Ohio State ...(more)
Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Jul 11, 2008

March 14, 2010 7:07 pm

I'm at a complete loss.   I believe Mississippi State was ripped off by the selection committee today.  
Taking #2 Kentucky down to the wire in overtime in the SEC tourney is better - to me anyway - than Florida's overall strength of schedule.  Strength of schedule is one of those things that people point to, look at, and habitually over-read r ...(more)

Reputation:94
Level:All-Star
Since:Jan 20, 2009

March 14, 2010 3:44 pm
So sorry fellas'!  Was rooting for you all the way!  So close yet so far.  Coulda' woulda' shoulda'.  I know all about missed charity stripes.  My Derrick Coleman could have iced the game against Bobby Knight's Indiana squad in the 87' Championship Game.  Best of luck! 
Reputation:81
Level:All-Star
Since:Mar 4, 2008

February 26, 2010 9:35 am

Winning at South Carolina won't be noteworthy to the selection committee but it would be to OUR team. The gamecocks have been NCAA toury-like at home...  wins vs. Vandy, Kentucky, Florida, Richmond just to name a few. In fact Tennessee and Baylor are the only 2 tourny teams to win there. Baylor with a high tempo, high scoring game; the Vols with sound fundamentals and great defen ...(more)

Reputation:94
Level:All-Star
Since:Nov 3, 2009

March 8, 2010 4:33 pm
Found this article this afternoon and there was a take on varnado being one of five players with something to prove heading into march.

thought it was a good piece.

Championship Week-Players with Something to Prove
Reputation:95
Level:Superstar
Since:May 22, 2009

March 3, 2010 10:29 pm
Tonight's loss to Auburn pretty much sealed your fate: either win the SEC tourney or off to the NIT.  What a shame given all the talent on the team!  Oh well.
Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Jul 11, 2008

February 23, 2010 8:17 pm
Mississippi State just moved up on my list of favorite schools. 
I don't condone the tossing of water bottles onto the floor at the end of the game; that was slightly immature; however, college is wrought with the balancing of maturity against immaturity.  Cudos has to go to the Mississippi State band for their rendition of the Memphis Tiger Fight Song.   I loved it.
...(more)
Reputation:86
Level:All-Star
Since:Feb 18, 2009

March 7, 2010 7:22 pm
2010 SEC MBB Championship Bracket:

http://www.winningbracket.com/Confe
rences/2010Tourney/Bracket_2010_SEC
.html
Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Dec 26, 2007

February 18, 2010 3:24 pm

I think the SEC gets four teams in this year.  Kentucky, Vandy, Tennessee (gross, I hate typing that), and Mississippi State. 

Though a win against the #2 team in the country would have been nice, I don't think it was needed.  Yes, you're one of the last or next 4 out, RIGHT NOW.  But look at your schedule now:

@ LSU - surely you won't be the first SEC ...(more)

Reputation:94
Level:All-Star
Since:Oct 31, 2009

February 16, 2010 11:42 pm
You guys lose so you start throwing stuff on the court?  What a way to be a sore loser.   Oh, and good job getting Cousins phone number.  Sure did a lot of good.  A second rate program with second rate fans. 
Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Jan 11, 2007

February 17, 2010 12:00 am
Hey Rick,
              When was your last tech? It was obvious that the UK greaseball was superior in working the refs. Do you plan on ever getting a T? I know that coach "All my former teams go on probation" worked the sidelines better than you. Please act like you care. We were absolutely f#cking mugg
...(more)
Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Sep 14, 2009

February 17, 2010 12:33 pm
Think they can hear him now?

You know those cell phone commercials where a guy is standing there with this throng of people behind him in his network? Tonight, University of Kentucky freshman DeMarcus Cousins could star in one of those -- with the entire state of Mississippi behind him.

But he'd need someone to watch his back.

Flashing the "call me" sign
...(more)
Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Sep 12, 2006

February 12, 2010 8:00 am
A better prepared, hungrier team won the game last night, congrats to your boys.  Ole Miss looked dreadful...poor shots, no real offense, scared to take it to the rim...the list can go on and on.  Congrats again, nice win
Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Jan 11, 2007

February 4, 2010 10:31 am
Sorry to my fellow State fans who come to this site for the 2 previous posts. I need to hide the laptop whilst drinking and watching State lose. I will say there are elements of truth in the earlier two posts though. Go State!
Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Jan 11, 2007

February 8, 2010 1:52 pm
Here we are at the midpoint of the conference slate and it seems the Western Division is almost upside down. A team that has not shared/won the West since 1995 and every other team in the West has won the division at least once since their last title....Arkansas is in 1st place in the West halfway through.

This just in from Hell - It's snowing
...(more)
 
 
 
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