An air of mystery shrouds Mississippi State.

Oh, there's no question the Bulldogs are going to be favored to win the SEC's Western Division. They have all five starters returning from a team that played its way into the NCAA Tournament by winning the conference tournament.

The returning players include the nation's top shot-blocker, Jarvis Varnado, who also led State in scoring at barely under 13 points a game and rebounding at nearly nine. Shooters Barry Stewart, Ravern Johnson and Phil Turner are back.

Leading the offense will be one of the league's freshman surprises at point guard, Dee Bost. Bost was fourth in the league in assists at 4.33 per game and was one of the leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.53.

So what's the mystery?

The status of freshman Renardo Sidney remained unresolved as of mid-October.

A 6-10 power forward, Sidney was listed the No. 16 prospect overall (Rivals.com) and has the potential to bump one of the veterans out of the starting lineup if he is cleared to play.

The hang-up isn't academics, but his amateur status. The NCAA is seeking more documents to determine how his family paid rent for a house in the Southern California area where he lived after moving from Mississippi.

Sidney's lawyer was asking the U.S. Congress to investigate, according to the Los Angeles Times.

If Sidney plays and lives up to expectations, the Bulldogs go from a favorite to win their division to a team that will contend for the league championship and has the potential to be playing in late March.

Even without Sidney, the Bulldogs have a couple of newcomers who could make things interesting and add to the team's overall depth.

Freshman John Riek is considered a project, but at 7-2 he could join with Varnado and give Mississippi State two big shot-blockers. Freshman Wendell Lewis also shows promise in the low post.

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