by Matt Dunaway, Director/Communications
GAINESVILLE, Florida – Mississippi State men’s basketball will look to string together consecutive SEC victories, and both programs will look to return to the .500 mark in conference play as the Bulldogs square off with Florida on Wednesday evening.
The Bulldogs (13-5, 2-3 SEC) will be playing their fifth NCAA NET 1 Quad 1 contest over their first six league games. State is joined by Vanderbilt as the only SEC teams slated to face 10 or more combined NCAA NET Quad 1/Quad 2 opponents during league action.
The Bulldogs are one of four SEC squads (Auburn, Tennessee, Texas A&M) to secure at least five NCAA Quad 1/Quad 2 wins on the season.
State’s non-conference resume is headlined by a quartet of Power 5 neutral court victories over Arizona State (Pac-12), Northwestern (Big Ten), Rutgers (Big Ten) and Washington State (Pac-12). Only the Bulldogs and Memphis possess at least four non-conference wins over Power 5 opponents on road/neutral floors this season.
State is joined by Florida Atlantic as the only teams in the country to amass six neutral court victories in 2023-24. The Bulldogs also defeated North Texas (American) and Tulane (American) en route to their six neutral court triumphs by an average of 15.7 points per contest.
State took down Vanderbilt, 68-55, last time out. The Bulldogs dominated the interior and doubled up the Commodores, 36-18, in paint points. The Maroon and White also secured a 45-33 advantage in the rebounding battle which resulted in a 12-6 edge on second-chance points.
State features a suffocating defense under second-year coach
Chris Jans after being one of two teams to rank inside the nation’s top 25 last season in scoring defense (61.0 – 2nd SEC – 9th nationally), field goal percentage defense (39.4 – 3rd SEC – 10th nationally) and steals (8.6 – 2nd SEC – 23rd nationally).
This season, the Bulldogs possesses national top 50 rankings in three-point field goal percentage defense (27.6 – 1st SEC – 6th nation), steals (8.7 – 3rd SEC – 40th nation), scoring defense (65.7 – 3rd SEC – 43rd nation) and field goal percentage defense (40.3 – 4th SEC – 44th nation).
State also has dialed up top 30 marks from KenPom.com in three additional defensive categories: adjusted defensive efficiency (95.8 – 15th), effective field goal percentage defense (45.7 – 23rd) and steal percentage (12.5 – 26th).
The Maroon and White has drained 134 three-pointers which is tied for 7th most in program history over the team’s first 18 games.
Josh Hubbard,
Trey Fort,
Dashawn Davis and
D.J. Jeffries have combined for 102 of the team’s 134 treys (76.1 percent).
SERIES HISTORY
State has picked up victories during four of the last six meetings in the series over Florida since 2018-19. Overall, the Gators hold a 67-53 series advantage as the two teams split their two meetings last season.
The Bulldogs emerged with a 69-68 overtime win at the SEC Tournament behind Tolu Smith III’s career-high 28 points coupled with 12 rebounds and 3 steals, while Dashawn Davis added 9 points and 8 assists against 0 turnovers.
State’s last victory in Gainesville was a 78-71 decision on Jan. 28, 2020. Reggie Perry racked up 27 points followed by Robert Woodard II’s 16 points and Nick Weatherspoon’s 13 points and 8 assists.
The Matchup: Mississippi State (13-5, 2-3 SEC) vs. Florida (12-6, 2-3 SEC)
Where: Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O’Connell Center – Gainesville, Florida
When: Wednesday, January 24, 7:30 p.m. CT
Live Stats: StatBroadcast (https://hailst.at/3SmZsGn)
TV: SEC Network
Channels: Ch. 611 (DirecTV); Ch. 404/408 (Dish); Ch. 1026 (MaxxSouth); Ch. 220 C-Spire
App: ESPN App (Subscription Required – https://hailst.at/4aBixv7)
Talent: Mike Morgan, Mark Wise
Radio: Mississippi State Sports Network – Powered by Learfield
Talent: Neil Price, Richard Williams
Affiliates: WZLA-FM 96.1 Starkville/West Point
Free Online Audio: Hail State App (https://hailst.at/4b6Nl7o); The Varsity Network App
5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE
1. Chris Jans, one of the nation’s premier bench bosses, leads State’s program. He is assisted by James Miller, David Anwar and George Brooks. The Iowa native was one of 10 SEC coaches in league history to amass at least 21 victories and secure a NCAA Tournament berth during their first season in 2022-23.
Jans, a three-time WAC Coach of the Year during his tenure at New Mexico State, owns an impressive .741 winning percentage (177-62) in his 8th season as a NCAA Division I head coach. He is fifth among NCAA active coaches with a .741 winning percentage behind only Mark Few (Gonzaga), Brian Dutcher (San Diego State), Bill Self (Kansas), and John Calipari (Kentucky).
As a junior college head coach, Jans won the 1997-98 NJCAA Division II National Championship at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He also played a vital role as an assistant coach at Wichita State which was headed by a 2013 NCAA Final Four run, five NCAA Tournament trips and four Missouri Valley Conference regular season crowns.
2. The Maroon and White are among the nation’s leaders returning 80.9 percent of its points, 72.4 percent of its rebounds, 83.8 percent of its assists, 83.6 percent of its steals and 75.2 percent of its blocks from last season.
During five games of SEC action, State’s returning players have tallied 69.0 percent of the team’s points (247-of-358). The Bulldogs have continued to showcase their depth and piled up 31.67 bench points per contest which is 3rd on the SEC leaderboard and check in 13th nationally.
3. Tolu Smith III, Shakeel Moore, D.J. Jeffries, Dashawn Davis and Cameron Matthews combined for 85.3 percent of the team’s starts (145-of-170) as State’s top five scorers in 2022-23.
Smith III (19.7 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.3 APG) has been showered with numerous preseason accolades headed by the Karl Malone and Naismith Trophy Watch Lists. He also was a consensus 2022-23 All-SEC First-Team pick and a consensus 2023-24 All-SEC Preseason First-Team selection joined by Texas A&M’s Wade Taylor IV.
Smith III has racked up 1,328 points and 725 rebounds and has started 88 of 91 games at State. He is joined by Purdue’s Zach Edey as the only returning college players in 2023-24 to average at least 15.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and shoot 55-plus percent from the floor last season. He has ripped off 24 consecutive games in double figures (01/14/23 to 01/20/24) sparked by 12 double-doubles. Smith III produced his SEC-leading 27th double-double among active players with 25 points and 11 rebounds versus Vanderbilt (01/20) and a season’s best 26 points at No. 8 Kentucky (01/17).
Moore (7.7 PPG, 2.0 APG) has registered 33 of his 38 career games with 10-plus points over the last three seasons while at Mississippi State. He came away with a season’s best 16 points against Murray State (12/13) and has posted 9.1 points per game over his 10 starts. Defensively, Moore has accounted for at least one steal in 76 of 107 career games sparked by 48 times with multiple steals. His 158 career steals are tied for 6th among SEC active players and his 123 steals at State are tied for 17th on the program’s all-time list.
Jeffries (6.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.2 SPG) has found his way into State’s starting five in 83 of 86 career games. He eclipsed 600 career rebounds against UT Martin (11/11) and followed that up by surpassing 1,200 career points versus Vanderbilt (01/20). Jeffries secured a season-high 13 points versus North Texas (12/17). He also added a season’s best 12 rebounds to go along with 11 points versus Murray State (12/13) to tuck away his first double-double of the season. Jeffries secured a career-high five steals against No. 5 Tennessee (01/10).
Davis (7.0 PPG, 3.2 APG, 1.8 SPG) is ranked tied for 8th in steals and 12th in assist-to-turnover ratio among SEC players this season. Five of his six games of 10+ points in 2023-24 have come on the road/neutral floors fueled by season’s bests of 13 points and 7 assists against Rutgers (12/23). In those six games in double figures, Davis is shooting 47.1 percent from three-point territory. He also posted consecutive games in double figures en route to Hall of Fame All-Tournament Team. Davis came away with a State career-best of 18 points against Utah in the Fort Myers Championship Game, while his SEC career-high is 17 point at Arkansas, both coming last season.
Matthews (9.1 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.0 APG, 2.3 SPG) has showcased his as the one of two Power 6 players and one of five players nationally to dial up at least 9.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game this season. He has posted eight outings of 10+ points sparked by a season-high 18 points coupled with 11 rebounds versus Rutgers (12/23). The Bulldogs are 15-4 lifetime when Matthews collects 10 or more points. He also has handed out multiple assists in 11 outings and secured multiple steals on nine occasions this season. Matthews has garnered at least one steal in 59 of his 85 outings over the last three seasons.
4. The Bulldogs have brought in an impressive group of newcomers which include Jimmy Bell Jr. (West Virginia), Trey Fort (Howard College), Scott (Salt Lake Community College) and Andrew Taylor (Marshall) from the transfer portal and the junior college ranks.
Bell Jr. (7.8 PPG, 7.4 RPG), the SEC’s Player of the Week for 12/26, has started 48 games over the last two seasons and was a key member of West Virginia’s 2022-23 NCAA Tournament squad. He has already notched six of his 13 career outings of 10-plus points for State this season. Bell Jr. ripped off a season’s best 17 points and hauled down a career-high 18 rebounds against Rutgers (12/23). His 7.4 rebounds per contest are 7th on the SEC’s , and he’s pulled down 10+ rebounds on six occasions.
Fort (6.1 PPG), one of the nation’s top junior college recruits, was a All-America Second-Team honoree at Howard College in Texas last season. His 24.9 points per game was fourth among JUCO players. Fort has notched double figures three times highlighted by a 21-point explosion versus Arizona State (11/08) on opening night, while his SEC season watermark is a 13-point effort coming at No. 8 Kentucky (01/17).
Scott (1.3 PPG, 1.6 RPG) posted 16.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per game at Salt Lake CC last season, and his team was the 2021-22 NJCAA Runner-Up. He secured nine points and nine rebounds versus Southern Miss in the charity exhibition game. Scott’s best regular season outing was six points and six rebounds against Tulane (12/09).
Taylor (3.9 PPG, 1.3 APG) was dubbed a SEC Impact transfer by CBS’ Jon Rothstein. His 1,636 career points are 6th among SEC active players. Last season, Taylor joined by St. John’s Shamorie Ponds (2017-18) as the only college players over the last decade to average at least 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game. He tallied a season’s best nine points versus North Alabama (11/14). Taylor has missed the last seven games due to a personal matter.
5. Mississippi State’s talented freshmen class features Gai Chol, Josh Hubbard and Adrian Myers. The Bulldogs also brought back Shawn Jones Jr. and KeShawn Murphy who will look to build on their freshmen campaigns.
Hubbard (14.2 PPG, 1.6 APG), a two-time SEC Freshmen of the Week on 11/20 and 01/15 and an ESPN top 100 recruit for the Class of 2023, capped his high school career as the state of Mississippi’s all-time leading scorer with 4,367 career points which broke a record that stood for 37 years previously held by Mississippi State’s Robert Woodard.
Hubbard (14.2 PPG, 1.6 APG), a two-time SEC Freshmen of the Week on 11/20 and 01/15 and an ESPN top 100 recruit for the Class of 2023, capped his high school career as the state of Mississippi’s all-time leading scorer with 4,367 career points which broke a record that stood for 37 years previously held by Mississippi State’s Robert Woodard.
Hubbard is one of two Power 6 freshmen since 2005-06 to average at least 14 points off the bench with a minimum of 15 games played, not including games in which the player started, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
Hubbard has piled up 258 points through his first 18 games which is 5th-most for a MSU freshman and the most since Rickey Brown (1976-77). His 14.2 points per game are tops among SEC freshmen as he tallied 25 points versus No. 5 Tennessee during his SEC home debut. His four outings of 20-plus points off the bench is tied with Darryl Wilson in 1993-94 for the most by a State player since 1988-89.
Hubbard’s season-high of 29 points versus Northwestern (11/19) is the most for a State player under Coach Jans. It also marked the most points scored by a State player off the bench since Tony Watts also scored 29 points at Ole Miss in 1989-90.
Jones Jr. (4.8 PPG) wrapped up 2022-23 on a strong note with seven of his top 10 scoring efforts coming against SEC opponents. He carried that momentum into the start of the 2023-24 campaign with a trio of 8-point efforts versus Arizona State (11/08), UT Martin (11/11) and Washington State (11/18). Jones Jr.’s career-high is 11 points against South Carolina (02/28/23).
Murphy (5.4 PPG) made his season debut returning from injury against Nicholls (11/24). His top performance in 2023-24 was a career-best 18 points on 8-of-14 shooting versus North Texas (12/17). His SEC best is 11 points versus No. 8 Alabama (12/28/22).
Chol (2.9 PPG), a native of South Sudan, took advantage of extended minutes with 11 points and six rebounds against UT Martin (11/11). He also tallied five points versus Nicholls (11/24) coupled with four points and four rebounds during the Tulane game (12/09).
SCOUTING FLORIDA
The Gators have won two of their last three outings which includes a 79-67 road win over Missouri last Saturday. Florida has amassed 84.8 points per game with five players averaging in double figures. Another strength of the Gators is their SEC-leading 44.67 rebounds per game highlighted by a 40.6 offensive rebounding percentage.
Walter Clayton Jr. (15.8 PPG, 2.9 APG, 1.2 SPG) has secured 10-plus points in all five SEC games and in 15 of 18 games this season. He has drained a team-leading 11 of his 37 treys during SEC action. Clayton Jr.’s has amassed five games of 20-plus points which include a pair of 23-point efforts against No. 6 Kentucky (Jan. 6) and at Ole Miss (Jan. 10).
Zyon Pullin (14.6 PPG, 4.7 APG) holds the SEC’s top spot with a 4.1 assist-to-turnover ratio but also has ripped off double figures in all 15 of his appearances. Tyrese Samuel (13.6 PPG, 8.3 RPG) has posted a SEC-best eight double-doubles headed by a pair of 20-10 games against Pittsburgh (11/22) and Michigan (12/19) during the non-conference slate.
As of late, Riley Kugel (11.4 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.5 SPG) has been Florida’s top performer off the bench. He has tallied 10+ points in four of his last six outings coming off the bench sparked by a 20-point performance versus Arkansas (01/13).
Mississippi State is selling single-game tickets for all remaining SEC home contests. Visit www.HailState.com/Tickets for more information.
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